Ubiquitous Learning and Instructional Technologies MOOC’s Updates
Essential Peer Reviewed Update #1
Make an Update: Find an example of a learning technology, which genuinely makes a difference to the dynamics of learning. Describe it, and analyze the ways in which it makes a difference.
In my home country, before the COVID-19 outbreak, computer-based learning is widely considered as an assistance to the traditional teaching method, i.e. teachers teaching students face-to-face in the classroom. Now, during the pandemic, computer-based learning has become an important method of studying, because it has enabled many to remain on the same page with their classmates even if they are under quarantine and cannot go to school. At the same time, it provides students from anywhere in the country, or even anywhere in the world, an opportunity to learn from the best teachers and experts on the subject, therefore effectively reducing education inequality between districts.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the presence and need for e-learning has increased manifold. This has changed the focus on classroom setting to screens. One factor that could be looked at is that traditional classrooms were restricted to time and space and the inability for the educator to gauge whether the focus of all students is present. With access to to e-learning tools, this problem can be tackled. The tool Pear-deck is a software that has a multi-mode interaction on the platform which can use images, audio, video etc. This helps keeping the students engaged as well as allows the teacher access to the responses of each students which will be a better determiner for each student's progress and level of understanding of a particular chapter.
Thank you for sharing the tool. I have relied on Nearpod as well. Its display is appealing for students and teacher has the possibility to control the presentation. It includes tools as a timer, revision activities and you can include images, videos and files. It is not only a tool to show but also interact while developing critical thinking. Students may connect input in significant ways and make up their own interpretations.
In what ways does technology mediated learning change both learning in person and learning at a distance?
Before, technology mediated learning was seen by students and also school boards as a form to play with modern gadgets in the classroom. Now, it has started to be contemplated as a new form of learning and connecting with the real world either while learning in person or at a distance.