It has been recognized that learning of new information is most effective when this one is connected to previous experiences. According to Horton, W. (2006), when students are asked to bring upon discussions their own life experiences, they feel safe and it becomes easier for them to find things in common. Furthermore, working in groups becomes easier because learners can identify with classmates who have more things in common than not.
To prepare for this assignment, read the article provided below and then reflect on the following questions:
Article: Online Learning: Interaction is Not Enough
- If in every class we face situation which we can connect to our life experiences, how do you think discussions may be focused on the content being facilitated rather than on the life experiences of all the learners?
- How effective is real collaborative learning in an online class when specific guidelines are given for learners to engage?
By Sunday, read your classmates’ posts, and comment on the contributions of at least two of them.
Note: Your contribution will be assessed based on the use of this rubric. You are able to download it if you would like to use it as a reference to your responses by clicking "Download File" on the window from wikisend.com.
Resources
Garrison, D. R., & Cleveland-innes, M. (2005). in Online Learning : Interaction Is Not Enough. Sciences-New York, 19(3), 133-148.
Horton, W., Designing for the Virtual Classroom, E-Learning by Design). Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used with permission from John Wiley & Sons Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.
