1. Why is media selection important in eLearning?
Media selection is important in eLearning because it, keeps them active and engaged in the content. Since one of your objectives is to express your ideas to the learners in a clear concise manner, media selection becomes extremely to eliminate ambiguity, and even more important to create a learning environment similar to face-to-face instruction.
2. Define "new media"?
New Media is the concept of sharing appropriate media sites to increase the ability for others to use, reuse, link to and comment on shared works. Key components of new media are: supporting current practices, locating appropriate media sites for sharing, and creating a media experience that stimulates learning.
3. Choose a "new media" and explain it's strengths and weaknesses for supporting eLearning.
New Media: Podcast. A podcast is a standalone
file (often in the MP3 format) that requires that the file be downloaded before
playing, and it can be used to deliver audio, video and/ or slideshow
presentations. One of the strengths of podcast is portability. Students can download the file and choose to
either listen to the file now or later, bring it with them on a mobile device
like Smartphone or DVD and listen to the file on the go. The second strength of podcast is ease of
production, especially if it is only an audio file. You do not have to buy any special software
or equipment to create a file that can deliver your content. On the other hand, podcasts does not easily capture
the visual content or discussions in the class. Plus, it does not have a
variety of file sizes that are readily available.
4. Explain the term "Mobile Learning" and discuss the importance of "Mobile Learning in the current eLearning environment and in future eLearning environments.
According to Horton (2012) Mobile learning can be explained in two ways: firstly mobile learning is participating in learning events while mobile, where mobile techniques and technologies allow people to participate in the several forms of learning like classroom, virtual, standalone, social learning and performance support. Second, mobile learning is learning from our surroundings—real mobile learning (RML). In RML students do not learn from a mobile device, but instead learn from the environment around them, such as: objects, environments, experts, and fellow learners. The importance of Mobile Learning in current and future eLearning environments are the ease and affordability of portable devices like Smartphones, PDAs, Tablets, etc. The easier the devices are to use and the more the affordable it is for users to purchase these devices, the more it increases the probability for Mobile Learning to become a solution for classroom instruction.
5. Explain the term "Virtual Classroom". Describe how a "Virtual Classroom" can be used in eLearning.
Virtual Classroom is essential a traditional classroom instruction but facilitated online. According to Horton (2012), Virtual Classrooms are syschrononous events are online meetings like online presentations, Q &A sessions, and both individual and group activities. I believe Virtual Classroom is one great way use eLearning. Since is it always easier to start with what you know and what has already worked for you (as well as your client) in the past, Virtual Classroom is the best transition from traditional face-to-face instruction to eLearning. You can transfer information in terms of the syllabus, weekly goals and assignment, test, and activities with and ease and requires less development time.
Sources:
Horton, W. (2012).
Social learning. In E-learning by design (pp. 501-582). San Francisco, CA:
Pfeiffer.
Lane, C. (2006). UW Podcasting: Evaluation of Year One.
Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/lst/research/papers/2006/podcasting_year1.pdf
Newberry, B. Media For
eLearning (Word Document). Retrieved from http://studyonthebeach.com/csusb/classes/fall2012/etec_541_fall_2012/
Newberry, B. New Media.
(Word Document). Retrieved from http://studyonthebeach.com/csusb/classes/fall2012/etec_541_fall_2012/
Newberry, B. New Media
Second Life. (Word Document). Retrieved from http://studyonthebeach.com/csusb/classes/fall2012/etec_541_fall_2012/
Your source of new media is one that is used often in eLearning so it was good to see strengths and weaknesses of using them in an online setting. How long do you think a podcast can be before losing interest of the students as an instructor?
ReplyDeleteGreat questions Javier!
ReplyDeleteI think it depends of course!
Good post Melissa! What do you think about Javier's question?
"The easier the devices are to use and the more the affordable it is for users to purchase these devices, the more it increases the probability for Mobile Learning to become a solution for classroom instruction." Yes, I agree that the more media players become available, the more that they can be adapted for the student on the go. Technology is indeed getting cheaper and more available. Do you think this adds a burden on the instructor to keep up? Do institutions and teachers have to find a point where they can support such learning, like for iOs...? It is hard keeping up on all of the technology, I agree.
ReplyDeleteI think a podcast should not be any longer than forty five minutes. The students attention span will wane at that point for sure if it has not already. If the information was broken down into smaller pod casts like say 3 fifteen minutes would be more palatable. The length also is subjective to how well spoken the narrator is during the podcast.
ReplyDelete