Distance Education

Again this fall, I'm teaching the Distance Education class.  I have four students.  The most "distant" part about it is that my students are from four countries - United States, Turkey, Indonesia, and Mexico.  It is good from my point of view because I can spend enough time on each of them to see what they need to develop their distance course.  The needs are different based on their comfort with computers, their comfort with the idea of teaching, how they perceive my instructions, and how much time they spend on it.  Not so different from an all U. S. class.  Fascinating to explore though from a cultural perspective - and fun!  They are a good group.

The course is being put forth to the college to be a regular course rather than a 2nd trial run.  I think, if that happens, more students will sign up.  We shall see.

Last night's class was on mobile learning.  Interesting that other countries are more up to speed than many US schools who refuse to let students bring cell phones or tablets into the classroom.  They often don't have the infrastructure of wire transmissions so wireless is what they always use. Access to the internet offers students more opportunities for differentiated learning according to need.

One of my former students had shown me an app called Word Lens.  Very cool!  It uses your phone's camera.  You hold it up to a sign in a number of other languages and it translates the sign for you in real time.

Very Mini MOOC

So now, I'm expecting to teach a class called Distance Education: Methods and Tools.  It isn't really a distance class, it's about setting up a distance class.  It may not happen because currently, there are only 3 students signed up.  But I'm intrigued by the thought that even in small volume, and even in a hybrid class, there are so many online options.  When we are in class we can explore them together.

During the third week of fall classes, I will be in Brazil.  What are the possibilities?

• Give the students a day off - but, hard to justify when there are only 14 classes.
• Give the students projects to complete and present when I return - well, yes, but hardly a testimonial to distance education.
• Find a way to have a virtual class in which I can participate - good idea - but sometimes my internet access in Brazil is spotty.
• Use a new tool - one that I haven't used before and guess that my students wouldn't have used it either- why not?

So, today I'm installing SpeakPipe on this blog.  As I understand it, I will e able to leave a message and students will be able to respond.  A trial balloon.  If it doesn't work, I'll try something else.