.../Theoretical Concepts/Open and online education

Traditionally teaching and learning occurred in a set ‘face-to-face’ environment but like everything else that has changed with technological progress so has the ways in which teaching and learning occur.

Supporting learning in an online environment doesn’t just mean taking what happened in a traditional classroom and put that information online. It actually involves a different approach to learning and teaching as there are whole new arrays of factors that affect the context in which the teaching or facilitation is occurring. This approach is known as online pedagogy.

So what is online or e-learning?

Case Study

A case study of Mahara e-portfolio

1. Look at this link: Mahara e-portfolio in use at a university to see how an e-portfolio works
2. Find out about this example: About Mahara

What is online pedagogy?

Broken down into definitions from dictionary.com:

Online – adjective

• available or operating on a computer or computer network

Pedagogy - –noun, plural -gies.

• the function or work of a teacher; teaching.
• the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.

online. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved March 08, 2009, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/online

Effectively online pedagogy is the practice of facilitating learning online via computer networks using sound facilitation/teaching principles and practices.

Questions

Is online learning happening in the areas in which you teach? What are your initial thoughts around the advantages and disadvantages of this form of learning?

Activity

Read through What Online Students Want to Tell Faculty from the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium. It is a quick read and provides some valuable ideas to think about regarding online teaching. Here is reference from Michael Smythe Blended Learning: a transformative process? Look at Appendix 1: Blended Learning Rubric for assistance in the design, redesign or evaluation of blended courses. Explore some of these online tools to engage students in online learning: Jennifer Dorman Slideshare Consider how this relates to your own area of practice as an educator and your own thoughts as a learner.

Formal learners log into the discussion board on Moodle and share your thoughts. Online Pedagogy'

NB: Online pedagogy is explored further and developed in depth in the GCTLT courses Flexible Learning and Constructing Courses to Enhance Learning.