Wed 12/13 2006
In my talk, I'd like to share my thinking about frogs. I don't mean here the use of computer simulations for frog dissections in biology class, although there is ultimately a connection of that to what I do have to say. What I mean instead are the tailless amphibians, which croak at night, eat insects, and make incredible leaps. What could this possibly have to do with online learning?
My thesis is that a closer look at frogs can provide insights into different ways of thinking about online learning, in particular, into why we see such different outcomes, and how we can support learning more successfully. In my presentation, I'll explore three different senses of wholeness in learning, and how online education can facilitate those, or used inappropriately, break learning further apart. Some key questions include: How do we overcome barriers, rather than erect new ones? How can new media, structures, and pedagogies promote more connected learning?
