Ocotillo Reports 1996
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Classes Without Classrooms
Members
- Faculty Chair:
- Richard Felnagle, MCC
- District Support:
- Ron Bleed
| Charlcey Brabeck, RSCC | Julie Bertch, RSCC | Jake Jacobson, SCC |
Alan Levine, DO | Sue Thomas, GWCC
Charge
The charge of this group is to engage in dialogue and review issues related to attributes and limitations of technology in promoting effective learning and instruction. In addition, this committee will critically analyze the relative costs vs. benefits of technology-based capital investments.
Highlights
As distance learning has become an increasingly popular topic of conversation throughout the District, we have observed that many people are experiencing concern and anxiety. This year the Classes without Classrooms Committee decided to become involved in the discussion.
At first, we talked about trying to collect and disseminate information about distance learning programs outside the district, but we decided that a better strategy would be to keep the focus on District efforts and address some concerns directly.
Our plan called for us to sponsor a series of open forums on distance learning issues. The discussions were open to everyone in the District who wished to participate. In addition, we made audio recordings of the discussions and are posting transcriptions of the discussions on our World Wide Web site.
At the first forum in December the focus was on the logistics of distance learning. Among other topics, we addressed the matter of who should teach such classes and how distance learning faculty are to be loaded and compensated.
The second forum in February focused on the pedagogy of distance learning. We addressed several questions, including what are effective learning strategies for distance students and how assignments should be structured.
At the third forum in March the focus was assessment. We asked how we might assess aspects of distance learning classes including instructors, students, and materials.
The final forum in April adopted a slightly different format. Three students who are currently participating in distance learning programs in the district attended and answered our questions about their experience as distance learners.
Alan Levine has constructed a lively and informative web site for the committee, and the transcription of the a href="../cwoc/forum1.html">first forum is posted. The other discussions will follow soon. The Classes without Classrooms Committee's web page is located at
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ocotillo/cwoc.html
What next?
Since the purpose of our discussions was to raise and explore issues, we cannot conclude our year-end report by making recommendations. We can, however, report some of the themes that surfaced during the forums:
- Although there was not unanimous agreement, most forum participants felt that not all courses can be taught effectively in distance learning formats.
- There was agreement that the time required to set up distance-learning courses seems to be greaterŅon averageŅthan for conventional classroom-based classes, but forum participants could not agree on whether distance learning classes take more time to teach once they are set up.
- A major concern for many participants was the ability of distance learning instructors to verify that students are doing their own work; however, many participants felt this concern was no greater than for instructors in classroom-based classes.
- Many participants expressed concern that the quality of learning in distance learning courses is not as great as in conventional classroom-based classes, but this concern was widely disputed by participants who have experience as distance learning teachers. Many distance learning teachers feel they have actually been able to get to know their distance learning students more closely than their classroom-based students.
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