Lylemad’s Weblog

I was just watching channel CHCH out of Hamilton, Ontario and a very interesting bit/piece came over the airwaves so I “jumped to the pump” and ran in here to get it all down before my “Old Timers” memory forgot where I put my notebook.

Blog Headline: Professor teaches 3200 1st year students a 1st of it’s kind psychology class from the comfort of the couch, not his, theirs: he, like we did today, still had to drive in…

Professor Comment: It is kinda akin to putting on a TV show (hopefully not a soap opera): we have a studio complete with the technology and all the personnel needed to put our action plan into effective effect.

Student Responses: Very convenient; a no brainer; it allows me to manage my already hectic schedule a little more wisely; I take better notes when I can stop the “teach” and rewind him when and where I want etc et al.

Course Comment: What I was most impressed with is how enthusiastic the students were and how each interviewee (Are you ready?) held a pencil and paper at the ready: old school meeting new school. I did not get the impression, nor the feel, that they were photo “opping” it for the cameras present. I did feel though that they were indicating to us that maybe, just maybe, that from afar they could be those all interested interactive participants as opposed to those of the in-house passive classroom zombies.

PS: Students alike still had to make a two tutorial in-house weekly appearance – just to keep them honest I would think. Also, with these online endeavors even when you are absent, you can be present; so this kind of throws that “MIA” excuse (justified or not) right out the window. And what does or will it do to the attendance policies at say a high school level. At ours it is 12 A’s for a discontinuance and some do stick to this rule religiously. And, on a personal note, I would quit worrying about attendance anyway, if you can’t solve the problem, which, it is my opinion that we never will, turn to that of managing it to the positive side. This goes for hats, bubblegum, snowballs, cellphones and computers in the classroom as well.

On the probability of being considered bombastic, hyperbolistic, jargonistic and journalistic: I have added a “Blended Learning” information page/link to my blogroll side bar. I figured if I plan to do a podcast I best read up on what it is that I plan to talk about; mind you I really did enjoy Angel’s “Blended Flavors” podcast complete with free advertising to boot Sweetpea. Mine own definition of “Blended Learning” is that of wrapping technology with that which makes us human: hope and compassion – all else be false.

And if you are missing the pictorial representation (deflection from that of my short comings), I’ll get them all to ya… further along the line.

Later,

DUH Mader with the “DUH”