Teaching & Learning in Online Spaces

I teach primarily on the WebCT platform, and when my students hold chat sessions I can review the transcripts of their chat. This bothered me tremendously at first (five years ago) because I felt the students needed a private place to talk - just as they could meet in the hallway outside of the lab when I taught in the classroom. I am no longer bothered by the public nature of these chat sessions. It is helpful to post a transcript of the discussions in a private group discussion area so members of a group who miss a chat session can review their teammates' planning or discussion sessions. Students may still use email to hold private discussions, although I still feel a bit voyeuristic when I read the chats that took place without me. If they truly wish to hold private chat conversations, they can use their yahoo! or MSN accounts on MSN Messenger or GAIM chat clients, and take advantage of the Instant Message features as well. WebCT version CE6 and Vista both allow for private...

An empty blog is like an empty canvas with a huge palate of paint and brushes sitting nearby. The child would know instinctively what to do: plunge in wholeheartedly, joyfully, with absolute confidence. But I am an adult, and my students are adults. We approach our canvases of new experience with trepidation, afraid that our efforts will somehow fall short of our ideals, concerned that we will somehow appear foolish or silly. My blog now has some paint on it. I can begin. My students are in their third week of class, and they have passed that stage of trepidation, and are now gloriously, wonderfully succeeding in sharing the art of their thoughts, ideas and talents on the blank canvas of the discussion boards. Hopefully they are having as much fun as I am. This blog site will chronicle the online learning and teaching experience as best as I can manage on a busy schedule. I invite all comments and thoughts! Cheers, Catherine