The key to a successful student is quite often based on how well the student and the instructor communicate with each other on the course’s many topics. In my personal observations, the addition of technology both in the ground classroom and in the online classroom has been a large plus towards teaching the whole student and coming across to the students as a caring instructor.
"I fully agree with you. I have taught in Masters Degree programs in the field of Education in both the traditional and the online environments. I know much more about each individual student in my online classes than I ever did in the traditional campus. I think in the traditional classrooms students were more likely to discuss problems with peers and did not always need to discuss them with the professor. In the online campus the professor is the first one they go to."
The discussion on whether or not instructors should allow the use of Wikipedia as an online source in researching topics has been an ongoing topic for several years. Now a Library Director puts forth her ideas of how using Wikipedia can actually strengthen a students research skills.
"I am one of those instructors who does not allow wikipedia as a source in my classroom. However I also do not allow dictionaries, encyclopedia or any other site that tries to provide information on a wide variety of topics. While I feel all of these sources are appropriate in elementary school & sometimes in high school, I teach in a graduate school program and I feel the students in these classes should be beyond wikipedia and such sources and ready to use primary sources, published articles, professional web pages and other higher level sources in their own field when responding to assignments."
Several of the national technology conferences have seen an increase in educators wanting to be able to prepare online courses. Many school districts are trying to offer online courses to expand their offerings and to provide access to homebound students. Unfortunately the districts seem to be expecting classroom teachers or school technology teachers to develop these classes. The result has been an influx of substandard or inadequate online classes.
"Thanks Carla. AT AIU we constantly work towards offering new programs for our students. My Bachelor's degree was in Pyschology from a traditional school. Way back then we did not have online courses or even personal computers. ;-) We hope you will decide to stick with AIU as you continue on with your education and who knows maybe we will meet some day if you enter our Masters of Education program. Good Luck."
