Well, the semester is finally coming to a close, and I have to admit, I am kind of sad as I write this last post. Despite my initial hesitations I had about this class, I made it through, completed every assignment, and I feel like I learned alot in the process. Not only has it opened my eyes to the new technologies available to us, but it also opened my eyes to the benefits of these technologies, how they are really affecting our lives, and most importantly, how they will affect our future. I always considered myself someone who didn't know much about technology, and I always dismissed it, never thinking I really needed to know anything about them. I realize now that I was very wrong, and I am very thankful for this experience. This class was not what I expected and I am very glad!
For my last post I thought I would share what I decided to write about for my NeoVox article. This one was hard, I feel like I have so much information going through my mind, I couldn't focus on just one. However, I think I found a topic we all can connect to.
Online Education.
It is something I always considered to be less valuable than an in-class education. Some research I have done, and my own personal experiences in this class have proved otherwise. I found an excellent article that addressed 15 benefits of an online education. I thought I would use those as a guide to help me through my NeoVox and hopefully produce a final assignment that has really proved how much I have learned in this class.
First of all, did you know that there are most than 4 million students participating in online education programs? I didn't, and that number is growing each and everyday. One of the most obvious benefits of taking classes online would be how easy it is to access the course material. Being able to do your homework and get resources anytime day or night and anywhere you have internet connection is incredibly convenient. It allows flexibility that the rigid classroom structure does not. With the growing number of non-traditional students who are trying to balance going back to school with other responsibilities such as families, it makes perfect sense that more and more individuals would rather take an online course. It also allows students to make the most of their most productive times. I know that I work best in the afternoon, however, not all classes are offered in the afternoon. This class has allowed me to complete my work when it is best for me, and I think that has made the work I have done in this class much more valuable because I am putting more thought and effort into it.
Another reason, that I can relate to most, would be the fact that learning online can be much less intimidating. I know that it takes alot for me to feel comfortable participating in the regular classroom. I am not an outgoing person, but with the online class, you can speak your mind more freely. Not only does this increase the number of people contributing, but with a greater number of individuals contributing comes a wider spectrum of opinions and knowledge that may not have been brought forth otherwise. In addition, everyone can contribute to the 'lecture'. There is always one person in a classroom that seems to feel the need to contribute compulsively, so much so that others may not get any opportunties to share opinions or valuable information. Online everyone has a place for contribution if they wish to take advantage of it. Also, I don't know about everyone else, but sometimes I find professors to be a little bit intimidating. It is hard for me to go to office hours, not only because of the time constraints with my other classes, but because of my own nervousness about sitting down with them. As silly as that may be, this class has made it easy for me to keep in touch with prof. Reid. I can email him anytime day or night and I feel much more at ease doing so. In the same instance, I feel like it is easier to reach my classmates and I am more inclined to do so. We can connect at anytime anywhere and talk about what's going on in the class, not just when we all have a free minute to meet on campus which let's face it, is pretty much never. There is definately more teamwork. It is very ironic to say considering that I have only met one of my 'classmates' face-to-face, but I feel like this is the most intimate classroom setting I have ever experienced. I feel connected with everyone and I feel very confident in my ability to be a valuable member of this class. I feel as though my opinions are respected, and I am not alone. That is something that is rare to find in the regular classroom setting.
Finally, I think online learning is valuable because of it's ability to offer a greater variety of course material. The fact that it can be taught anywhere, at anytime, by anyone allows professors who might not have been able to hold a regular class to reach students, and those teachers may have a whole new knowledge base to share with students that could be really beneficial. Also, the way that the course material is provided to the students allows for a whole new set our resources. It is no longer a lecture which can be incredibly boring day after day, it is multi-media and very engaging. This way each student has the ability to learn in their own style. In addition, learning online introduces you to a whole new world of technologies that will be useful in the future. I know that this class has really opened my eyes to what is out there. I now know how to podcast, make and edit movies (which I found out is so fun and easy!), have my own blog, and use webct. I don't have to just email anymore! Technology is changing and growing so fast it's important that we keep up with it. This class has done just that for me. These technologies we have been using will become more and more valuable in the future and it's good to learn about them now. I can't imagine this class being taught any other way than online. There is no better way to learn about writing online that actually writing online.
I just wanted to thank professor Reid and everyone in this class for making this experience a really good one. I wish everyone the best in the future and good luck with finals!
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