May 26, 2018

Which Tool To Use?

By Helen Technologist 0 Comments

This is a response to the Technologist module for the eCampus Ontario Extend program. The prompt relates to the selection of technology tools to respond to student’s needs. For this particular task, there are layers in the design and decision making that need to be considered. Using the student empathy map and pre-course surveys is only the beginning. The SECTIONS model is a helpful framework, but it still not enough. There are so many elements when considering the integration of tech tools into the teaching ‘moments’ and particularly how challenges with tech can be addressed, because as educators, we all know the tech will fail at any given crucial moment of learning.

One tool I’ve recently applied to the online class I teach is Slack. This decision did not come lightly since it requires a sign up and to a new digital space that may be unfamiliar to students. It layers onto their work in the required Learning Management System (LMS) so it does add an additional commitment for engagement. So, I’ll use this experience for this module’s reflections. The full reflection is found in this Google doc titled SECTIONS: Examining Slack.

The second part of this task was to circle back to the Padlet where the Learner Challenge was posted. My initial posting to the Padlet was:

“Students coming into the online learning space – those who are there for the first time are overwhelmed with what to do and when; those who come with previous experiences are relying on past practice to figure it out which is often not helpful. Those with some digital fluencies can support others but often don’t unless the environment is structured to support collaboration and sharing (which most LMS are not good at doing!)”

My followup post was:

“This is a circle back after reflecting on the use of Slack in an online course offering. While Slack is not a replacement for the LMS, students learn powerful lessons and develop critical digital literacy skills and fluencies when using Slack as a space for providing feedback to others in small groups.”

Capturing the image of both: