What are the pitfalls and strengths of online learning? When we venture into the online world of information, it is first and foremost a world of information. There is plenty to learn, but how to learn, how to stay focused, how to be inspired and engaged does not lift off the page on its own to assist the learner.
I am an advocate for the importance of having a mentor, a teacher, or a guide. I have often mused that in learning it is the style, not the facts, that matters. So it is no surprise to me that while the initial response to online learning was overwhelmingly positive, and we thought that finally anyone could learn anything, it is now becoming clear that the emotional and personal skills you bring to this abundance of information are what prove critical.
We learn, first and foremost, as we always have. That is, some people are good at it and some are not. People have learned how to learn within their environment, their culture, and their family. People live up to, or down to, the expectations they have developed throughout their lives. People carry tendencies, habits, skills, challenges, hopes, dreams, limits, blind spots, and an infinite variety of factors that either buoy them along or hold them back.
All of these factors are present when someone ventures online to learn something. Be aware of the habits and history that you, and your students, carry along. As much as possible, design curriculum with these limits in mind, because your students will certainly approach the material with these constraints engaged.
Perhaps the notion of a blended classroom is the right one. Use online tools to organize and hold vast amounts of material. Use your own skills to inspire, lead, and encourage your students. Assuming that students will lead themselves out of the wilderness alone is folly.
This belief shapes how we teach at AVRO. Technology has its place, but a real teacher who knows your teen is what turns information into learning. If you want to see what that blend looks like day to day, come and meet us.