The
element of communication has evolved dramatically in education over the last
one hundred years. When my father
was in school, the teacher talked, and the students listened. If they spoke, it was to recite back to
the teacher the lesson just presented.
Communication was a one-way portal with the student always on the
receiving end. School for my
generation changed from that picture slightly. We engaged in organized debates and discussions. The teacher still functioned as the principal
organizer. The topic and setting
were part of the instructional design.
We could communicate by asking questions and completing the group
assignments as directed.
Students
in the classroom today can experience a variety of communication options. Some classrooms function in much the
same way as what was there for my generation. In other classrooms, students have choices to make about an
assignment. They collaborate in
teams and improve projects on feedback provided by peers and teachers. Communication occurs through verbal
dialogue, email communication, blogs, wikis and networking sites. When a student enters an online
classroom, the communication opportunities are part of the course
structure. Videos, discussion
groups and chat rooms enter the mix for student communication. Instructors have virtual office
hours. Skype becomes a standard
protocol. Since an online
classroom does not have casual opportunities for dialogue like a student
lounge, course designers purposefully establish areas for communication.
Research
continues to explore the importance of communication in the classroom. Not only does a clear channel of
communication forestall misunderstanding, it also paves the well for
establishing relationships.
Transforming a classroom into a collaborative exchange can empower
students. Using communication
technology can help convert the learning experience from a teacher-driven to a
student-driven enterprise (Wong & Li, 2011). Explore the following websites for additional information on
developing communication skills in the classroom.
http://www.myeducationadvices.com/how-to-improve-communication-between-teachers-and-students/
There are some interesting blogs about collaboration and the human response. Check out these options.
http://dpl.collaborate.com/blog/2012/06/15/why-collaboration
There are some interesting blogs about collaboration and the human response. Check out these options.
http://dpl.collaborate.com/blog/2012/06/15/why-collaboration
Reference:
Wong, E. L., & Li, S. C. (2011). Framing ICT implementation
in a context of educational change: A structural equation modelling analysis. Australasian Journal Of Educational
Technology, 27(2), 361-379.
Jeriann,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, too many of our 21st century classrooms still operate in the traditional manner in which you father (and most of us) learned! It is somewhat contradictory in that we are expecting to raise a generation of strong communicators, encouraging a lot more collaboration and group work in the classroom, while at the same time we are diffusing the use of technology so strongly that we are sometimes isolating students in solo technology access! The plan is to implement more collaborative opportunities through the use of technology, I'm sure, but at the elementary level, there are few programs yet that offer that type of collaboration. Learning through gaming - which I am quite interested in learning more about - will be more of the collaborative influence for this generation of students, I suppose.
Toni,
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the tendency to use online instruction as an isolation event. There is so much more to offer than a solitary exercise. I am really excited about trying out some design ideas for course development.
Jeri
Toni is correct many of our classrooms are still operating in the traditional manner. Then you have a few who are trying to transform their classrooms into a 21st century classroom with very little knowledge. Often teachers are hesitant to use 21st century tools because they either think it is more work, or they are unfamiliar with some of the tools. It is important that we continue to train our teachers AND administrators on how to effectively use these 21st century tools.
ReplyDeleteAs educators we have to remind ourselves that our students are DFL's (Digital First Language) speakers who are constantly communicating and collaborating digitally.