Week 14: Distance Education and Virtual Schooling

This week we learned about distance education and virtual schooling online including online degree options and game-based learning for students. Distance learning refers to education that focuses on the instruction, teaching styles and instructional systems design that aims to deliver education to those who are not physically present. We focused on distance education last week as well so I was more interested in expanding my knowledge regarding game-based learning this week. There are numerous benefits of online games and they can cover multiple fields of learning and careers such as sports management, advertising, education, and psychology. In addition to games, the rise of virtual schools and online classes was discussed. Based on a CNN report, many older men and women are now able to get degrees online from their home. There are also multiple fraud sights that will give candidates fake diplomas, which I did not realize was an issue. In several Universities and high schools around the United States, virtual or online classes are also offered. For the state of Florida, Florida Virtual School has been on the rise in recent years and nationally virtual schools are growing 30% a year.

The topics that we covered in class this week are definitely relevant to my career as a future educator. Virtual School is on the rise so it is possible that one day I could be a virtual school teacher. Therefore, it is important for me to understand how online classes work so that I can be better prepared. Also, game based learning has a direct influence on the role of educators. Games, whether they are academic or not, have multiple positive effects on students; students can strengthen their reading, math, and analytical skills. In the third grade classroom I volunteered at this semester, the students use programs such as FCAT Explorer to strengthen reading comprehension skills and Brain Pop, which covers a wide variety of topics and information for students to learn. Since technology is so prevalent in our society today, it is vital for me as a future teacher to recognize and explore multiple online games that may strengthen my student’s learning in the classroom.

I chose to embed this video for the week because I felt like it gave some valuable information regarding game-based learning. The video defines game based learning as “a learning approach that incorporates the use of educational computer games or software programs.” Game based learning can assess and engage students in the classroom. This video introduced me to the term edutainment, which incorporates entertainment with education, and to the term training simulators, which train students in certain skills. Serious games, however, are games that are not designed for education but rather for education. This video was very informative and expanded my understanding on different theories and terms in reference to game-based learning and how it can be used in my future classroom.

Week 13: Creating a Professional Web Presence

This week we learned about what it means to have a web presence by learning how to create our own professional website through Google. A web presence refers to a collection of web files on a specific subject that includes a home page. For example, many companies, organizations or individuals have a single web site address; this is the home page from which you can get to other pages on the site. In addition to web presence, we also learned about distance education and virtual schooling. Distance education, also referred to as distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the instruction, teaching styles and instructional systems design that aims to deliver education to those who are not physically present. Different types of distance education courses include correspondence through regular mail, internet, broadcast through radio or TV, CD-ROM that can be transferred to a computer, and student access through mobile devices.

A professional web presence and distance learning are both relevant to my future career as an educator. Especially for when I graduate from the University of Florida, it is useful and practical to have a web presence. Through my own personal web presence site, I can allow employers to look at my website and learn more about me. Employers can see my personal information including skills and hobbies, my resume and academics, and skills that I have gained that can help me in the classroom. A professional web presence is a great marketing tool, especially or a college graduate searching for teaching positions, as I will be. Distance education is also an important aspect of the field of education to consider. I know especially in Florida, Florida Virtual School is becoming increasingly popular every year. It is possible that I may one day be a teacher for Florida Virtual School or I will have students who are taking additional classes through this system. Therefore, it is vital for me to understand the impact and teaching strategies for classes that do not require students to be present physically.

I chose to embed this YouTube video from Florida Virtual School because it is relevant to the topic of distance education from class. The video is biased toward the advantages of Florida Virtual School; things that I definitely need to consider in my future career. Some advantages presented in this short clip include students receiving more personalized attention, teachers being available more often, online study groups with other students, and the fact that a student can work whenever it is convenient for him or her. For parents, they have more access to the students work and can contact their child’s teachers with greater ease. While there may be disadvantages to the idea of virtual school, I found it interesting to note some of the advantages discussed in this video.