I teach the way I learn. Actively. I am a hands-on learner. I can memorize information for a test, but I have not assimilated that into real learning. I need my body and hands involved to access my brain. I believe the more a student utilizes all the senses, the more she will incorporate into her being. I found the book Promoting Active Learning: Strategies for the College Classroom by Meyers and Jones during my Masters in Adult Education. I really related to this book. A great quote from it is “… students learn not by just absorbing content (taking copious notes and studying for exams), but by critically analyzing, discussing, and using content in meaningful ways.” I agree. Adults want to share their experiences. My goal is to engage students using group discussions, projects, research papers, games, and role play.
After taking my first online course, I am thrilled to learn that I can be an online learner. I was concerned that it would not provide enough interaction, but I was happily mistaken. The discussion board provided an outlet to express opinions, questions, and comments from both students and faculty. This format invited information in a new way for me, through the computer and the web. I feel confident that if I can teach an online course as my instructors did, then my students will be involved and learning.
My online course was about using technology in education. I am wowed by the amount of media available and appropriate to use in the classroom. I have learned how blogs and wikis can hold information for students to add to and comment on. Embedding photos, videos and audio clips keep the class interesting and active. Also applying jing and podcasts can help clarify questions that arise. I am impressed with the vast knowledge that I incorporated into my teaching. Technology is part of my new teaching philosophy as it is part of our current student’s world.
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