MITxWeek 1 - Peer Assessment

Student: Elaine Matthews

CURRENT EDUCATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY

Online Educational Platform

Taking MITx as an example of an online

educational platform I can explain that this is

the very present and future way of learning

from the world’s best universities without

being on a campus. It’s financially accessible

because all the courses or most of them are

for free.

• What do you think are some of this technology’s goals?

The goals of this technology is to provide learning from the world’s best

universities and experts for free and spread knowledge which until then was for

few people, financially speaking .

• What does the user “do” when s/he uses the technology?

The user learns through classes with top professionals of the area being studied

, readings , videos , indications of external internet sites where the learner can

acquire more knowledge on the subject of the course in question , produces

activities , participates in forums to exchange ideas with other users in a safe,

respectful environment, makes friends and, therefore , learn from the

community s/he is inserted in.

• Does the technology direct the learner toward a specific goal

or is it more open-ended?

I believe the technology also directs the learner toward a specific goal but undoubtedly

directs the learner to an open-ended activity or situation that does not have a planned

ending, so s/he may develop in several ways. Learning is motivated by the technology all

the time but learning will exclusively depend on the learner.

• How does it seek to engage and/or motivate the learner?

The technology seeks to engage and/or motivate the learner through great video classes,

deep explanations about the subject of the course, providing excellence in everything it

provides to the learner.

• How might the learner learn from it?

The learner learns from this technology driven by interaction and feedbacks through goal

setting, online exams, etc. individual classes that students can follow at their own pace

and asynchronous manner with other students. The learner might learn by participating as

a reader and content producer, social networking accessing, tutorials, discussions, etc..

EARLIER EDUCATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY

Correspondence Course

A correspondence course is an academic class

that is taken — and taught — across some

geographical distance. The original

correspondence courses were carried out

through the postal service. Professors would

mail assignments and lecture notes to students,

who would return essays and projects for

grading. Most correspondence courses today

take place over the Internet, but the concept is

the same: students anywhere can take classes

without having to physically be present at the

school.

• Who was/is its intended primary audience?

The Correspondence course intended primary audience was/is busy learners.

• What were/are its goals?

Its goals are to take and teach across some geographical distance.

• Based on your personal experiences with it, did the

technology meet its goals? Why or why not?

Yes, it met its goals but it was a very slow process.

• Did it have other potentially unintentional effects (either

positive or negative)?

The unintentional effect that the correspondence course had was to motivate

the learner to seek for more beyond the material s/he received by mail.

COMPARISON BETWEEN

CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND

EARLIER TECHNOLOGY

• Are their approaches similar or divergent?

Their approaches are similar but not totally similar. The current technology approached

the learner by using a low process differently from the current technology.

• Pick one aspect of the experience across both technologies

and contrast them.

Learning through the current and the earlier technologies could motivate me to learn

more, beyond my financial and geographical limits.

• How do they compare? Did you find one more engaging?

More thought-provoking? More memorable? More playful

or structured? More motivating?

Current educational online courses are much broader. Languages and career-specific

programs remain popular, but are by no means the limits, and students with a

computer and an Internet connection can access anything from law to engineering,

physics, and advanced mathematics. Courses can be taken individually, or as a part of

a degree program — and in many instances, it is possible to earn an entire degree

remotely. These courses are faster, more provoking, playful, structured and motivating

than the correspondence courses because of all the current available technology we

have now.

Most online courses are offered at the college level. Increasingly, however, high

schools are also participating. High school students in certain areas may be eligible to

enroll in from-home, correspondence-style education that fulfills all governmental

education requirements.

• Why do you think this is the case for you? Is it likely the

case for other users as well?

This is the case for me because I am a person who loves learning by myself and I am

very busy during the whole day for being on campus as well as other users. It’s an

amazing way of learning: faster and up-to-date. Besides the current technology can be

accessible 24/7.

• What other differences or similarities struck you about

these tools?

The current educational technology has many more tools for learning than the earlier

technology which provides me with a broader opportunity to learn. Learning is faster

than before and much more motivating.

REFERENCES

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-correspondence-course.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdX

http://www.cefetsp.br/edu/prp/sinergia/complemento/sinergia_2014_n2/pdf_s/segment

os/artigo_05_v15_n2.pdf

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOOC#Pr.C3.A1ticas_educacionais_e_cursos_relaciona

dos

http://educacao.uol.com.br/noticias/2012/05/16/cursos-por-correspondencia-hoje-em-

desuso-recebiam-mais-de-mil-cartas-por-dia.htm

http://www.institutouniversal.com.br/

https://www.edx.org/how-it-works

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/open-ended

#MIT #edX #DesignAndDevelopmentofEducationalTechnology #ElaineMatthews