EDLD5368_week5_Reflections

What benefits do you see in educators knowing how to design and implement online learning? Some benefits that I see for educators is that it enhances the communication between students and faculty members. This meaning that it provides many ways for them to communicate such as discussion boards, chats, emails and web conferences. Being able to design and implement courses online would be beneficial in and out of the classroom. Educators with this type of knowledge could help in making their students more advanced in technology, provide differentiated instruction for all students and also gives those students who have never had the opportunity to work online the chance. This type of knowledge will also assist in the creation of staff development for districts and campuses. Having faculty members who know how to design and implement this learning can save the district time and money. It will also help in the creation of staffdevelopment. Teachers could access their workshops and/or courses online and could complete them on their own time and at their own place. They could revisit items that are still unclear to them and breeze through items that they just need a little refresher on. How will you professionally use your course that you designed? As far as the use of my online course I will use it to integrate technology within my classroom. I know that not all my students have the access to the internet or even computers at home and they have limited access to computers at school, so with this I believe it will be done more in class. I will give students the opportunity to complete activities outside the classroom if they choose or even communicate with the Computer Lab teachers to see if we could schedule a day for the students to work on the course during their class time, that way all students will be able to experience what it is like to do the activities online. I could really see the use of creating n online course for a technology teacher on campus. The students could come into the classroom pull up their course and work at their own pace. That way the teacher would have more time to help those students who need the guidance. Will you integrate online learning in your role as a teacher/staff developer? As a teacher at my grade level, I question myself on how I will use online learning. There are many students who do not have the access to computers at home and we are limited on our access to individual computers at school. I can see myself using the online learning and developed course for my G/T students who are out of the classroom on Mondays. They could access the daily work, complete it and not fall behind or miss anything we have discussed. Another way could be to put a link on my school website so that parents can have access to see what we are doing in class and also for those students who miss a day of school. If they have access they could get online and see what we are working on or what they have missed. As a staff developer, I can see myself using the online courses as a key tool. I myself am enrolled in an online G/T course. All of the information we need is in the courseware and we access it at our leisure. I find this very beneficial. I do not have to take time out of my class or away from my family to complete. We are given a starting date and a completion date and we work at our own pace and I love it. As a staff developer I could create online courses for staff members so that don't have to loose the time in the classroom and they could work at their own pace. This would save the district money by not having to hire subs, find someone to present the workshop, etc. What questions do you still have about online learning? Some questions or inquiries that I would have about implementing online learning is what steps do we need to get it started at a lower class level or even in our districts? Is it appropriate for lower level students? What can districts do so that all students could have access to computers and internet to complete these courses? How do you get those who have little knowledge of technology and do no want to increase their knowledge, the tools and interest to become more educated in the ease and importance of these new tools that will be very beneficial to our students now and in the future? What will you do with this new learning? From what I have learned in this course I find myself wanting to experiment more with Schoology or other online course creators. I want to see how I can implement it in my classroom and on my campus. What I have learned I will take and apply to my current position as an educator. I am hoping to show my administration and fellow coworkers the importance and benefits of online learning. It seems that there are many people on my campus that are afraid of the internet and learning new concepts with technology. I am hoping with my new knowledge that I can show them how simple things could be if they took the little extra time to learn. I have enjoyed my online course through Region 13 on Gifted and Talented students. I am now on my 5th course and will be ready to test to become certified when finished.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning(2002, July). Retrieved May 12, 2010 from @http://www.comminit.com/en/node/210058/307 Educational Benefits on Online Learning((2000). Retrieved May 12, 2010 from http://www.uth.tmc.edu/med/administration/edu_programs/ep/blackboard/text/Online_Learning_Benefits.pdf