Recommendations
from the online session were to use a Learning Management System (LMS) such as
Blackboard, Moodle or Edmodo instead of the blog to manage questions. It was also suggested that a FAQ list is
compiled which students can access from their mobile phones. The use of Facebook for Q and A was also
suggested for the discussions and feedback.
Currently
the Institute is running three programmes that are in partnership with other
Higher Education Institutes (Stellenbosch University etc.) and does not have
any LMS of their own. For one programme
we have access to WebStudies from Stellenbosch University but some of the functions
are disabled due to the government internet policy. Edmodo was explored and confirmation from our
management that a LMS will be implemented very soon. There is already system development underway to
tailor-made the system for our use and bypass the restrictions from
government. I already have a FAQ list
that is posted on a local network and the restriction is however that the list
is only available on campus and therefore a LMS would be ideal. I consider a LMS to form part of the academic
setup which is a very useful management tool in general. First year students, especially in Soil Science,
need a distraction from the norm to motivate them to use it and anything that
appears different from academics, they will definitely explore with good
outcomes for them. The use of Facebook
is therefore a very useful tool but the restrictions for me as lecturer would
mean that all activities would be off campus.
I
therefore diverted my focus to the use of digital ink (tablet with OneNote or
InkSeine). Enhancing mobility of the
lecturer, transform the development from learning material in and out of class,
providing the student with complete problem and answer after class, moving away
from talking to your PowerPoint presentation or reading it (creating a more
human and non-mechanical rhythm), leading students through problems with
step-by-step processes. The aim is to
enable the student to eventually apply the knowledge and be able to solve real-time
problems.
The
questions that will form part of the formative feedback to determine the usefulness
of this tool for the specific problems are:
1. Which tablet function you
find most promising for teaching or student learning?
2. Does the laptop/pc have this
function?
3. Did the tablet have a
positive/negative effect on your teaching or learning?
4. In the class where a tablet
was used I feel
4.1. Important or ignored
4.2. Comfortable or uncomfortable
4.3. Involved in the lecture or
restless and bored
4.4. Part of a team or alone
4.5. Sure of where I stand or not
sure where is stand
5. The lecturer has been
5.1. Prepared or unprepared
5.2. Fair or unfair
5.3. Helpful or unhelpful
5.4. Well organised or lacking
organisation
5.5. Sensitive to my needs or
insensitive to my needs
5.6. Fully engaged and exited /
seemingly bored
5.7. Knowledgeable or not on top
of the technology /subject
5.8. Able to make difficult
concepts accessible and interesting / over our heads
6. The use of the tablet has
been
6.1. Thought provoking or dull
6.2. Effective in helping me learn
or ineffective in helping me learn
6.3. Too fast or too slow
6.4. Too abstract or too
simplistic
Your use of tablets seems interesting, especially in view of all the problems with accessing the internet (although you might be able to access some of the tools through your mobile phone, e.g. Facebook groups). I think your questions are interesting. It would be good to know a bit more how you are going to use the tablets. Will you use them during your class to annotate your PowerPoints? How will you make your learning materials available after class? what specific learning problem will you address? I think you need to be more clear on this? Is it about more flexible movement in the class? have you thought about any theoretical underpinning for your study?
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