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| Subject: | RE: GISList: GIS teaching |
| Date: |
12/07/2001 10:34:43 AM |
| From: |
Anthony Quartararo |
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WBT is only going to increase in demand as a greater number of consumers
demand a greater variety of subjects to be available. While nothing truly
replaces face to face learning, all of us have experienced the instructor or
teacher who has no business teaching, right? While WBT is rather "cold" and
mechanical, it does allow material to be delivered irrespective of a
particular teaching style. However, the material still needs to be
corroborated and "accredited" by someone to ensure Dr. QuackGIS instructor
isn't simply an infomercial.
With a global consumer base that has it's majority still in the
"undereducated" category, the demand for WBT will grow exponentially over
the next 10 years. The infrastructure is already in place and companies
like The Learning Station are already delivering a huge curriculum over the
internet. Many Universities have distance learning programs that offer
degreed programs for remote learners. This is not going away, and just like
every other technology or model education, it will take time to iron out the
bumps.
What institutions will need to address however is the cost: because after
taking a WBT course a few years ago and having to pay the same amount of
money as those sitting in front of the teacher, I think that is an inequity
that will turn people away. Should users pay a premium for using WBT, or be
entitled to a discount? It certainly costs the institution a lot less to
deliver WBT than it does classroom education with a real live person, so why
the inequity. Throw in language and cultural barriers, and it is a
challenge, but one that very smart people are sure to work through.
WBT also provides an alternative and supplement to home-based schooling. A
market that is growing considerably in the US alone.
Anthony
-----Original Message-----
From: Wynne Whyman [mailto:wwhyman@worldnet.att.net\
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 1:18 PM
To: g.k.mcgregor@ru.ac.za
Cc: gislist@geocomm.com
Subject: Re: GISList: GIS teaching
Gillian
You're right. Simply putting material (information) on the web is usually
not as effective as individual attention.
Good face-to-face teaching involves knowing your learners, sequencing the
material, using a variety of effective
instructional strategies, using a variety of effective learner strategies,
etc. -- all focused on the type of material
(teaching tennis is different than GIS :-)).
The same thing is true for WBT (web-based training). Good instruction
includes all of the above mentioned...plus
working effectively with the technology.
The type of person I would suggest you add to your team is an Instructional
designer (ID), who is well-versed in WBT
(web based training). They can work with you to design dynamic content,
strategies, a variety of interaction with the
student, etc.
Research from a recent online magazine shows that teaching technical courses
is one of the more effective uses of WBT.
Wynne
Instructional Designer
Glenn Letham wrote:
>
> Hello,
> Im forwarding this to the list from Gillian.
> Please reply to g.k.mcgregor@ru.ac.za
>
> 'TRADITIONAL' VS WEB BASED/REMOTE GIS TEACHING
>
> I am a lecturer at a university - teaching GIS to under grad and post =
> grad students.
> The TEACHING of GIS is of particular interest to me - how to get get =
> across unfamiliar concepts, how to create a solid theoretical =
> understanding, how to develop the students ability to troubleshoot etc.=20
>
> I do not have vast experience - but I believe that web based/remote =
> teaching in GIS is not successful. I realise this is probably the case =
> for many subjects. Apart from the obvious fact that individual attention =
> is still the best - I believe that there is more to it than that in the =
> case of GIS. Perhaps it has to do with the tremendous volume of bits =
> and pieces of information from a very broad and diverse base that =
> constitutes 'GIS knowledge?'......
>
> An example of what I mean: in a particular GIS course - students worked =
> on a batch of tutorial prac exercises, unsupervised. The next batch of =
> students were supervised. The unsupervised crowd did very badly in their =
> exam - the supervised batch did well....
>
> Anyway - I would appreciate any comments from any one else who has any =
> ideas/experiences along these lines
>
> regards,
> Gillian McGregor
> g.k.mcgregor@ru.ac.za
>
> Dept. of Geography
> Rhodes University
> Grahamstown
> 6140
> South Africa
>
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