Also, couldn't leave this topic without addressing the great debate about social isolation in the connected environment. I'm a lowly Ed. Media Scholar, not a psychologist, however, I have been working as an online educator, and participating in online courses for the past four years. It's been my experience that course design, and instructor interaction/feedback is a MAJOR determinant of student engagement and satisfaction. The savvy educator builds an infrastructure that fosters a diologic community. In that community, a student may find they have a more direct relationship with their peers than what they experience in the traditional classroom. This is, of course, due to the fact that some people attend classes, but do little to participate in the body of learning within that class (i.e. the student who sits quietly, takes notes, and doesn't contribute in discussions). A well designed Dist Ed. course contracts for participation, and insists on all voices coming to the table to exchange. It's participate or fail... a kindof tyrannical democracy. One student recently wrote: "I had always thought that technology is something cold and distant. I had felt as if technology promotes isolation rather than connection among people. And what I am learning is proving me wrong." Again: IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE DESIGN OF THE COURSE. If the course is not set up to encourage and facilitate peer interaction, then there will be lonely souls, and I doubt if you'd see a quote like above. cheers oh - btw: I can be reached at: katherine@asu.edu
Consequently, through this model of design, students become better acquainted with all of their connected-classmates than they are with their physically presenced classmates. Student's who are normally shy of speaking in the traditional environment, emerge as vital participants. International student's who may have language/speed of conversation challenges in the traditional environment, have time to compose well developed ideas to present to thier peers. The breathing space can be less isolating than it is connective and liberating.
k
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