Module 3: The Learning Environment

Module 3: The Learning Environment

Last week, Mr. W. described the online teacher at GaVS as the human point of contact as students work through content.  To him, the online teacher is more of facilitator.  This student friendly, autonomous approach to learning is evident through the course layout.  Mr. W. keeps news postings on the homepage.  As students log in, they are reminded of due dates, what to do if they forgot to submit an assignment, and weekly office hours.  The newsletter is full of graphics and animations that are appealing for students at this level.  After reading through the newsletter, students are able to view course content, check their grades, go to the dropbox to submit work, or participate in discussions.  The setup of the course is very similar to our online environment, Folio.  The major difference is that there is a very large number of students enrolled in the course. 

            One of the main things I wanted to do when perusing through the course was to look at the course content.  I browsed through the content for “Fundamentals: Acting Like an Economist.”  I like the way the content is interactive.  In addition to text and slideshow notes, students are given questions throughout the module.  Furthermore, cloze sentences are included.  With these cloze sentences, students can hover over the blank space for the correct answer.  This is a great form of self-checking.  At the end of the module, students must complete a test.  Students become responsible for their own learning as they track their grades on tests and assignments through the

            The content demonstrates the level of self-sufficiency students must have in this course.  Students must be able to pace themselves so that they are able to complete the module, assignments, and assessments in a timely manner.  Here is where I can see a challenge that Mr. W. and I discussed arising.  Mr. W. expressed that children at this level often scroll through rather than reading the content.  Despite the interactive aspects of the content, I can see how the amount of information in the module might be a deterrent for this age level.  Therefore, it is imperative that the children are ready to be a part of an online environment, and for the organization and independence that they will have to display to succeed.

            The learning environment seems rigorous for both the students and the instructor.  There is a lot of information for the students to process and navigate through.  Similarly, there are a lot of discussion posts and assignments for the instructor to read.  It seems as if the only way to ensure success in this course whether student or professor is to be extremely organized and aware of time.