Tara Bladow's Profile

ne that

offers the mandated provincial instructional program to students through web-based means

expanding educational access, providing high quality learning opportunities, improving student outcomes

nd skills, allowing for educational choice, and achieving administrative efficiency

nstructors who adopt new and emerging technologies also adopt new pedagogy

ommercial course management systems restrict most instructors to the delivery of information rather than to the provision of engaging, authentic learning experiences.

there is no guarantee that this will occur.

literature on virtual schooling has concentrated upon first defining and then describing the benefits and the challenges of K-12 online learning.

and retention in virtual schooling. In recent years (i.e., post-2000), the growing body of literature shifted to a refined

Interaction was one of the key components to create a learning community for virtual school students

a narrative and unstructured introspective approach is less helpful than a structured reflection,

The learning purpose must be clearly communicated in order for the perceived usefulness of the communications tool to encourage students to contribute

Blogs and wikis can still sometimes fail to achieve a valued place in students' learning activities

The standard formats of discussion forums and e-mail groups allow a degree of comfort both for learners and for teachers.

Part-time postgraduate students in my experience show little enthusiasm for communicating via more than one channel within a module let alone a course, and this can mean that the wiki or blog should be used as a central communication and sharing mechanism, rather than an addition to asynchronous or synchronous discussion

Engagement and motivation in human relationships seems better supported through the web 2.0 freedom, provided learners cross structural barriers and participate, using the affordances of the technology to express themselves freely and contribute to collective learning.

The support of new online learners is vital to enable them to reach a point at which they are able to take on a more powerful role in their own learning

unless they have a clear reason for doing so

They are more likely to see the point of discussion forums or e-mail groups which share information and experience in simple formats with minimum effort, and offer a fast, simple and consistent way to ask questions online

Structure may yet be needed for learners who are less self-directed or at an earlier stage in familiarity with their subject and the more known tools of discussion forums and chat rooms, together with e-mail groups, can support effective learning at individual and group level

critical thinking as a logical process consisting of five steps: identifying a problem, exploring the problem, suggesting a solution, judging the solution, and implementing the solutio

presented either solutions or judgments.

the bulk of discussion posts

opinion as evidence dominated (77.4 percent) the discussion. References, quotes, data, and theories which offer the most reliable support for claims were employed only 4.8 percent of the time

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The educators' role is not to simply
provide information; they must create the conditions within which learning can take place. The focus of
education is not on the content; it is on the process.

The educators' role is not to simply
provide information; they must create the conditions within which learning can take place. The focus of
education is not on the content; it is on the process.

The educators' role is not to simply
provide information; they must create the conditions within which learning can take place. The focus of
education is not on the content; it is on the process.

The educators' role is not to simply
provide information; they must create the conditions within which learning can take place. The focus of
education is not on the content; it is on the process.

The type of interaction that is
considered central to many educators can be sustained through new communication technologies such as
computer mediated conferencing.

The main ideas underpinning constructivism
learning theories are not new.

The main ideas underpinning constructivism
learning theories are not new.

The main ideas underpinning constructivism
learning theories are not new.

The main ideas underpinning constructivism
learning theories are not new.

Brooks and Brooks (1993) suggests five guiding principles to facilitate constructivism in our classrooms: (1)
posing problems of emerging relevance; (2) structuring learning around primary concepts: the quest for
essence; (3) seeking and valuing students' points of view; (4) adapting curriculum to address students'
suppositions; and, (5) assessing student learning in the context of teaching.

Formulation of discussion questions need to be developed to guide the activities of
the learners and facilitate the exploration of the issues contained in the problem situation. The
questions should lead the learners to recognize alternative solutions, consider contributing influences,
and anticipate probable consequences.

If learning is, as constructivists argue, a process whereby we
actively construct knowledge using language based on our past
experiences, then context-rich, long-term learning environments with
tools that enhance communication and access instructional methods that
provide real-world examples are required