NMC 2004 Students tell it like it is with Murray Goldberg

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