Online Classes Essays

Online Classes Essays Online Classes Essay Online Classes Essay Online Classes Name: Institution: Online Classes Introduction Evolution is a continuous process in the world today. Technologies are improved by the day and industries have to keep up with these advancements. The same applies for institutions as society is in the digital age. Basic computer skills have become the benchmark of learning today as automation is taking over all sectors. Technology can now be incorporated in schools as educators feel the urge to be part of an advancing world. The use of these emerging technologies influences the way they continue to develop. This brings to light, the effect of both educational technology and technology in education. These segments seem similar but are quite different. Technology in education refers to the utilization of technological equipment in classrooms to aid in the learning process. These could be televisions, DVDs, radios and projectors, which are used to support the existing classroom set-ups. This should not be limited to the aspect of hardware, as it may give an inaccurate the idea of the theory. Educational technology refers to how technology is incorporated into the classrooms, and the repercussions or benefits it might have to the existing school curriculum. Here, the concept of online classes and the effect that it has on the current school curriculum is observed. It is implemented in the school district of Philadelphia. Over the years, the incorporation of technology has been minimal in the educational sector. The crucial question raised is whether the incorporation of online classes causes an improvement in the teaching techniques of the educator or increases the achievements of the students. There are several variables that come to play with the introduction of online classes. Some of these variables include educators understanding of the online class concept, computer literacy, curriculum content, the ability to effectively present the course online and ready access of the students to the program. These are just some of the factors that need to be considered during implementation. Literature Review Adoption of this technology is best done in phases. The adjustment to using this technology was implemented in both the students and teachers through a systematic process. There are different perspectives that could be used, but the most influential was the contemporary perspective. The conventional perspective emphasized on the teachers’ instruction technology, which as a result, limited the effective manifestation of the model. The contemporary perspective emphasizes on the students and their benefit from it. This helps in the full attainment of the benefits that come with this model as it reaches the evolution stage. The concepts of the online classes are implemented in a five-step process. The phases are familiarization, utilization, integration, reorientation and evolution. The chronological order of theses phases are extremely crucial in the effective implementation of the organizational concept. It ensures that the benefits are fully optimized. Going contrary to this means that there will be loopholes in the system. Familiarization is done in order to expose both the educator and their students to the new technology for the first time (Hooper and Rieber, n.d). Over time, they are able to learn and become well acquainted with the technology. This phase sets the pace for the others to take place. Utilization is the second stage and involves being practical and putting the technology to practical implementation. Discovering how the online classes should operate attempts to make the students obtain a deeper understanding of the concept. After utilization, the integration stage follows. Here, the educator has a full understanding of the technology and can comfortably set up classes that can be incorporated into the school curriculum. This means that it becomes an integral part of the educator’s lifestyle and its removal renders the personnel ineffective. This is a sign that the educator has fully adopted the new teaching technique and is ready to impart the knowledge on the students using constructivism (Yoder, 2006). In most cases, conventional adoption would have stopped at this point. The contemporary viewpoint incorporates reorientation and evolution. In this stage, emphasis is placed on the reconsiderations of the main objectives of the classroom. It entails reanalyzing the existing system and changing the old-fashioned way of thinking to embrace the new technology. This makes the students increasingly interactive, as the students are able to alert the educators on a few things they may have missed (Passey, Goodison, Great Britain., University of Lancaster. 2004). Evolution is simply the final stage that signifies the existence of an infinite technology cycle. As long as there is continued innovation, technology will slowly be absorbed in the educational system. From the incorporation of the online classes, it is clear that there exists resistance by some educators, as they lack the willpower to adapt to the evolution of the educational system. In other cases, there was commendable adaptation to the online classes, which helped the students greatly understand the concepts as they deepened their thinking skills through the online interactions (Wenglinsky, 2006). This aided students in revision of the concepts that were initially taught. There was increased flexibility as the students did not always have to be present in a physical classroom; all they needed was access to the internet via a functioning computer and learning would continue remotely. This has a massive impact on the organizational culture of the institution. The better it is incorporated, the faster the system of online classes is fully implemented by the institution. Application Incorporating the technology has led to several improvements within the school district. The inclusion of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the school curriculums has led to reduced storage space. The use of ICT means that there is less paperwork, therefore, the large storage rooms are used for different purposes. It also meant that there was renovation of the existing classes in order to allow setting up of the equipments for the improved technology. Communication becomes fast and increasingly efficient within the premises as the use of emails is spontaneous and video conferencing makes it fast. The major disadvantage of this is the cost incurred in the implementation of the new technology. Initial cost of purchasing the equipment is high, and there is a level of job insecurity among the educators. Inclusion of the new technology would mean that if the personnel were not willing to learn, they would be easily replaced. Resistance by some of the educators would mean that their teaching might not be as effective as before. Lack of job security would lead to a divide among the teaching personnel depending on their literacy levels. There is also a reduced level of social interaction as communication can be done remotely. Application of the technology gives increased insight into the organization, as there are elements of the organization that are discovered. Such factors are the organization’s culture, structure, and values. Embracing online classes means that these elements are affected in one way or the other. For instance, the technology can be used to bypass normal protocol methods. As such, a subordinate teacher can surpass their immediate authority and deal directly with the head teacher. This is also seen in the organizational culture, as interactions may not be as frequent as they were because of remote communication by emails. Infusion of the technology had both positive and negative implications. For starters, there is an improved learning experience as the integration of the online classes help revitalize the learning process. It enhances computer literacy levels among the students and teachers as it involves researching and preparing of presentations (Passey, Goodison, Great Britain University of Lancaster, 2004). Another positive impact is flexibility. This is advantageous to both the educator and student as a learning session can be prepared remotely by the teacher and the students will still benefit, irrespective of their location. By utilizing conferencing tools, active student-teacher interaction is still upheld. Conclusion The major problem with online classes is that it poses a risk of no learning to those who do not have self-motivation or are not under supervision. Home-schooled students, if not properly scrutinized, can easily miss the sessions and end up ignoring them altogether. There are also higher chances of distractions as the internet is a powerful tool, which possesses many distractions. These include from pop-up advertisements to online games. If one is not keen to learn, then there is a great deal of intendance during online classes than there is in the actual classroom scenario. Consequently, there could be minimal learning taking place. In retrospect, some of these distractions can be used to the benefit of the learning process. Introducing educative games into the curriculum would enhance learning skills among the students because they are both fun and educative. Another proposition is that of using simulations that will stimulate the mind and give students a visual representation, therefore, increasing participation through online blended learning programs (Edmonds and Li, 2005). It is through continual re-evaluation and revision of the online classes that there would be growth in the quest of fully embracing technology in education. References Edmonds, K., Li, Q. (2005). Teaching At-Risk Students with Technology: Teachers’ Beliefs, Experiences, and Strategies for Success. Hooper, S., Rieber, L. P. (n.d.). Teaching with technology. Retrieved from nowhereroad.com/twt/ Passey, D., Goodison, R., Great Britain., University of Lancaster. (2004). The motivational effect of ICT on pupils. Annesley, Nottingham: DfES Publications. Wenglinsky, H. â€Å"Technology and Achievement: The Bottom Line†, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development – Educational Leadership. Retrieved from hccsc.k12.in.us/technology/tip/Teachers’%20Academy/The%20Bottom%20Line .pdf Yoder, M. B. (2006). Adventures in Electronic Constructivism. Learning Leading with Technology.