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Wednesday, 14 July 2004: 9:30 AM-10:30 AM | |||
Northern A-3 (Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel) | |||
F-3: Disappearing WebCT: Putting Course Technology in the Background | |||
| Detailed Description: | Educator’s unwillingness to adopt to change is legendary. The accelerating advance of technology in learning pedagogy is inevitable. Matching these contrasting forces is a challenge for contemporary institutions and administrators. This presentation makes the case that WebCT is approaching the level of technical sophistication that allows it to move to its rightful role as just an alternative class room that the educator uses to meet the needs of his students. | ||
| Presentation Format: | Paper | ||
| Topic: | Empowering educators: Professional development models and methods | ||
| Target Audience: | Faculty and Other Instructors, System Administrators, Senior Administrators | ||
| Appropriate Audience Level: | Experienced WebCT users | ||
| Abstract Text: | The dispersal of learning in contemporary society has become increasingly affected by technological systems and processes. The image of Socrates and his student straddling the two ends of a log as the ideal educational model, is being replaced by satellite transmissions, streaming video, computerized information exchange, etc. Some educators are willing to substitute the classroom for the log, but struggle over deterioration of what they consider essential to the dispersal of their expertise -- personal exchange with students. Faculty and administrators critical of distance education complain technology becomes a barrier limiting the ability of students to interact with faculty. Historically, there were complaints by students that technical instability has been problematic to their learning. However, the delivery of technology enhanced learning has now reached a level where most of these issues are no longer a problem because of the stability of platforms like WebCT and the availability of broadband infrastructure. The technology enhanced classroom is as accessible as its brick and mortar counterpart, but with a wider range of content and opportunity for learning. At the same time the communication capabilities of WebCT allow the instructor and his/her student the same level of interaction that Socrates had with the person on the other end of the log. We need to stop talking about only certain types of people really benefiting from distance education. We need to use the facilities of technology enhanced education the same way we use the traditional classroom. Our purpose in this paper is to illustrate that treating the WebCT environment the same way that we treat the traditional classroom can provide the same quality and value of education for faculty and students. When WebCT just becomes an alternative classroom, it can take its rightful place in the delivery of the educational process | ||
| Session Leader: | Lowell M Glenn Utah Valley State College | ||
| Co-Presenter: | Scott C. Hammond Utah Valley State College | ||
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