Traditional or Computer Based Education?

When listening to the information provided, it is evident that many different districts or schools are tempted to utilize the online forms of education such as the Kahn Institute or a blended model such as seen in GRPS. When looking at this, I find it both important and frightening. I find it important because when used correctly, it can in fact educate a certain type of student more sufficiently than what might be possible within a current classroom. Students who are digital natives that utilize online technology for learning may in fact benefit from the blended model that has been presented. But what frightens me is that many times this is being used as a budget cut maneuver, and not used the proper way.

This thinking of utilizing the online measures could in fact be a game changer in the teaching profession. not in my mind by completely replacing teachers in the traditional classroom, but forcing the possibility of some older educators to realize that their students may not learn best through traditional lecture and work. It also allows for all students to be able to connect with what the lesson may be for the day, even if they are not at school for whatever reason. But there is also the factor that many students may not utilize the new technology that has been suggested if it is not done at school.  Some students do not have the ability to log on to these resources every night, or at all due to their financial status or specific situations.

When looking at whether or not my job description may be different in four years, I do feel that I will need to adapt to the technology at hand and be able to constantly incorporate whatever my students use to learn. Through social media and Web 2.0 strategies, I can be in contact with my students to facilitate the learning throughout the week, not just when they are in my classroom.

I do also believe the flexibility of an online class outweighs some benefits of the person to person experience of a traditional classroom setting, but only in certain aspects. This type of education completely removes socialization and team building within school that are a necessity for the job market after graduation. By having the educational institutions adapt to students, we will in fact be able to connect at a greater rate than if we try to have our students connect to our traditional environment. But what is important is that we have a delicate balance of both the technology that is available and the techniques that are proven to be successful within the classroom.

I have found within my classroom as an instructor that students will only utilize the technology I am using outside of class if they have the ability and expectation from parents to do so at home. We utilize a blog to constantly connect to our parents and students outside of class, but many of our students do not have computers or internet access at home. Because I am in a rural school, I have found that many students just cannot access the blog unless they do so within the class period due to family situations.

I do feel that there are high school and college age students who would benefit from an online education. These are the students who 1.) have the access at home to do so, and 2.) have some sort of expectation to complete the necessary requirements. This class itself is an online model and I have utilized many of the techniques within the placement already, but that is because I have the expectation of my instructor and the dependence of my graduation based on completing the course. The incentive to do the work outweighs the consequences to not, so therefore I take the time to make this happen within my schedule. With the parents being digital immigrants and the students being digital natives, I realize that I need to take the time to utilize the technology within my lessons.

I feel that this isn't a passing phase if it is used effectively, as a support to the traditional classroom setting. Students can complete homework online if they have the ability to, but there needs to be the backbone of learning within the classroom itself.