“
I don't care much about music. What I like is sounds.” --Dizzy Gillespie
I spend a lot of time writing about my experience at Kaplan University. My journey has been rewarding, and I am very happy that I took the initiative to go to school to earn two degrees. The other day, I was looking back at the way the content is delivered and was trying to come up with ways that might make the learning experience more whole. I had several ideas, but I will focus on the one thing that I wished I had. That is podcasting and/or video conferencing.
I know some schools have started to use podcasting and video conferencing to enhance the learning experience. Being able to hear or see the instructor give a 30 minute lecture on the topic of the week would have been a great thing that I feel students would have embraced tremendously.
Currently, the method of delivery of the content at Kaplan is reading assignments, writing assignments, an online seminar that is text-based, and an online quiz in some of the classes. The primary contact with the instructor takes place in the online seminar, but is not one-on-one contact that some students might need to help them better understand the lesson.
Furthermore, the instructor has dedicated hours where they are available on Instant Messenger for more personal interaction. These methods and tools are quite sufficient for what needs to be accomplished. However, I do believe that by employing a podcast will help the communication in the classes and make things easier to understand. Since I am an Internet audio fan anyway, (streaming music and talk radio all the time) I feel like this would have been a great addition to the curriculum in the class.
I know that people from Kaplan read this blog, and I certainly hope they will take this under consideration. Online education is still in the developmental stages and there are tons of opportunities for growth on many levels. Content will need to be revised and expanded. The delivery method will need to be adapted to the latest technology. And students will need to be offered every opportunity to learn in the ways that are best for them. Adding podcasts would go a long way toward facilitating that growth.
As you reflect on your online learning experience, what one thing do you wish you had that was not offered?