Impact of Technology and Multimedia

It seems so ironic to be asking the question of what impact technology and multimedia have on online learning because where would online learning be without technology.  The ability to take courses online without even attending a class in person offers so many possibilities for people to grow through education.  As distance learning evolved into online learning the technology piece was crucial. 

In my current position as an Instructional Designer, I am taking courses that were created many years previously and updating them according to a new body of knowledge. When looking at the previous courses it seems so basic and unimaginative.  When I look at the possibilities available to me for creating product I know that I can create a much more exciting and interactive online learning experience. 

Some things to consider when using these technologies or multimedia tools within your courses are

• Some learners may have poor connections or slow connections making it difficult to use the various required tools
• Some learners may be unfamiliar with how to use the various tools.  They may not know what a wiki is or how to blog. Be sure to include an orientation or link to a tutorial site like Lynda.com where learners can gain experience in using the program.
• Just because there is an exciting new tool out there does not mean you need to require it.  Palloff and Pratt explain the importance of making sure that the technology or multimedia tool meets your course objectives in order for it to be used (2011)

The ability to collaborate in so many ways through today’s multimedia and technology greatly expands the learner’s usability and accessibility. Using technology to build learning communities through social networking can help create better learning experiences. Boettcher and Conrad explain that social networking sites encourage regular, daily and even hourly checking in and commenting and seeing where everyone is and what they are doing and thinking. This can be helpful with project work. Sharing where they are in a project and what they are thing of doing next encourages awareness of their own thinking and working strategies (2010).

 Having students building wikis, blogs and other user generated tools to collaborate can assist with getting content shared.  Palloff and Pratt discuss that a great way to collaborate is to allow the students to choose the tool that they are comfortable with or works best for them is most likely the best way to incorporate these tools (2011).

I use my phone for almost everything in my day to day life. I use the computer at work and for my coursework.  In the future I am excited by the ability to put coursework, podcasts, discussions or videos for online learning available to people via their mobile technologies – smart phones, iPods, iPads, etc. Finding ways to use this effectively will be an exciting mode of the future. Also the new ways for bringing people together visually such as Skype or web conferencing tools can add to the effective communications that are present in online courses.  In a previous course we took polls of why people may not participate in online learning. One reason was that they would miss that interaction between people in a face to face environment.  If we can use these new technologies to grow online learning we will benefit all learners.  I am excited by all the possibilities that may be available for use in online learning in the future.

Resources

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 Palloff, R and Pratt, K. 2011 "Enhancing the Online Experience" multimedia. Accessed via https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1341204_1%26url%3D