Learning points from eLearning Forum Asia 2011
I just finished a 2-day conference (8 – 9 June 2011), the eLearning Forum Asia 2011, held at the National Technological University (Singapore). While there was a variety of topics, my main interests were on e-learning and using social media for teaching. For e-learning, my takeaway was that we need to focus on the design of the e-learning activities. For social media, my takeaway was that we need to engage the students where they were. Ultimately, it was about the learners – what they were like, what they were doing, and how we could cater to their needs.
The following paragraphs, if they can be called that at all, are lists of ideas, jotting them down before this conference becomes a vague memory. I don’t want to end up with post-conference inertia and I hope this post reminds me of what I need to do.
E-learning
My actual experience with e-learning has been largely i) me uploading stuff and students downloading stuff and ii) students posting superficially on forum threads.
What I would like my experience to be:
i) Students and I do stuff together on something;
ii) Students care about this stuff we do together;
iii) I actually have fun getting all this done!
What I could do in the immediate future:
i) Use Google Docs for group writing for collaboration;
ii) Set specific instructions for students so they don’t get lost in the activities;
iii) Model the actions and behaviors I expect from them.
I have recently started to connect with my students via Facebook but not for specific teaching or learning purposes. I use it to make announcements for some of my subjects, encourage students, send reminders and wish them Happy Birthday!
I’m not entirely sure how I could use it for teaching although the Facebook Group Page comes to mind. I’ve just finished a Social Media workshop by the folks from UWM and it was awesome! Some things I’ve learnt:
i) Social Media is here – don’t fight it, join it, manage it!
ii) Twitter is powerful! I’m now officially on Twitter (@orangecanton)
iii) Facebook Fanpages are a great resource for putting up information for courses.
iv) Some challenges include privacy and convincing people who don’t care much for social media but control the approvals and money for using it in education!
v) Students will appreciate it that you are reaching out to them through the very means they live 24/7!
Teacher Sherrie - The Road Less Travelled 