Question:

After reading Claire Major's chapter, find examples of digital web tools that support different modalities of online learning as described in Major's five headings and describe two or three tools and how they support different modalities. If you have personal experience with a particular tool for learning, even informally, please share that as well along with your own reflections.

 

 

My response:

There are tons of modules or tools online to allow individuals to obtain knowledge and skills on the virtual web. Though, I found two interesting methods in Claire Major’s “Teaching Online Theory, Research, and Practice”, Virtual Meeting on VoiceThread and Social Media Involvement. In my opinion, online learning could better help students to learn efficiently and effectively.

 

Virtual Meeting on VoiceThread

Simple putting virtual before meeting, it means that individuals do not have to attend to the lectures physically but virtually. Lecturers or professors could regularly upload study materials, such as e-textbook, powerpoint slides, notes, and visual/audio supports, such as recording of lectures, pictures, external links to academic sources, on the learning platform. Specifically, there is a tool called VoiceThread, which is a tool that could let users to leave audio and visual comments towards a topic. Students could therefore “review resources, construct responses, extend the conversation by commenting on each others’ contributions, and then come to class to engage in small group work and a whole class seminar.” (Major, 2015, p.97). So in that way, students are not required to meet physically but all contributing to achieve a higher performance online. 

 

Social Media Involvement 

It would always be pleasured by students if they can study and have fun at the same time. That is why Mr. J Patrick Biddix has introduced a more interactive and engaging method to online learning. He found the previous online learning materials and infrastructures are “unwieldy and unintuitive for new online learners”(Major, 2015, p.93). He later turned the online learning platform into fun, engaging modules that including an updatable schedule calendar, course syllabus, class readings and even assignment alerts. Though this platform is hundred percent online for students, students are required to complete a set of assignments online, such as discussion, presentation, analysis. Everything is scheduled by Professor Biddix so as to make sure each student follows the weekly routine and to abreast with the course progress. Moreover, he also allows students to pick the presentation tools that they prefer. Since the course is highly cooperative and magnificent, students are more encouraged to put effort in this course. Dr. Biddix has pointed out that “students took the discussions seriously and frequently used links to outside material to substantiate their perspectives or point out a related trend.” (Major, 2015, p.93). Undoubtedly, this method has turned into a great success, according to the feedback from students. 

 

At the end of the day, it is all about enhancing students’ experience of short term learning and stimulating for the continuing studies by offering new and useful tools. As internet is growing bigger and wider, online learning is getting more and more practical and achievable.

 

Reference 

Johns, Hopkins University Press. Teaching Online : A Guide to Theory, Research, and Practice, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=3318874.

Major, C. H. (2015). Teaching online: A guide to theory, research, and practice. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press.