In this
week’s voicethread, Vanessa has talked about some important aspects to think
about when designing for an online community; such as shared interest,
knowledge and communication needs, goals, anxieties and fears. I also commented
and shared on certain issues of technology that educators ought to consider,
such as learners access to the tools to be used. Planning for the use of Web
2.0 technology and social media tools can often be a daunting and challenging
process, and I would like to suggest a few more aspects to consider:
1. For
any learning to take place and flourish, student
safety and security is paramount and must be ensured. Instructional
designers must therefore design and provide an online environment that is safe
for student interactions and closed for the sole purpose of participation by
only the learners within the community.
2. There should
also be clarity in the instructions
to the learners. They must be clear on what to do on the platforms, and what
needs to be done to achieve the requirements. If there are assessments within
the course, students should also be informed on how and when they would be
evaluated for their participation or performance.
3. To
enhance the learning experience, no Web 2.0 technology or social media tool
should be used in isolation. Instead, plan for a variety of tools and platforms
for an enhanced student engagement. On the other hand, using too many tools
might also be problematic for learners! Careful thought must be accorded to select the right combination of tools
that learners would be comfortable with.
4.
Finally, similar to a F2F class, teacher
presence in an online environment is very critical as well! As learning in
an online community is largely asynchronous in nature, the instructor is even
more so important to show his/her presence online to facilitate the activities
and provide feedback when necessary.
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