When working with an online course or in an online environment one has often to work with a lot of tools. If the number of tools is too high the user often gets confused. There are 33 tools I use on a daily basis in my work. If I am enrolled on an online course like ONL I have to learn more tools. Too much is too much! The world, please, keep everything as simple as possible…
I feel somewhat insecure when posting information on the web. The general rule that what you have posted, you can never take back, is still true. When I study my trash mail, I can find emails that have been sent using information that I have had on the Web.
On an online course the main issue is as in any course that the students should learn something. If the learning is based on the material that the teacher uploads, then the material must be of very high quality. There is always a risk that a student gets confused and there is no teacher to ask. Not always true, a student can send emails to the teacher and the teacher helps. A video session can also be set up. My experience is that most things can be solved via emails, and students can also send files to the teacher that the teacher studies and gives comments on. However, if a Web course is based on the concept that a students should read a book and then have an exam the course could be called a literature course. Literature courses have been given since ancient times so then the Web is just a new way of giving out the textbook. Interesting is also my experience that students today prefer electronical books and avoid paper books.
In this ONL course I have been involved in video-based discussions, this is of course a way of communicating in online courses. Sorry to say but there have always been some technical issues, not nice. Discussions are in my view good if one learns something, but I have not learnt much so far. We are supposed to come up with reflections and I have not so many. I like to hear about experiences that other participants share and that can be used for my own online courses. I read some reflections on the ONL community space, but many are either self-obvious or irrelevant for me. In fact, attending courses where most issues are self -obvious can be frustrating, I have experienced many such courses.