Sunday, October 21, 2007

R685 Week 9 Reflection

Week 9 Course Management 1.0 in a Web 2.0 and Participatory e-Learning World

This week is about turning the traditional Course Management System on its head. The issue from the entire articles this week is that the CMS we know (and many love and hate) is now obsolete. Weigel summed up all the articles when he states; “… many educators and administrators are locked into a “classroom on steroids” model of e-learning that is more preoccupied with the categories of accessibility and convenience than pedagogical effectiveness and skill development.” Meaning the CMS is more for the facilitator than the students. In a web 2.0 realm not only is it NOT necessary the instructor try to emulate a classroom setting but is flat out wrong.

Mr. Downes comes in again with an opinion (surprise) but calls the CMS a learning management system and defines as the same (Blackboard, Web CT) but they are in fact different. A CMS manages a course while a LMS is a comprehensive approach to managing learning which a CMS would be a part. He starts with discussing learning objects then moves to the CMS. He explains Learning objects are connected to computer based delivery systems (CBT) and can be used as course building blocks but by connecting LO’s to CBT he has in essence connected LO to behaviorism. I agree with Weigel that the current CMS is steeping in behaviorism but am having a difficult time with the LO being thrown in there, something I need to think about more. Mr. Downes brought in again the “digital native,” blogging, and wikis while defining web 2.0 and those who use it, nothing new from him. However, he brought up George Siemen’s connectivism and Rushkoff’s Cyberia then segued to a discussion of an “open society.” I think he really likes this connectivism thing; I do not (as a learning theory).

Bryan Alexander does a great job of giving a brief history and current update of web 2.0 by discussing specific applications. He takes the reader from the beginning (1960’s) to the start of social bookmarking with del.ico.us and the rapid explanation of some of the applications. He then discusses how these can be used in the classroom including the use of RSS feeds and collaboration sites.

John Thompson gives the same background of web 2.0. He like the others call on educators to embrace this technology and not shun it as the students will be expecting it. He refers to Alexander’s article when discussing precedents and the future but does not go as in depth. He also brings in Tufts mapping technology, Penn State’s texting program, and Duke’s iPod program. For the future he said that institutions need to transform to avoid the “Starbucks Effect” (Hammonds, 2006) where a better business model and product will take away market share. This is prevalent in the University of Phoenix’s takeover of the non-traditional student. They are the largest accredited university in the US because they catered to a large group of the population who were largely ignored by academia unless the student wanted to conform. I am an alum from UOP and they offered exactly what I needed while I was working, an accredited curriculum, a set class schedule, convenient times, and a good education. I did not need a student union, football team, or a sprawling campus. However, I paid for it, UOP is very expensive…

Wiegel, V. (2005). From course management to curriculum capabilities: A capabilities approach for the next-generation CMS. EDUCAUSE Review, 40(3), 54-67. Retrieved August 22, 2006, from http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm05/erm0533.asp

Downes, Stephen (2005, October). E-learning 2.0. E-Learn Magazine. Retrieved October 26, 2006, from http://elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=29-1

Alexander, Bryan (2006, March/April). Web 2.0: A new wave of innovation for teaching and learning? Educause Review, 41(2), 32-44. Retrieved July 9, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm06/erm0621.asp

See Table: Brown, Malcolm (2007, March/April). Mashing up the once and future CMS. Educause Review, 42(2), 8-9. Retrieved July 9, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm07/erm0725.asp

Thompson, John (2007, April/May). Is education 1.0 ready for Web 2.0 students? Innovate Journal of Online Education, 3(4), Retrieved July 4, 2007, from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=393

Tidbits: Class Presentation
Wikis in plain English: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY
Did you know; Shift Happens; globalization; information age: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

3 comments:

Bryan Alexander said...

Thank you for the link!

Question: what do you think of the intersections between web 2.0 and mobile computing?

Yichun's BLOG in IST, IUB said...
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Yichun's BLOG in IST, IUB said...

There are so many good points of views simplified in your article. Your interpretation of Weigel’s summary is simpler and easier for me to understand than the original paragraph. (“Meaning the CMS is more for the facilitator than the students”… Um…I see. Very good!) Reading your comprehensive review is pleasant because you classify and condense those ideas from articles, and then write it out in a brief way. You also found the relationship and conversations among those articles. It’s really a great post! I cannot remember how many times I saw the advertisement of UOP (University of Phoenix) and I am wondering what University it is. I understand now. I also agree with you, it’s a good choice for people who have jobs when they want to be educated. BTW, about CMS, I want to share with you a good point in Carmean’s article. He stated that with use of CMS such as assessment tools and simplified navigation etc. can improve the quality of teaching and learning.