In today’s day and age, technology is something that is constantly being advanced and is evolving at a rapid pace. The pace that is being set for the evolution of technology is based on convenience and simplicity of the way it benefits us. This is something that is greatly seen within a school society and community. From pencil and paper to laptops, the more you see technology becoming a big influence in the way we learn.
Because of the technology we see and use everyday, we are given an opportunity to learn in a different way. By being able to use technology, it opens many pathways to the way we learn. For example, you have certain websites and apps to help with communication; with websites like Coursespaces (Moodle) and apps like Google Docs, the possibilities are opened up.
With coursespaces, you have a website that connects the students with mainly their professors, but also their peers. By using this website, you have the ability to see the different activities and information that are ongoing in the course. An example of this would be, if you miss a class and are missing the notes, it is possible for the professor to post their notes online if they wish, for occasions similar to that situation. Besides being able to get missed notes, there are times where extra information can be posted (I.e. Different articles relating to the topic). Not only can you get information, you can use websites like this to interact with other students, whether it be by posting in a forum or asking a question for everyone to see that may have a similar question. In a sense, it is a way to communicate conveniently and gather information in a timely manner; instead of waiting until the very next class.
On the topic of convenience, there are not only websites that help with online learning, but there are apps like Google Docs, that help with collaborating with other students, effective and efficient. By creating and sharing a document on Google Docs, the creator has made an online document that can be seen and edited by those with the shared link. Since the group has an online document for the group itself, the redundancy of having to share the document constantly is eliminated and gives for real-time collaborating between the members.
Another online tool that can be used for the same purpose as the two previous two are YouTube videos. Since these types of videos can range from virtually anything, we can look at just the videos that help share valuable information that relate to the topic at hand. For example, we can look at educational Ted Talks videos. With these videos, they broadcast individuals who share something they are advocating for or are passionate about; usually people who are experienced in their field. There is also science related videos that help with understanding (I.e. Bill Nye). The one thing that these three videos have in common is stemmed from all videos on YouTube, that is that they can all be shared with a single link. As a professor, you can send a link to the students and help with their understanding and teaching of the topic at hand.
In the end, online resources that help with learning is something that we see everyday, and are quickly adapting to; to the point that it is more natural than looking at a textbook and face to face interaction. Slowly, it is being recognized that online learning is something that is either equally as good or possibly better than traditional learning (Nguyen, 2015).
In my honest opinion, online learning is something that I’ve personally gotten used to and would prefer over traditional learning. By being able to have online learning, it creates different possibilities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise with traditional learning (i.e. Flexibility).
References:
Nguyen, T. (2015). The effectiveness of online learning: Beyond no significant difference and future horizons. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 11(2), 309-319.