Reflective Post #2: MOOCs and BYOD

In Framework for 21st Century Learning, new types of focus on learning were described. Instead of the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, educators should now be focused on 21st century learning which includes global awareness, business, civic, health and environmental literacy. Focus should be not only on learning the basics, but also include enhancement of creativity and innovation, flexibility and the ability to take initiative and self-direct. 

With access to technology 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our world is changing. The work force will now not only require content knowledge but the ability to create new ideas at a rapid pace, the flexibility to work with the constant changes and think about the big picture. 

The "MOOCs and Beyond" video and the Will the Future of Education be Online, Open and Massive article described a possible 21st century classroom where most students attend online and for a greatly reduced cost. Lifelong learning at your own pace is a possibility, according to these experts. Learning will be customized instead of standardized. All of these changes are taking place due to dissatisfaction with instructor's methods of teaching, the rising cost of education, change in quality of the education and a rising dropout rate. This new type of learning, through MOOCs, will provide more choice for students, be more learner centric instead of teacher centric and provide a better blended form of learning between traditional and modern methods. 

I think MOOCs can be a wonderful addition to education when taken for the right reasons and when used by the right type of student. I think the access it provides to a wider demographic of people is very beneficial. However, I had issues with some of the points discussed in the article. When Basdevant states that education will become less standardized and more customized, I disagree. Students can choose which MOOCs to participate in and choose what interests them, but I still believe that there has to be a level of standardization in order to earn a diploma or a degree. I highly doubt that will change. 

Basdevant also states that cheating and grading will become a huge issue in education with the use of MOOCs. I taught online for seven years and I know this is already a major issue. There are very few ways to ensure that students won't cheat when they are not right in front of you. With the pressure students face to get an outstanding G.P.A. in order to get into the college of their choice, I can see how cheating could become a real problem. With the access to technology, there are many ways to share answers and papers and whatever else they might need. In our online high school, this was a very big problem. Students would use Yahoo! answers and other forums to ask questions and get answers. I teach math, which is not subjective, and it was simple for students to copy and paste answers. Cheating online is also very hard to prove, especially in math. I had no way of knowing if a student's work was their own or if they had copied someone else's work when everything is done online and turned in online. 

I thought it was interesting to see that students were deciding not to buy textbooks. Basdevant stated that less than 60 percent of students are buying their assigned textbooks. They are outrageously priced and, in this technological age, there's no reason why at least some of the cost can be reduced by providing them online.

At the end of the article, when interaction between students was discussed, I found myself agreeing more and more. After my online teaching experience, I can tell you that this is one key element that is sorely missed when getting your education online. Even though students do interact online, and sometimes even in person, it is not the same as daily face-to-face interaction. As a teacher, I was unable to see that face that tells me they don't really understand even though they're telling me they do. It was more difficult for me to make connections with students. John C. Maxwell stated "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I believe a huge part of my success as a teacher is the interaction between myself and my students. They see my smile when they walk in the room, they see my eyes light up when they participate in class, they see and know that I care. I can tell you from experience this relationship is much more difficult to cultivate in an online environment. I was successful, but made fewer connections than I do in person. 

It scares me a little bit to think of everyone at home learning online. Not just from a teacher's perspective, but from a human perspective. I can see changes in how people interact already due to the changes in technology. I think if we take away education in the classroom, it will be detrimental to our society as a whole. I think MOOCs and online learning can be beneficial when blended with traditional in-person methods. 

In Technology in Education: BYOD and Equitable Access, McCallum raises many accurate points. She states that there can be many benefits with successful integration and with the right pedagogy attached to these devices. It can encourage creativity and collaboration, makes learning more student-centered, allows for ease of sharing information and provides many opportunities to practice those 21st century skills. 

McCallum also address the major issue that comes with BYOD and integrating its use in the classroom: inequity. She states that BYOD can increase the vast digital divide between the "haves" and the "have nots".  McCallum addresses the issue of lower-income students by stating "often an ‘invisible’ problem wrought with stereotypes of what poverty looks like. Run the risk of not realising that many middle class families are also at risk of economic insecurity. This certainly translates into the classrooms and learning environments." 

I think BYOD can be a "game changer" as McCallum states. I think the opportunities it provides for collaboration and sharing of ideas is unsurpassed. The junior high where I currently teach provided Google Chromebooks for every 8th grader this year. Having them in the classroom has been an asset. Sharing projects, sharing documents, sharing ideas suddenly became very easy. However, I can see how many issues would arise if the technology was not provided for the students and, instead, they had to bring their own. The inequities would be obvious and, sometimes, hurtful to the students in the "have not" category. I agreed with McCallum when she stated that many middle class families are not technically in poverty, but would struggle to provide devices for all of their children. Every student would not have a device and that would be a great challenge for teachers. 

I think these changes are coming whether we agree with them or not. It is our job as educators to adapt and discover how to best apply these changes to our teaching.

 Technology in Education: BYOD and Equitable Access. McCallum, Deborah Oct. 2013. http://bigideasineducation.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/byod-the-politics-of-equity-and-access/

Will the Future of Education be Online, Open and Massive? Basdevant, Adrian June 2013. http://ouishare.net/2013/06/will-the-future-of-education-be-online-open-and-massive/

********************************************************************************

After logging in and using my edX demo account,  I can say it was very easy and user-friendly. I had no trouble signing up for the account, verifying my account, or working through the course. Everything is very step-by-step and easy to use. By clicking through the top dashboard, I was able to get a feel for what would be in each course. By clicking through the lessons on the left, I was able to get a realistic feel for what taking the class would be like.

I found it a bit frustrating because certain videos and interactive websites wouldn't load for me. I'm sure that would be frustrating as a student, especially if your homework depended on those videos or activities. I think the use of "interactive" was a bit overused as you are just interacting with the computer, not a person. I did like the way the course provided videos, readings and interactive sites.

It seemed as though taking quizzes and submitting work would be very easy to understand and use as a student. Halfway through the second lesson, I was wondering how you ask a question. This was answered in the third lesson. I enjoyed the ability to find a study buddy near me also.

I'm not sure if MOOCs are the future of learning. I can see there being a balance of MOOCs and traditional methods for students. I think there would have to be some standardization of the courses if they were going to be used for a diploma or a degree. They would benefit those who are unable to afford education or are unable to attend class in person. I had quite a few students at my former online school who were teenage mothers; online school was a great option for them as they took care of their infants and toddlers. It was also beneficial for those students who were gifted athletes and musicians. They were able to train for their sport or instrument while still attending school, just not during traditional hours. I also believe it was beneficial for those who have medical or mental issues. Students who are visual and auditory learners would enjoy these videos and interactive activities. I think it would be much more difficult for students who are hands-on learners. 

I think the major harm in online learning is in the interaction between people. This human interaction is vital to our society; the thought of most of us at home and not interacting face-to-face is scary to me. I can see how our society has already changed for the worse with the overuse of technology. If we also take away that interaction with education, I'm afraid for what may happen. Will we forget how to interact with each other? I think a balance between the two would be the best approach. There are definite benefits to online learning, but I think the interaction from face-to-face learning is vital, especially in K-12 education.