Blog by: Rochelyn Rose R. Ybañez
Module 4: Flexible Learning Environment
Lesson 1:
Online
Distance Education and Communities of Learners
Distance learning, also called distance education,
e-learning, and online learning, form of education in which the main elements include physical separation of teachers and students during instruction and the use of various technologies to facilitate student-teacher and student-student communication. Distance learning traditionally has focused on nontraditional students, such as full-time workers, military personnel, and nonresidents or individuals in remote regions who are unable to attend classroom lectures. However, distance learning has become an established part of the educational world, with trends pointing to ongoing growth. In U.S. higher education alone, more than 5.6 million university students were enrolled in at least one online course in the autumn of 2009, up from 1.6 million in 2002.
Different Platforms
Moodle is a learning platform designed to provide educators, administrators and learners with a single robust, secure and integrated system to create personalised learning environments. Moodle is built by the Moodle project which is led and coordinated by Moodle HQ, which is financially supported by a network of over 80 Moodle Partner service companies worldwide.
Google Classroom is part of the G Suite for Education (Google for Education) package that includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar and other apps. It’s targeted to teachers and students in both K-12 and higher education markets. Google Classroom is a free service for teachers and students and, like other Google products, takes only a few minutes to set up. However, they can’t register until their school signs up for the Google for Education package.
The main benefit of Google Classroom is that it’s simple to use and encourages collaboration between students and teachers. Teachers can create a class and list assignments in a few clicks. They can add students by name or send them a code to join. Students then can see what assignments are due, participate in discussion forums or message the teacher (either in private or via group chat).
Edmodo is a learning management platform that augments classroom learning with social learning for students and teachers in kindergarten to 12th grades. It has “freemium” pricing – meaning parents, teachers, students and even school districts can create their own accounts for free. Edmodo is set up like a social networking feed, similar to Facebook. Students, teachers and parents can communicate with posts, and other users can like or comment on them. Announcements, questions, tests and assignments are posted in the Edmodo feed.
Schoology is a website and an app that you and your students can utilize to share information, resources, and files. It is a learning management system designed to provide a digital medium to enhance classroom interactions and support webpage and content creation as well as collaboration.
Schoology is free to use, too! Well, its basic package—which is amazing in itself—is free, and you can upgrade as needed. It is possible for your school to host accounts for teachers as well. In this way, the school itself would provide communications and materials to students and teachers alike.
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is an interactive step-by-step course aimed at reaching an unlimited number of participants worldwide to create a community of lifelong learners. At UEA, we are proud to have been among the first UK universities to offer a MOOC with our partners at FutureLearn.
Synchronous Learning is any type of learning that takes place in real-time, where a group of people are engaging in learning at the same time. Although learning occurs at the same time, learners don’t have to be there in person. Or even in the same location.
Asynchronous Learning is more learner-centered, enabling learners to complete courses without the constraints of having to be in a certain place at a certain time. In essence, asynchronous learning doesn’t hinder learners by place or time. As long as they have access to the internet, asynchronous learners have the freedom to complete course materials whenever they choose, and from any location.
REFERENCES
https://www.britannica.com/topic/distance-learning
