Is it possible that online learning can be both good and bad for online teachers and learners? I had this and many other thought-provoking questions from my learnings this week. A good example of this was viewing two videos with opposing points: "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" versus "Is the Internet Making Us Smarter?." In the first video, author Nicholas Carr argues that spending time on the Internet strengthens our brain's ability to multitask, but weakens our ability to focus on prolonged tasks without distraction. In the second video, author Clive Thompson states that the Internet is changing how humans communicate, consume information, and connect with one another--for the better. In each case, the argument is made that access to technology has a profound effect on our brains and everyday lives, but that effect varies based on use of the tool. As with every new generational technology--the telegraph, the radio, the television, the Internet, the smartphone--there is always some concern about the near term and long term social and cognitive effects, but especially on the youth. How can PK-12 students grow up into healthy, productive, future-ready adults if there's also evidence that too much time on the Internet diminishes the ability to focus, connect with one another, and enjoy the pleasures of the previous generation? As with everything in life, there is a need for balance: online vs. offline activity, consumption of information vs. creation, learning vs. doing.
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| How do you stay connected with the world from the digital island of online learning? (Source) |
In the online classroom, there is great potential for both online learners and online teachers to have positive and negative experiences. Disconnection from students, from the traditional role of classroom teaching, and from a professional community are main reasons of dissatisfaction of online teachers (Hawkins et al., 2012). Hawkins, Barbour, and Graham propose that nonacademic online spaces for student and staff interaction can alleviate feelings of disconnection and promote communication and community (2012). A good Internet connection is not the only connection that online students need for success. Online learners, who have opportunities to build rapport with their teacher and peers and engage in collaborative peer learning, feel more connected and are more likely to log on to complete the online course (Valentine, 2002).
The quality and quantity of interactions in an online learning space matter over how much technology is used. The importance of a reliable computer and Internet connection cannot be overlooked; these tools enable online teachers and students to access the online course and each other. I was one of the 92% of classroom teachers without online teaching experience who shifted into an online teaching role due to the Spring 2020 COVID-19 pandemic (Gudmundsdottir & Hathaway, 2020). I immediately learned to prioritize engagement and connection with students over using the flashiest digital tools or even getting through fourth quarter curriculum. If you focus on the child, the child will come. I noticed that this same concept applied to any good virtual training on online learning that I attended in Summer 2020. I learned little from webinar presenters who rushed through their presentation content without taking time to engage the audience in reflection or practice opportunities. I learned a lot when I felt connected to the presenter and my fellow learners. Instructors who focused on my questions made me feel that my success was important to them.
The Internet may indeed be changing how our brains function. The tasks that we ask students to do and the tools that we ask them to use highly impact the quality of learning and engagement in an online space. A balance between connection, content, and tools is necessary for anyone to experience success. In a previous blog post, I mentioned that I started the 2020-2021 school year with community building, individual feedback for students and parents, and opportunities for nonacademic interactions. These interactions have been crucial for helping my students feel connected in the classroom and in control of their learning in a world where social connection is limited and life factors seem to shift from day to day. Breakout rooms, performance-based tasks, and collaborative peer learning are becoming mainstays in my distance learning classroom. I am intentional in my student and colleague interactions in order to create and strengthen connections. I find that I am much more suited for this than island life.
References
Gudmundsdottir, G. B., & Hathaway, D. M. (2020). “We always make it work”: Teachers’ agency in the time of crisis. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 28(2), 239–250. Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/216242
Hawkins, A., Graham, C. R., & Barbour, M. K. (2012). “Everybody is their own island”: Teacher disconnection in a virtual school. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(2), 124–144. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i2.967
Valentine, D. (2002). Distance learning: Promises, problems, and possibilities. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 5(3). Retrieved from https://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall53/valentine53.html
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