For LIS 201, I really enjoyed this new kind of learning experience. The online portions probably did not connect with the in-person portion as much as I expected. I was expecting some discussions on what each of us wrote on the blog, but that didn't happen too often. So I kind of felt like it is not too much different from just turning in the assignments individually/directly to the TA. It is true that having this blog allows us to read each other's work and leave comments. But it is probably also true that many of us didn't really read what each of us wrote and only left comments because we were asked to. I do like the blog and wiki idea, but I also think we could have done more with the blog and wiki. What I like about the blog is that it gives us everyone a chance to share our ideas and thoughts, because in discussions time is limited, and I am just not a very active speaker. I didn't really have problems with online resources like blogs and wikis but I am definitely more used to them. I think that it really depends on the course content and the instructor with the use of online components. If it fits well into the teaching style of the instructor or course content then great! If not, I don't think there is a need to push for that.
I definitely learned a lot about the information society, and also realized how little I knew or were aware of it. I didn't really think deeply about the online components of all the courses I took until this class. I do think that having some things online make things easier, such as having the readings online, taking quiz online, submitting assignments online, etc. And that aspect would not change regardless of whether the course is about online world of information or not. But I think what makes the online components of this class important/meaningful is because we are learning about the online world.
3 comments:
I mostly agree with almost everything you said, but specifically the part where we only comment because we are asked/required too. Personally, I wouldn't go through and read everyone else work unless asked as I don't always feel that it adds to my educational value, and honestly don't have the time to go through and read them all. In addition to that, we cover all of these topics in discussion in depth, so going through the blogs seems to be a little redundant.
I was wondering the same thing - if my classes that require online quizzes and online reading responses constitute a hybrid class. So I did a little research and it looks like they don't necessarily do. I found a UW-Milkwakuee website that had answers to frequently asked questions. One of the responses said a "hybrid course is designed to integrate face-to-face and online activities so that they reinforce, complement, and elaborate one another, instead of treating the online component as an add-on or duplicate of what is taught in the classroom." So I would think, at least for my classes, that the online quizzes or homework are more of add-ons and therefore, the class is not necessarily a hybrid course. I also got the impression that a hybrid course is also about two thirds of class meetings face-to-face and about one third online. But I definitely think there is not a definitive definition of a hybrid class so it could be debated.
I agree with the idea you post about that there should be more discussion/ comments back on each of the post as it supposed to gave us a platform to talk to each other. However I think it didn't happen really often is that we were only ask to comment once instead of interact with each other. It might be helpful for us if we can discuss with each other and create another discussion via the online portion of this class and incorporate with the in-class discussion we had every week. Overall I agree with your idea of how Internet access had help us through out this course!
Post a Comment