2. There has been much discussion about whether distance education can provide students instruction that is equal in quality to traditional education. Do you think an equivalent experience is possible via distance delivery? Why or why not?
Distance education is a concept that is a two-edged sword. For one, students who would otherwise not have access to a high-functioning school have the opportunity to expand what they see in the world directly around them. Distance education can also remove students from these communities that need them most. If the highest achieving students are leaving the school for online schooling, then the school’s overall achievement level can be reduced. This leads to less funding and ultimately a possible shut down of the school. Before addressing how well distance education is at giving students an equivalent experience to their physical school, we need to understand what some students are doing to these difficult schools when leaving. By looking at online programs, they seem very organized and neat. They have laid-out plans for students to finish their classes, and they attempt to give students the feel of being in a classroom by collaborating with other students via online platforms. I believe that the experience that students receive is directly correlated with their ability to use technology in an effective way. If students can fully immerse themselves in a classroom using many available online functions to collaborate and communicate with their classmates, then they can get a similar experience to being in a physical classroom. I do believe that the teacher’s delivery is very difficult to be equivocal to a real lecture if technology is not in place to enhance the student’s experience. If students can “raise their hands” online and ask questions as they would in a normal classroom, then it can be equivalent. I think that we can achieve an equivalent classroom as long as students are well versed in online technology and how to effectively use it. Here's my website
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Gary Lee
7/23/2019 01:03:57 pm
Brian,
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Brian LongHello! I'm a biology and chemistry teacher at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I have a wife and a daughter, and I love to spend time with them. We go on adventures like hiking, kayaking, exploring, tree-climbing, and much more. I enjoy be apart of my church, hunting, fishing, playing the drums, Crossfit, and playing ultimate frisbee. I love teaching, and I love my students. Feel free to look around! |