EDLD+5368+Week+5+Assignmnet


 * Final Reflections:**

 A few of the benefits of online learning is that it enhances student-to-student and teacher to student communication, it enables student-centered teaching approaches, it provides 24/7 accessibility to course materials, and it provides just-in-time methods to assess and evaluate student progress. It allows you to use wikis and blogs so each student can view another student's answers and learn through the exposure to different perspectives. This benefits students because they can combine new opinions with their own, and develop a solid foundation for learning. Online communication also benefits students by providing additional layer of instructor accessibility. Students in courses that are supplemented by products like Blackboard no longer have to worry if they cannot make an instructor's regular office hours, as they still have the ability to submit inquiries via e-mail at any time. This is good for the instructor too, as they can respond at his/her convenience instead of being tied to a desk or office. This is particularly helpful when a student’s schedule conflicts with office hours or if a question arises at the spur of the moment. 
 * What benefits do you see in educators knowing how to design and implement online learning?**
 * How will you professionally use your course that you designed?**

I have been wanting to move some of my assignment to an online method, but all I knew about was Moodle and I do not like Moodle. I was glad to find out about Schoology. I like the program and I will keep using it in my classroom. I designed my course with a lesson that I teach my students every year and I will use this online assignment next year. I want to add many more assignments to it and keep building it up for use in my classroom. All though I will have to have some more training and practice with Schoology before I will use my course in all my classes, I want to start using in a small BCIS 2 class and get the kinks worked out first. Then, I want to use it in all my classes. I think my students will enjoy something different in class.


 * Will you integrate online learning in your role as a teacher/staff developer?**

Yes, I most certainly will. Every student has a unique learning style. Some students are visual learners; some learn better when they "learn by doing." Web-based learning environments permit the instructor to build one course, yet implement a variety of resources, so students can utilize materials in whichever way works best for them. An instructor can also present these materials in many formats to accommodate different types of learning styles. For example, if an instructor puts both lecture notes and slides online, both visual and auditory learners benefit. Students who prefer to focus on "listening" and "watching" during lecture do not have to worry that they are missing important concepts while scrambling to take copious notes. They can focus on understanding the material and concepts as they are presented. Students with attention difficulties or those who get overwhelmed by organizational tasks also benefit, because materials provided show how the instructor has grouped and prepared materials in the handouts, and indicate what items are most important. Online learning will help me have a very functional classroom. 


 * What questions do you still have about online learning?**

I think online learning is a great idea, but some of my students do not like computer and do not own one. It will be hard to require my students to do work only online. Not all my students have internet access of the money to buy these things. At public schools in your regular education classes, it will be hard to make all the students do the entire course online. What would I do with those that do not have the means to get the online class? I know that they can work at the school or go to a friend’s house, but sometimes that is just not possible. I would not have done my job very well if that were the case. That is my only question about online learning. I think I have had enough class online and practice making classes online that I am very comfortable with it.


 * What will you do with this new learning?**

I would not say this is new learning for me. I have been doing classes and professional development on line for about three years now. I do plan on making my classes somewhat online. I will use Schoology next year and I will have at least one assignment a week that has to be done online, even if it is just an answer to a discussion question or post to a wiki or blog. I might have to tell some of the students to come in at lunch or they can do in my classroom when they get done with their other work. I would like to get it to where all the students work is posted on line so that it is easier for everyone to keep up with and the parents can have access to it too. I know that I still have many issues to work out, but I will find a way to make it work for everybody. Where there is a will, there is a way.