I created this BLOG quite some time ago and have been somewhat lapse in getting back to it. I believe that this is specifically associated with the nature of online communication and the demands it places upon the user. It is no longer acceptable to comment and leave it at that, the user is expected to continue the communication and even develop the argument in some cases.
The type of communication demanded in a course such as this entails the user committing a considerable amount of time to merely read and become familiar with comments made by others. I find this to be difficult whilst also working online in my current role. Not that this a fault of the course, it is something I have to develop for myself in the allocation of time and acknowledge that it is ongoing, ie access must be daily in order to move ahead.
In working online we are not only using the internet for social interaction, but at a far deeper level we are creating communities that are able to support users in their personal and academic development. This may in time put us all into contact with people and communities we would have no hope of reaching using the more conventional means of communication that were available 20 years ago. This course alone has people participating from a number of different countries and is indicative of how the internet is providing a new and immediate means of communication for a group of people who would not have "met" if it had not been for this technology being available. It is also a graphic illustration of how far USQ has come with the development of its online courses and its promotion of such.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi Paul,
I found your blog to be very well set out. Doesn't it make life hectic when you have a family and also try to work and do a masters course. Were you holidaying in Canada or teaching there as I would love to do an exchange over there.
I agree with you the fact that by using the internet and blogs then we are able to get view points by people from not only locally but also nationally and internationally. I am constantly astounded by some of the places that people are teaching in and the fact that we can get information from them when they are on the other side of the world.
One thing that I did notice that I am also going to discuss on my blog is the fact that from my reading of the discussion points it seems as if an inetrnational students have been using blogs for a lot longer than what we have been in Australia.
Another point that I noticed was that primary schools seem to be using blogs far more that secondary school. Would you say that this is a result of the students being with the teacher all day and hence their is more time rather than in secondary the students moving from class to class.
I do agree that using the internet for social communication is important however I do ask some questions as to validity of using MSN for educational purposes, when we have other forms of online communication such as blogs and wiki's.
If you would like to check out my blog it can be found at http://www.metzoed.blogspot.com . It is not quite as detailed or pleasing to look at before but at the same time I am not an IT student. In fact I'm PE doing my masters in leadership and as such this is my first movement into the blogging arena.
Thanks
James
Post a Comment