Because the timetable of the first years are very congested, I see the students three times a week for two hours (for a month) before they go to clinicals. In that month I have to give lectures on the block material (Thorax and upper limb; Neuro-Anatomy; Head and Neck; Abdomen; Pelvis and lower limb). In this month that i have the students I have to cover all the lecture material and make time for practical sessions where the students interact with the wet specimens and the bones. The students usually only have one practical period before a test because the timetable is loaded with all the theory that needs to be covered. It would therefore be a good idea to create a lecture in Blendspace, where students can interact with the specimens and osteology, answer possible questioons and receive immediate feedback from the software on their answers.
The objectives of the study activity is that:
- Students must actively use the e-learning intervention to supplement their learning and knowledge of wet specimens and osteology of a specific region
- Students must reflect on their learning experience by using the comments application to indicate that the activity fostered a deeper understanding and learning of wet specimens and osteology
- Students must use the feedback provided by the e-learning intervention to enhance their learning experience
- Students must use the open-ended questions provided in the e-learning intervention to develop critical thinking and a deeper approach to learning
The e-learning intervention will be an asynchronous, distributed learner location, individual independence, with a blended mode of presenting the curriculum to the students.
As this e-learning intervention and the application thereof is not to contribute to the marks of the students for formative assessment, the feedback that the students receive in the Blendspace lecture will foster an environment of learning, which is the main aim of the e-learning intervention.
A prototype of a practical lecture on the abdomen and upper limb osteology will be developed on Blendspace. I must just still figure out exactly how the program works so that i can give students the correct amount of information to prevent them from not understanding the lecture.
I still have to write the instructions for the students to understand the e-learning application and i still have to create the content of the lecture on Blendspace so that it fits in with my learning objectives.
Hie Petro
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed a good description of your e-learning intervention. It sounds it will be very effective beneficial to students. However, I would like to know how feasible will it be? Did you include issues of the students preference regarding use of technology, their ICT skills and motivation.
Secondly is it optional to use blendspace for learning if i am one of your students? I though we should design the intervention in such a way that we close the existing gap whilst fostering learning using the same time allocated on the programme, not creating an added programme activities.
Maybe Lianne will help.
Thank you once again
Hie Petro
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed a good description of your e-learning intervention. It sounds it will be very effective beneficial to students. However, I would like to know how feasible will it be? Did you include issues of the students preference regarding use of technology, their ICT skills and motivation.
Secondly is it optional to use blendspace for learning if i am one of your students? I though we should design the intervention in such a way that we close the existing gap whilst fostering learning using the same time allocated on the programme, not creating an added programme activities.
Maybe Lianne will help.
Thank you once again
Thank you Beloved for the good questions.
DeleteThe students write all their test as computerized tests so the students, and they also have computer training in their first year, so they are more than capable to use the new ICT technology. I could not ask my students what their preference is as the students already finished the end of September. I now most of the current young people of today enjoy using technology, as stated in many different articles, so I am fairly certain that they will cope. As to their motivation, the student struggle with the practical tests and practicals, and if they have an opportunity to increase the exposure to the material, may it be through blendspace, i believe that they will do so. Their motivation will be to improve their practical marks.
It wont really be optional to use blendspace as an intervention as the students will have to work through the information in the lecture on the practical aspects, write comments on the open ended questions, receive immediate feedback with regards to the innovation itself. They will also be required to write a reflection and e-mail it to me to increase the level of critical thinking and reflective practice. When a student does not participate, a note will be made by me as lecturer and after missing two blendspace activities, the student will be called in to my office to hear what the problem is.
I understood it that it must be way to supplement your program activities in any form, way or manner. So students will be required to use blendspace in the two weeks before their upcoming test for preparation purposes.
I hope this answers all your questions
Dear Petro
DeleteI like your concept of blend space. I think that we all have the common problem of lecture overload during classroom time leaving little time for skills development and critical thinking. Electronic based lectures are a great idea. Students can go through lectures at a pace that suits them. Lectures however cannot be to long. They have to be well planned and captured for maximum student benefit.II really like that you have included student reflection as part of the learning. Reflection is essential for meaningful learning. Is an option maybe to get students to blog their reflections rather than emailing them to you. The blogging will allow for sharing of reflections; students can learn from each others reflections.
All the best to you going forward.
Regards
Vanitha
Dear Petro
ReplyDeleteDear Petro,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your e-learning intervention. I see that you have a clear idea on what you want to do and I also think that your idea has a lot of relevance in your context. Your intervention sounds great and i believe that its going to improve your students practical osteology segment. Beloved asked a very interesting question which you have explained very well. I also agree with Vanitha on the point that students could blog their reflections rather than e-mailing them to you. The students could learn from each others reflection just as yours has giving me an insight.
Good luck!!
Aisha.
You have all given Petro some good points to think about. Regarding the blog idea, remember that this would mean another activity and may result in students boycotting the whole idea because too many aspects are involved. So, Petro, if you do decide to add the reflections, via email or blog, just be aware of this.
ReplyDeleteI hear what Beloved is saying and partially agree with him. Unless the BlendSpace activities are directly linked to class activities or is explicitly described to the students as study/revision support, you may have lack of participation or frustration from them.
That said, I like your idea and can see the relevance of it to your context. As a prototype is there to give you guidance to development of the actual intervention. Testing out the prototype early next year once the students have returned will help you make your final decisions. In the meantime, you have now gained an opportunity to base your ideas in pedagogy.
Dear Petro,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your comprehensive approach in e-learning. I now learnt what the blendspace is all about. Your teaching approach is facilitated to deep learning with reflection, feedback and critical thinking (which is higher order thinking). Did you plan this by yourself or did you involve your colleagues for this innovation? What is your plan to test this prototype?