Thoughts+and+Reflections

Over the last several weeks I have had the opportunity to reflect on many new and traditional teaching strategies. I began this course under the impression that I was going to be simply learning about online course development tools. However, I was able to learn about many new technologies and participate in discussions about various teaching philosophies. Through some of our lessons, I have decided that I’m going to be designing a Moodle class with pacing deadlines. I believe the deadlines are necessary for high school students. I’m going to try to engage them in the online world by using as many video clips, podcasts, images, and collaborative activities. There are so many resources available to make all of this possible. I think the discussion options on Moodle are a great way to provide for critical thinking and sharing of ideas. I really like the idea of having students reference a website and/or article when they are posting to a discussion board. Another valuable lesson that I gained from this course is the importance of teaching students how and where to research. I believe this is a step that is often skipped because as adults we assume that everyone knows how to use the internet to look for sources. In fact, the opposite is true. I plan incorporating a unit on this into my online course as well as in my face to face classes. I found the philosophical discussions to be extremely thought provoking. The world of online education is moving so rapidly that many of us feel like we haven’t had a chance to catch our breath. “What is best for the students?” I believe that question needs to be answered on an individual basis for each student. Online classes are not for everyone. However, nontraditional students can reap great benefits from the online format. I think it will take a lot of hard work to develop courses that truly inspire critical thinking; however that is a reality in the face to face classroom as well.