Today's online student is far different than the one 5 years ago. The student expects that everything in the classroom is accessible just as their apps, email and news are accessible on their phone. Does this take away from the student experience, the learning experience if students do everything on their phone?

It seems that the student of today expects to go through an application whereby they experience learning through activities and not necessarily by their own experimentation with writing and exploring resources.

Did anyone else find that an interesting use of phrasing for a way to achieve collaborative learning? I suppose it makes sense, it just seems like a potentially bad idea.

Emily

For those of us who teach in design fields the idea of students working in groups should not come as a revelation. My faculty and I have been employing Group projects for over a decade; I have been teaching since ’97 and utilizing group work for pretty much that length of time. For that entire time I have also heard the unified groan that comes from students when they hear that they will be working in groups, and the inevitable pushback from some students for a variety of reasons. Group projects (and learning) is valuable in a number of ways but in many ways it requires identifying motivators to be effective, especially since many students bring enter into these projects with previous often negative experiences. I have had students fresh from high school who have had negative experiences with group members who skate by on the efforts of others, or students who thrive in group projects by taking on familiar roles that do not challenge or develop them; for any instructor it is important to establish how to address these and other challenges in group learning. Ignoring that most students are motivated by individual achievement can cause hazards and limit the effectiveness of group learning. In many ways the terminology presents a challenge, using the term of “group” is common and often generic, and while it establishes a basic dynamic that promotes everyone participating, it limits the students ability to organize into a working structure. I have made a change in semantics to promote a more workable dynamic using the term “team” project. I have used this with senior level students primarily where competition between teams and development of leadership skills is essential before graduation. I have done this to push students and help them develop a wider array of skills within traditional group dynamics, and assist them in developing individual skills and methods of self-assessment. In a world where reality TV is standard, students understand that a team dynamic can be the determining factor in success. They can understand roles, and they can utilize the feedback when competing. In a recent class, I utilized weekly challenges, as a means of providing feedback on homework assignments, and the teams used this competition as a motivator for personal and team goals. While this seems to be a semantic change, the idea of utilizing teams is actually an evolution of the group project many of our current students have experienced. We need to adapt the concept of group learning to eliminate the negative connotations that students begin learning as early as grade school.

Many school environments do not welcome or even do not authorize using social media in the classroom, yet the use of social media could be a very effective tool to impart knowledge and introduce creative discussion of the topics included in a course’s curriculum. As a teacher, I understand how beneficial the interaction brought about by establishing such connections with outside sources could be to promote knowledge acquisition and encourage class participation. Even in a ESOL class, in which sometimes there is resistance to speak English due to shyness or fear of making mistakes, a contact with outside speakers could overcome their hesitancy and motivate them to engage in discussing topics of mutual interest. This could be a way of convincing conservative school authorities to allow the use of social media in the classroom. Philip Cunill

I have been adding more technology to power point by adding videos of medical assisting procedures. Students are able to view the procedures numerous times to improve performance.

This class will prove useful for myself and the students.

As a Biology Instructor, I have found that PBS Video (specifically Frontline, NOVA, and Nature) are excellent teaching tools when discussing how topics in Biology affect us on a daily basis. It provides students with an opportunity to witness audio, visual, and current events all at the same time. In my class, I usually assign a "Video Synopsis" where a student is required to write a two-page summary on the plot of the movie and on criticisms and reactions. Additionally, as an English Instructor I found that some students who are struggling with grammar, spelling, and punctuation can work on MyWritingLab. This resource allows students to take virtual quizzes, listen to audio recordings, and practice their textbook problems from the comfort of their homes. The result is an increase in student performance and confidence.

The academic institution where I teach is comprised of a chain of for-profit technical colleges throughout the Southern United States. If there was ever a need for instructors to come together and hash out new teaching strategies or tips for classroom management, this is all made possibly through videoconferencing. Schools can save money and will have an opportunity to team up with colleagues who show great promise in their classrooms and with their curriculum.

At my institution, online instructors are expected to host discussions using discussion boards as part of the required attendance of each student. Students must create a post themselves and then reply to posts from three other students. This back-and-forth interaction creates camaraderie, fosters teamwork, and promotes active engagement with the course material.

Over the past few terms, I have noticed an increase in student understanding and retention when it comes to properly dissecting frogs. The idea of using a virtual biology lab came to me after I noticed that students struggled to identify the major organs of the frog system simply based on lecture notes. By requiring the completion of a virtual lab prior to the actual lab (in-class using real tools) it reaffirms to each student their own comprehension. Students show more enthusiasm and energy when they arrive to class and are ready to go. Technology and Biology make an excellent pair for college learners.

Not considered here, I like the concept but it may take years to incorporate this into everyones everyday learning.

Introducing new technology initiates student interest.