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Using Distance Learning Media in Classroom Teaching by Anke Eekma |
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In this paper I will discuss the following thesis:
"Distance learning media can have an important impact on classroom learning, as long as the teacher feels comfortable with the new learning tools."
First, I will give some information about what kind of projects can be organized using the World Wide Web/Internet as a distance learning tool. Then I will tell something about the positive impact this "World Wide Network" can have on education.
Afer that it will be analyzed why teachers are not using this Network in their educational projects. Finally, I will give some guidelines that might indicate how distance learning media can be used without a lot of trouble regarding to the teacher, but with a considerable impact on the student's learning.
An approach that is mostly taken is informed by constructivist learning research that seeks to engage students in an active exploration of scientific ideas. Engaging students in productive and appropriate activities using the Net is the focus of for example the Knowledge Integration Environment (KIE) Project at Berkeley.
KIE provides networking tools to allow students to participate in activities centered around scientific evidence in order to help the students find evidence to support scientific ideas (E. A. Davis & P.Bell, A Short Manifesto on an Appropriate Use of the Net in K-12 Education). The students are doing research themselves, so these network activities will motivate them to explore the field. Because the knowledge about particular subjects has become more concrete, it will also evoke their interest in science.
Another example is The Multimedia Forum Kiosk (MFK). The MFK provides an environment where users communicate asynchronously with video, audio, and text (S. Hsi & C. M. Hoadley , An Interactive Multimedia Kiosk as a Tool for Collaborative Discourse, Reflection, and Assessment). Through this medium, students can get involved in large-scaled projects. They will be able to discuss topics with other students all over the world. This can involve social-cultural issues, but also scientific issues or discussions about (world) literature. They can find resources in several databases on the Internet. These resources can even be studied, because students can’t take all the information they get for granted, so they might try to verify information that's on the Internet.
You can also organize on-line discussions about a particular book, or there can even be debates with its writer.
Finally, students can write a report (like this one) and put it on the Internet.
Computer technology has much to contribute to inducing social learning. The Internet was originally built to link research communities nationwide. More recently, software for school collaborative learning have proven the effectiveness of computers in aiding learners to work together. I believe new interactive multimedia technologies that combine video, audio and images, can produce a better collaborative tool.
For example, video conferencing can be used to link schools all over the world and allow them to exchange ideas, as discussed above.
As Vygotskij stated, learning can be seen as a social phenomenon. According to Vygotskij, a person learns by first observing and listening to others. Then, with the help of others, the learner begins to internalize, use, and apply the knowledge. Over a period of time the knowledge becomes fully internalized and the learner can function alone. On a World Wide Network students can support each other or get support from specialists.
Considering the little amount distance learning projects going on in the Netherlands, there are two major problems involved, a technical problem and the problem concerning the organizational and curricular aspects at schools.
The first problem is the technical problem. Most of the schools in the Netherlands do not have the technical supplies to use distance learning media. The main problem is that there is not yet a network or Internet connection available. It is not likely that this will change very quickly, because the initial costs are high related to the money avilable for educational projects.
When this technical problem is solved, so when there is a network and an Internet connection available, there are two other important factors which slow down the use of distance learning media in regular eductation, namely the predetermined curriculum and the attitude of the teacher.
In most of the schools the teacher isn't free in choosing or making his own curriculum. He or she has to use the books that are available at that particular school, and most of the time there is a minimum of space left for personal contribution to a course.
But what if the curriculum isn’t already completely fixed, and the teacher has enough time left to explore new things with his or her students?
Generally, the teacher is afraid to explore new things, because there’s a big risk involved. What if the students don't learn enough about e.g. geography, science or history? When it’s up to the teacher to decide how to fill in the curriculum, there's a lot of uncertainty involved. The teacher feels even more -and is in a way fully responsible for the student’s learning. In this way, the teacher tends to use only "official" learning material.
The technical problem is, as I believe, just a matter of time. After that, new ‘teaching materials’ or new teaching guidelines have to be developed in order to take away the teacher’s ‘insecurity’ and thus to change his or her attitude.
I think the solution that’s most appropriate is the development of teaching guidelines. This can be done in different ways. One way is to take away a part of the responsibility of the teacher by hiring ‘online teachers’. This can be colleagues from all over the world, who are specialized in different subjects. A teacher with (more) knowledge of frog dissection can give assistance to a teacher who knows less about this topic. There can also be the possibility of communicating (by videoconferencing or text-based) and demonstrations.
Another way to take reduce the teacher’s responsibility is to prestructure the learning path. Therefore, there are a couple of aspects that have to be available in uses of distance learning media, so that the teacher can focus on the learning process and the possibilities of the new teaching tools and not on the medium itself.
So the standard equipment that should be available in schools are:
World-Wide-Web Browser, which provides an appropriate graphical interface for evidence on the Net
Evidence Databases, which provide a growing set of science-related evidence both from the Net and created by students, organized by topic
Discussion Tool, which allows students to conduct structured, on-line conversations about their (scientific) ideas
Student Notebook, which allows students to organize, react to, and author evidence
On-Line Guidance, which provides supporting prompts and feedback as students work on activities
Activity Planner, which allows teachers to design and orchestrate Net-oriented activities
Student Profiler, which identifies and customizes activities for individual students based on their proficiencies and interests
(E.A. Davis & P. Bell, A Short Manifesto on an Appropriate Use of the Net in K-12 Education)