Web 2.0 technologies are exciting stuff indeed, and I'm one of those people who like video, audio, chat, etc., in a classroom setting. on the other hand, if I were a new student to online student and have never experienced all of these things, they could be a scary beginning for my experience in online learning.
I think we have to take in account that not every student has a computer at home...even though they are pretty cheap now, but we have to put that in perspective. Some students are using the library or some other places to do online learning. They probably don't have the software/hardware/tools needed to fulfill all the Web 2.0 technology requirements.
We also have to taken in consideration what courses we are taking and whether or not it really requires the use of Web 2.0 technologies. When you are taking a Calculus course online, the chance of you using Web 2.0 technologies in the course is a lot higher than in a face-to-face setting. What is the chance of you viewing a video in a Calculus class when you are taking it face-to-face? I think the closest thing to Web 2.0 technology for a face-to-face math course is a calculator.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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For the student beginning an online class I would think they should check the technical requirements. For example if you check out WebTycho's (http://tychousa8.umuc.edu/wtdocs/wthelp/html/technicalrequirements.html) it tells the basic needs and then states that each class may have additional requirements. I don't recall seeing any specifics, but maybe that is something that should be considered. Similar to how there may be prerequisites for a class, the technological needs could be identified.
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