Online Ace - Sharing Good Practice - Content Summary
Aims and Structure
Return to Download Page Aims and StructureThe partnership of technology and Adult Community and Further Education is not a new one. The photocopier, the overhead projector, video and audio have all played a role in helping adult learners. Digital learning resources, such as CD-ROM and the Internet offer a range of new opportunities, and Online ACE seeks to explore these, providing some suggestions as to how they might be used. The ideas found in this book may not seem revolutionary - nor should they. Whether a tutor uses the Internet or butchers paper, the underlying importance of good teaching practice remains. Online ACE highlights some of the advantages and pitfalls of particular technologies, while trying to embed the use of technology in good adult learning principles. Educational Values and the InternetWhy use the Internet? Why use computers? These questions are at the core of the push toward new technology, and must be satisfactorily answered, if new learning technologies are to become legitimate teaching tools. The Learning EnvironmentWhat are our choices in setting up a classroom which includes computers? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different designs, and what new responsibilities do those designs impose on the tutor? Structuring Learners' Early ExperiencesNo two learners respond to a computer in the same way, but many seem apprehensive. What steps can a tutor take to minimise that apprehension? How can the process be broken down into manageable steps? Can complicated processes be streamlined, enabling learners to get that first success earlier? Some Notes About the InternetThe online world has a history and culture of its own. Knowing a little of the shape of the Internet, and preparing learners for what they might find, is a key step in improving your, and your learners confidence. The World Wide WebPerhaps the best known and most popular source of online information, the Web is colorful, noisy and always changing. This chapter provides an introduction to the mechanics of the Web, and suggests some Web page design and publishing exercises. Fast, cheap, and quick, email offers an easy way of putting learners in touch with one another. But the tutor needs more - how do I encourage ongoing discussion? How do I direct learners to correspondents with interests that match those of my class? NewsgroupsThe Cinderella of the Internet, newsgroups aren't widely used in ACE. Why not? Packed with information, sorted into themes, able to reach thousands of interested readers in seconds, newsgroups are an ideal place for learners to explore, ask questions and develop their research skills. ConferencingLooking for a place for your learners to "chat" to a real person, sitting at his or her keyboard, replying as soon as the question is sent? Conferencing might be the answer. Web-boards, Internet Relay Chat and virtual reality can all be used to get a conversation going, and don't need complicated or fancy equipment or software. This chapter discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each, and reviews a classroom project that brought together learners and tutors from around the world. Integrating Online Resources Into a Classroom PackageThe digital world can be used as a set of discrete resources, or bundled into a suite of leaning tools. This chapter reviews a project that mixed email, World Wide Web and conferencing, using each to complement the learning activities. Issues in the ClassroomNew technology is rarely plain sailing. Security, hardware and plain bad luck can all distract you from the main game of working with learners. "Issues in the Classroom" looks at some of the things that you'll need to plan for, and where you'll find planning tools. GlossaryWhat do all those words mean? Are any of them really important? Amaze your family and friends with your ability to throw around nerdy acronyms and incomprehensible phrases. |
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