July 24, 2004

What does it take to put live into live-learning

Virtual classroom adoption is slow and vendors are contemplating of why this is so. Is it the pricing structure, licensing fees, technical workload, lack of computer literacy? As if this wasn't enough, there is yet another reason which according to me plays a role. Webinars and online trainings clash with everything that (e)learning has ever stood for. They simply conflict with our learning style. How?

Learning styles are changing: traditional classroom teaching (teachers deliver content) is out. Blended learning (a tutor guides students on how to find content) is in. Today’s students are independent, emancipated agents and the emphasis on guided tutoring has helped many to learn how to learn by themselves.

Take for example the IKARUS project "Teaching and Studying in Virtual Learning Environments". This was their commission, I quote:

"Participants will have to get very active during the course. They should not expect any "teaching" in the sense of knowledge transfer. The focus is on the students’ individual and group activities supported by moderators (as discussion facilitators) and Tutors (as experts on content)."

Whether this kind of collaborative learning style is any more efficient than "teaching in the sense of knowledge" transfer remains to be seen and tested.

Teaching is nevertheless practised in virtual classrooms today. Teaching, more so lecturing, presenting, a slide show with explanations. Although designed to be a feature rich collaboration tool, virtual classrooms are being used at an alarming rate as a mere presentation tool.

Have you had a chance to listen into a WebEx Webinar? A lecture at the university? A product training, software training or any other company training?

What I have seen so far has been: slides after slides after slides and content delivered by an unseen lecturer. This teaching style is commonly called ‘ex cathedral teaching’ (derived from the thought of a lecture from a pulpit), 'weight and found to be wanting in':

• active and live voice communication, perhaps even heated discussions amongst all present, not just a team of hosts
• the lecturer providing sources of information in form of links or even demonstrating live online where to find study material on the net, thereby fitting the role of guided tuition
• students given the chance to present their study material live online
• brainstorming
• creating drafts and designs on the fly
• get experts in and provide a hot seat for a question and answer session
• use of a simple webcam
  

The saying goes: first impressions are lasting impressions.

A virtual classroom used to present slides, is like driving in first gear.

It takes skill and experience to put live into live-learning.

An online drivers license might be an idea....

Posted on July 24, 2004 at 09:46 AM

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