Online tools connect those who wish to learn to those who teach

Several years ago, I taught college business courses for Oregon Tech on their Fort Lewis campus. My students were primarily soldiers, though there were a few civilian adult learners who worked during the day and took my courses at night. They shamed me because, as students, they knew what I had not when I was a casual undergrad: that the education they were receiving was a stepping stone to a better life. They took it so seriously. Their commitment inspired and challenged me to help them realize their dreams by teaching them useful information as well and thoroughly as I possibly could.

Back then (2001-2003), distant learning tools were cumbersome and required a deeper understanding of technology than most professors and instructors had the time and inclination to obtain. My, how times have changed.

Twitter as class aid?
This video features a Dr. Rankin, who is a professor of History at UT Dallas, and her students. They are using Twitter to broaden the classroom discussion and to create an ongoing archive of class topics for students to sue as a study aid. (Oh how I would have loved this tool back in the day, since I could have tweeted from home, in my pajamas. But that distorts the concept).

• Useful link: Getting started with Twitter - a link to their support resources.

Facebook - it's not just an adventure, it might be a job
Stanford students have been learning how to develop Facebook applications for several years. The class is one of the most popular at the university. The students seem motivated by, well, greed - not that there is anything wrong with that.

The faculty at this school use Facebook as a feedback tool. Students can critique each other's work. Alumni also weigh in on student efforts. Alumni participation in class projects via social media is a largely unexplored aspect of the technology. They are usually asked to help with the job search or internships, not the classroom experience. Yet, here is a large pool of people familiar with the class topics who might help enrich the learning experience in a variety of positive ways.

• Useful link: Get started building Facebook applications.

YouTube - keg parties and class notes at the same place, just like real life
YouTube is fertile ground for finding lectures, student projects, and online learning aids. If you go to youtube.com and search on TeacherTube (an educational video sharing effort), you will find hundreds of related links to educational videos and resources. Here is just one article discussing the pros and cons of YouTube to augment your college curriculum.

I am amused by the woman who says teaching is not just content delivery, so these online tools cannot replace faculty. I respectfully suggest that the train of thought misses the point - which is that committed faculty can reach more students better than they would in any other way, simply by using these tools. To begin with, we can attract more students by using these tools to enable students to sample our classes before they sign up. We can also provide more value by augmenting our (perhaps sparkling, perhaps not) personalities and inarguably limited personal knowledge base by adding the wealth of subject matter expertise that is found on the Internet. We add depth to the classroom experience by providing a variety of ways to access the information they need to learn and to foster the discussions - in-person and online - that deepen their knowledge.

• Useful link: How to embed a YouTube video in your webpage (or blog)


• Useful link: How to upload a video to YouTube

Super resource list
The Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies list 100 top online learning resources here. Although they source a relatively small sample of 102 teaching professional, the list is a terrific starting point if you are interested in finding technologies that will enhance your teaching - or learning experiences.