Introduction, Motivation & Experience with Online Learning

Hi everyone,

My name is Robin Wilensky and I am beginning my final semester at TC! I am pursuing an MA in Educational Technology K-12 which will result in Initial Certification. I matriculated in the summer of 2008. I am a career changer, having spent 15 years working in the IT industry including companies such as Netscape and Sun Microsystems. I also have a BS in Business Administration/Marketing and an MBA in Management Information Systems. I am passionate about technology integration in the classroom and my specific interest focuses around the role that Web 2.0 technologies can play in preparing students for 21st century careers.

This course peaked my interest because I believe that distance learning can provide enrichment to a learner's course of study, and allow teachers and administrators to differentiate instruction beyond the classroom. In order to create a well-rounded education for myself, I designed my program to encompass all facets of technology in education and online learning is clearly an important area of study.

Additionally, half of my classes at TC have been online (synchronous, asynchronous and blended learning). Generally speaking my experiences were quite positive. While I believe there is often much more reading with online classes, I appreciate the self-paced nature of the courses. A big factor for me was also convenience, not having to commute into TC from Long Island all the time. It was also a great learning experience for me as a student in these classes, which would prepare me to become a teacher who utilizes these tools.

Asynchronous courses were an easy transition for me having used discussion boards, chat and other features for many years in school and corporate life. I did immediately notice the pros and cons of different platforms for discussion (Blackboard, ClassWeb, Moodle, Wikis) and assessed how these platforms might be best used for K-12 students. (You might be interested in my post on Wikis vs. Google Docs). The synchronous platform caused some trouble during my initial interaction because of the resource requirements that Adobe Connect imposes, but now works seamlessly. However, I did note that it is easy to fall into a didactic teaching style in synchronous learning environments whereas constructivist teaching styles would better leverage the platform.

Finally, I conducted a research study last semester evaluating the impact of asynchronous and synchronous learning environments on the learning effectiveness of a given topic. This class seemed to be a natural extension to my exploration of online learning.

Overall, I am a strong proponent of online classes, especially for those who are disciplined enough to embrace their own learning. I am particularly looking forward to exploring how online schools and schooling are developing alongside mainstream educational options.

-Robin Wilensky