Open access in the classroom might present itself as simply allowing students to have not only laptops and ipads but cell phones as well. It is giving the students ways to access resources as the teacher is teaching. And not only allowing them to access this information but giving them resources to do so. A teacher may make all his/her readings online. Many teachers have set up online, inclass interactive polls. This allows them to ask the class questions and intern the class may text in anonymous answers. Then the answers are polled and the teacher goes from there.
To take this one step higher we can mention online classes and teaching. For example the class i am taking now; Educational Technology. This class allows me not do the homework and watch the videos on my own time, anywhere i want. I think that this is an amazing thing. I have two jobs, 20 credits and am in Army ROTC. I maintain a very busy schedule and am unable to fit in another class. This being online allows me to learn and finish what i need to do in between classes, on my break or late at night.
Though online classes allow students a certain freedom they can have a downside. For me, online classes are harder to understand. I enjoy a face to face classroom setting because with certain subjects i require a more in-depth lesson. Subjects like math would be impossible for me to learn via the internet because i can hardly understand it in a classroom.
People will always rely on a person to person setting. Textbooks might not always be needed but there may always be people who need them. People who find a book more appealing then the internet. Lets face it a book and printed text is more reliable then any internet source you can find. A book does not freeze and refuse to load. There is no sound and sometimes no pictures, this means that the book cannot lag or be disabled. Though resourceful and ever needed, the internet could crash or go down at any moment. Wifi is not free, and requires monthly payments. I do doubt that text books or even the classroom setting, will become obsolete.
1 comment:
I agree with you. Some students need to have a book and to be able to highlight throughout the pages in order for them to understand. Online classes can be difficult. It helps you be responsible and lets you do things on your own time but they can be hard to understand fully. If you have a question you need to email the teacher and it could take a day to answer the question and that could be too late.
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