virtual learning

As a learner and person, I am not afraid to make SMALL mistakes, do goofy things and let others learn and laugh about them. Therefore, a virtual study environment is challenging since I like to share my thoughts and ideas with others. I'm the kind who likes the constant interaction.

On the other hand, I like the freedom that virtual studies offer. Studying can take place whenever. But with a group, you have to still keep some deadlines.

Studies are going more online all the time, so I am glad I have been introduced to the virtual study world. However, it is a very challenging world for the teacher. You have to be very interactive with your students and inventive if you want the message to get through. We have not been interactive enough in our iVET course, not in virtual sessions nor in our teacher student communication.

In the second virtual session, we were given ideas on how to make a virtual session interesting and interactive. The sky is the limit, really, but we are still very limited in our actions. During our four virtual sessions we have developed a routine of presenting power points, talking and showing videos. There have not been any stunning presentations, yet. That is fine, we are new to this. Videos are fun to watch, they provide a new angle to the presentation but it is no guarantee that the session will be more interesting.

When our group started preparing for virtual sessions in August, my start up thoughts was to manage to limit the subject well and choose a few learning goals that I want the listeners to learn from the session. I know now, that this is a difficult. It is hard to limit oneself, not make too many slides, not talk too long..  

Since the internet is “da place” for all kinds of information and first aid, there is one source of information I want to share with you: “Teaching Online Courses – 60 GreatResources” provided by Dr. Tony Karrer. Dr. Karrer is an American e-learning expert who works as a part-time CTO for startups and midsize software companies. These 60 recommendations are further reading suggestions for instructors who are about to move into teaching online courses. His description of his first online session is much what we have experienced. The audience is muted and there is absolute silence. We talk and talk, and feel that the audience is dying.  I definitely think there should not be any muted microphones when teaching online, at least not for very long. Interaction is the key. Dr. Karrer says that “it definitely takes additional thinking/preparation to be good online.” It has to be interesting, interactive and – hmmm.. Please tell me, how should we teach online in order to deliver the message?

References:

Karrer, T. (October 25, 2010). "Teaching Online Courses - 60 great resources". eLearning Technology. Retrieved on 9 December 2012 from http://elearningtech.blogspot.fi/2010/10/teaching-online-courses-60-great.html