WBC... and pedagogy!

Today our class had a visit from Donald Gitouard and Sophia Palahicky, who explained the resources available as web based courses in Manitoba. They explained how these courses expand opportunities for students. I had already considered some students that these courses could benefit, like those in small schools where courses are not offered because of numbers, or for students with frequent  / long absences for a variety of reasons. I was interested in Donald's comment that he felt this kind of course would have suited his personal learning style. I think this bears consideration... not all students like face to face interactions, and may contribute more to web based conversations. We will see more and more students who use computers / devices as  primary tools in their learning. While it seems strange to me to consider a class where most of the content is presented on the web instead of being co-constructed by students and a teacher, this way of learning is more familiar to today's student. I was happy to hear both presenters say that the teacher as facilitator, explainer and supporter is still a vital role in this process. The blended approach is ideal... getting info and assignments from the web course AND having a person to guide them and offer clarification and extension opportunities. The teacher remains connected to each student taking the course, through web based and conventional communication.
I can also see how the modules in web based courses would be useful resources. As beginning teachers, it is impossible for us to be familiar with every single curriculum in MB. Looking at these courses could provide a starting point for teachers new to a subject area or grade level. The 46 courses available on the Blackboard platform are easy to access, with clear, curriculum based outcomes.
The last point I would like to comment on is the emphasis Sophia put on pedagogy. The delivery tool does not make or break the learning experience, for teacher or student. There can be boring, bad
face-to-face classes with live teachers, too! It is important to understand, develop and live out our personal philosophies about education. This will be the main source of our success... whether we use i pads or crayons as the tools to enhance and support learning and understanding.