Television in Open
Learning Education
The
television plays a large part in open learning classrooms as it is not only a
valuable piece of audio visual equipment it provides other needed services for
the learners. The television programs allows learners to gain instruction about
difficult concepts in courses, provides for audio/visual presentations and communicate
messages to learners in a more natural way than radio or written instructions. This
type of medium also allows for a friendlier atmosphere for students who need a
face to speak or learn from and motivate them. Downes states that we need to
have symbiosis that allows us to share information and resources. That the
killer of education and open minds is the stagnation of knowledge (2011).
We are
in the generation where the internet seems to have over taken the television
like the television outsourced the radio, however the audio visual properties
of the television, regardless of internet accessibility, has allowed it to
remain a major player in how people learn. Young children watch Dora the
Explorer and other children oriented programs and adults can watch programs
that affect their knowledge on the television. Many of these programs spark
motivation and arousing the attention of people to want to see more and learn
more. Most people in the world might not have access to internet but most have
access to a television and by having this it allows programs to be spread
across a large range of geographical areas at the same time overcoming the
problem of equality and imbalance as it allows instructors to reach a large
amount of students at the same time.
I like using the television in
classes as it provides a visual stimulation that could not be replicated on the
blackboard. I have used it to play Shakespeare movies that if being read for
the first time are extremely difficult to understand but by watching and
listening to actors perform these plays, instruction and understanding becomes
easier. Utilizing this medium is also efficient for presentations as it allows
students to work together and produce an artistic work that should be self-explanatory.
References:
Downes, S. (2011). Free learning: Essays on open
educational resources and copyright. Retrieved fromhttp://www.downes.ca/files/books/FreeLearning.pdf
Skype in Open
Learning Education
Skype
like many other programs has taken the place of regular telephone calls. This
technology allows you to have real time conversations and share real time
experiences over the internet. This particular program allows for teachers to do
a host of activities for a class or classes of students. From virtual field
trips to having guest speakers from across the globe participate in the
educational process, this program inspires inclusion and a wide array of
opportunities for learning to take place for both educators and students.
Programs like Skype are soon about to render the telephone call obsolete (Downes,
2011).
In a
world where our students are used to instant access and response, skype
provides an opportunity for this quick hitting, virtual classroom environment to
happen. Students have plugged in to the internet world and skype provides
multiple applications in the open education classroom.
This
program provides an opportunity to have classes in the “now” time and interactions
happening between learners are similar to a real class. This video chat places
a face on names and can inspire inclusion in shy students. This is a perfect
tool to transmit presentations or share materials, cultures or any information
pertinent to the development of the learner.
References:
Downes, S. (2011). Free learning: Essays on open
educational resources and copyright. Retrieved fromhttp://www.downes.ca/files/books/FreeLearning.pdf
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