Are courses better or worse with online tools like Web CT - it works in some courses: --where no marks are mandatory otherwise it degenerates into "worried students" --where real names are used --some courses had students answering questions before profs --difference between arts and science - less discussion in science? Can you get to know a person online? - when online in a a course, you only focus on course, face2face is more multidimensional - MSN phenomena where people flame and use pseudonyms Accessibility questions - can't afford computer - can't use computer - uneven, unequal - MG: it's getting better 80% in NA have access to computer outside school -- can't stop progress Questions: Jay Reese Paradox between extra communication thru online posting yet missing face to face and like the prof "knows" you. What are we missing non-verbal? Uncomfortable with new medium? -MG research shows that students are familiar with one medium rather than another -provide as much channels then you get 90% -today only text has no gestures or voice -trying to use it as normal medium when it's different -"older" people craft their posting much more than younger ones -human contact is missing from pure distance course -online has an anonymity factor - on one hand you are free, on the other hand you have less or altered responsibility can have a different persona Warren Scott - UBC What p*sses you off about elearning? Disconnect between course materials and what happens in class. -WebCT is not used as a supplement but as a complement - it's overwhelming - go to class twice - once with prof and once with WebCT, I K (sp?) would prefer it to be a supplement -students have a hard time reconciling conflicts between WebCT and course notes -information overload -students don't know what is relevant and what is not -need to develop skills for research -learning is different now -learning how to decide what is good information -before going to a librarian, it was easier to figure out what was "good" information - two aspects to learning --we are here to learn --focus JoEllen Parker - National Institute for Technology and Education 18 year students have different attitudes (versus 4th year students) to conflicting sources of info due to physical development Overtime does WebCT attitude/knowledge change? -over 3 years you get frustrated with newbies to WebCT - People aren't aware of the computer literacy courses - some people have become dependent on technology and on the other hand there are others who are resisting -so fast that we don't have time to assess effect -increasing technology is creating a disparity -information overload not just from technology is part of normal university experience -high school students who have used WebCT earlier cope better in university -should we expose them sooner? yes?!? NLII person: What if you had access to a Personal knowledge environment (that plugged into collective environment) in high school and then were able to use throughout your life - sounds like a lifeblog to me? - answer this sounds like a superduper MSN + LiveJournal - students pick pieces - not integrated -MG:doesn't need to be integrated Dartmouth - still need face to face - piloting program to do video projects, video, powerpoint -would you feel comfortable having a student tech tutor and have a lab open in the evenings? -it works but can get stuck in detail Favourite thing about tech - get in touch from other side of the world - can teach other students, get charge from getting to figure it out - students have sense of audience for their writing not just 1 reader, prof - get to make movies, get to keep in touch when away from school - access to information you have - become more efficient student, how to skim