The blog, emails and blackboard discussions I have been involved in recently have gotten me thinking about the difference between communicating online vs. face-to-face. After taking two online classes, many on-campus classes and this hybrid class, I am pondering the pros and cons of these two modes of conversation. At the start of my first online class, I never met any of my classmates. I found it difficult to participate in conversation blindly. (I'm a visual learner and I find it frustrating sometimes to communicate without visual cues.) Another problem I have had at times is getting understood by classmate or misunderstanding their entries. Usually it's not a significant issue, but I remember a blackboard discussion in which a few classmates penned some heated entries before realizing there was a misunderstanding. Miscommunication can occur in the classroom as well, but there differences are usually discussed and sorted out quickly. Students don't always agree, but they are allowed to explain their thinking during the discussion. In my opinion, the best part about online discussions is that there is a degree of anonymity that is created (even when authors are known) that allows shy students to enter into a discussion that could be dominated by a few in the classroom. I have seen middle school students embrace this space and become much more active in classroom discussions when they are sitting at a computer screen. Students also think more carefully about what they have to say before writing it, so I believe they become more reflective as well. A good strategy may be to give students an opportunity to write about an issue online and then discuss it further in in the classroom. What has anyone else experienced with this?
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Hi Laurie-
I have not taken an online class yet and was interested in your thoughts, specifically, regarding more equity of voice in the classroom. I remember a class I took in high school, which I was enthusiastic about, except for the fact that the teacher called on two ‘powerful personalities’ only. Throughout the semester the other students in the class, including me, were frustrated by this inequity, while we listened to the two monopolize the conversation; (we suspected it was not deliberate on the teacher’s part). When asked for a teacher evaluation at semester’s end I, perhaps for the first time in my life, told an adult exactly what I thought. My comments were met by the teacher with much gratitude and a vow to ‘do better’ with future classes. I suspect most of us can remember classes we’ve taken when ‘powerful personalities’ have dominated the conversation and sometimes influenced content. Your observations have helped me see the value of online blogging, emails and blackboard discussions in a way I had not considered. Thanks.
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