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Published byFelicity Daniels Modified over 9 years ago
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New Media and Teaching: A “Comfortable Distance” for Controversy? J. Lynn McBrien, University of South Florida New Agendas for Media Literacy Conference Austin, June 2008
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BlackBoard
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Podcasts
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Elluminate – A Synchronous Online Platform
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Research Questions In what ways, if any, can online technologies create opportunities for students to confront diverse perspectives? Does distance learning remove us further from one another, or can it be used to increase our consideration of multiple perspectives?
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In Progress… Lit review Theoretical Framework Moore’s (1993) theory of Transactional Distance.Moore’s (1993) theory of Transactional Distance.
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Methods Primarily qualitative To date, about 170 student responsesTo date, about 170 student responses Indirect questions for my research questionsIndirect questions for my research questions
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Theme 1: Comfortable Environment It was nice to have class in the comfort of my own home, especially because it takes me approximately an hour to get to school. I loved the opportunity to work from home and be present for sessions. Allows for a more comfortable learning environment. It’s convenient for working people who rush around to get to class like myself.
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Theme 2: Enjoyment It was fun and quite enjoyable. Our session went better than I expected. Our time seemed to go by very fast. I am excited about this new technology. I really enjoyed this session. I feel like we all got a chance to communicate, and it almost felt like a debate which was great.
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Theme 3: Increased Participation I think more people were able to communicate on the subjects than in class. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. We all got a lot out there to each other, so I think the little bit of confusion was worth it. We held quite a good conversation during the session, and I don’t think we would have accomplished that in the classroom. It allowed more peer feedback, being able to listen as well as read messages. I was encouraged to learn something new.
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Theme 3b: Total Participation It enables everyone to be able to speak and discuss, rather than just a few people in class. I also like in- class discussions, but there is no requirement that we have to discuss in class, so it is usually only a few people that end up discussing the whole time.
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Theme 4: Psychological Comfort It is a great way of having discussions because it is not intimidating. I really enjoyed it because I felt more comfortable speaking. Students can freely speak without being put on the spot. Very positive, felt ability to be more open, especially on controversial subjects. It’s easier to open up in class discussions. Not everyone likes to talk in front of people.
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Theme 4a: Quality of Learning In class I may feel uncomfortable to ask a question because everyone looks at you. But on Elluminate, I felt I could really think for myself without the influence of others and I really liked that I could learn more because so many times in class you are worried about what others will think of your answer. Positive. I enjoyed the discussion among peers which I feel contributed to my learning experience. I could talk without feeling embarrassed to speak in front of a class staring back at me.
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Theme 4b: Comfort of Anonymity I find it helpful to collect my thoughts before I write something because in class I know things but cannot answer them as fast as the young people. No one knows that I’m one of the “older” students, and won’t dismiss what I say because my views are outdated. Everyone has an equal voice. I feel more comfortable to express my views online.
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Theme 5: Reflection I never thought I would like discussion boards. I am one who likes to learn in the classroom. I take notes and I study. Unfortunately, I don’t always understand. When I took my first online course, I began to read the inputs of other students. What a great technology tool. Not all students speak up in class: discussion boards allow me to understand other perspectives, and I grow in knowledge and learning. Online technology has actually benefited my learning. I can reread others’ inputs and I don’t have to try and write them all down, like I would in a regular classroom setting, because it is already written down.
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