Teaching Online Jim Dubinsky

Interesting Facts 84% of America’s teachers consider the photocopier & adequate paper supply the one type of technology (actually 2) most necessary (U.S. Dept. of Education) 1994--68.4% of 4th Graders, 86.9% of high school students wrote stories/papers on computers; By 1998, 98% of schools had computers By 2005, a majority of Americans will spend more time on the Internet than watching TV Most newspapers are completely digital until they are printed

What’s Changed? For Whom? Compare surgeon from mid-nineteenth century and surgeon today (and surgery wards) Compare composition teacher from mid-nineteenth century and composition teacher (who doesn’t use a computer classroom or the WWW) Read Seymour Papert and Nicholas Negroponte

Distance Learning: Leaving the Classroom The separation of teacher and learner in space & time during at least a majority of each instructional process The use of educational media to unite teacher and learner and carry course content The provision of two-way communication between teacher, tutor, educational agency, and learner Volitional control of learning by student

Teaching Writing & Internet Many teachers laud the advantages of networked classroom Most, however, still believe in face-to-face interaction, the need for collaboration, and having students meet for in-class presentations Many teachers affirm “virtual spaces”; others worry about physical/spiritual isolation

Advantages of Composition as we Know it One space where students get face-to-face instruction Nearly every writing course is the antithesis of the large lecture hall where the mode of learning is via transmission (from teacher to student--often called “banking method”)

Questions What will multimedia do to alter the personae of teachers and students as they respond virtually? How do new technologies change relationships between students and teachers? How does the concept of classroom community change with advent of new technologies?

Questions (cont.) What are consequences of increasing distance between students and teachers? What is the primary motivation for moving online? (is it financial?) How will the conditions of work change? What are implications of telecommuting? How will writing instruction compete with aggressive educational offerings from business and industry?

Workshop Schedule Roundtable Building Community Learning to use tools to teach Writing Technical Writing and the WWW Putting a Course Online Final Questions & Answers