Engaging Learners with New Strategies and Tools

Reflection-

According to Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford (2006), research has indicated that "distance learning can be as effective as traditional instruction when the technologies are appropriate for the instructional tasks, instructors provide timely feedback to students, and levels of students interactivity are high" (p. 190). Therefore, online learning can be as effective as a traditional face-to-face learning environment. This is true because there are technological tools and strategies that are used outside the classroom that can benefit the educational process when implemented in the classroom. For instance, in this day in age, people use email as a form of communication of one another. In an online learning environment, one may email or even communicate through other technological avenues, such as discussion postings, blogs, and wikis. Such technological tools are excellent in an online setting because they are convenient for the busy lifesyle. Also, classmates can stay in constant contact with one another and receive feedback from the instructor, as well as their peers, through discussion postings, blogs, and wikis. This creates the sense of community within an online learning environment.