Conventional to Virtual Education
Etymology
The term education has been taken from the Latin word ‘educate’ turned into ‘educatio’ which means in English ‘educate’ turned into ‘education’.
The term education has been taken from the Latin word ‘educate’ turned into ‘educatio’ which means in English ‘educate’ turned into ‘education’.
The word 'education' has been derived
from Latin words-'Educare',
'Educare' and 'Educatum', 'e'+ 'duco'. 'Educare'- The term 'educare'
means to bring up, to rise, and to nourish, to train or mould.
Education
Education is the process of facilitating
learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.
Education began
in prehistory, as adults trained the young in the knowledge and skills deemed
necessary in their society. In pre-literate societies,
this was achieved orally and through imitation. Story-telling passed knowledge,
values, and skills from one generation to the next.
As cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond skills that could be readily
learned through imitation, formal education developed.
The First School
The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδημία) was
founded by Platoin c.387 BC in Athens. Plato was one of
the most famous, respected, and influential philosophers of all time. A type of
love (Platonic) is named for him.
We know the Greek philosopher Socrates mostly through Plato's dialogues. Atlantis enthusiasts
know Plato for his parable about it in Timaeus and other
descriptions from Critias.
Plato’s Academy
was not a formal school or college in the sense we're familiar with. Rather, it
was a more informal society of intellectuals who shared a common interest in
studying subjects such as philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. Plato held
the belief that knowledge was not purely the result of inner reflection but
instead, could be sought through observation and therefore, taught to others.
It was based upon this belief that Plato founded his famous Academy.
Transformation of
Education
Conventional
Teaching
Traditional
method of teaching is when a teacher directs students to learn through
memorization and recitation techniques thereby not developing their critical
thinking problem solving and decision-making skills (Sunal et al 1994),
The back-to-basics traditional education method, also
known as conventional education, is still widely used in schools. The
old-fashioned way of teaching was all about recitation, for example students
would sit in silence, while one student after another would take it in turns to
recite the lesson, until each one had been called upon. The teacher would listen
to each student’s recitation, and they were expected to study and memorize the assignments. At the end of the
module a written test or oral examination would be conducted; this process was
called an Assignment Study Recitation Test.
The way in which traditional methods were taught ensured
that students were rewarded for their efforts, used class periods efficiently
and exercised clear rules to manage students’ behavior. They were based on
established customs that had been used successfully in schools over many years.
The teachers communicated the knowledge and enforced standards of behavior.
Modern Teaching
Education reforms mean that learning is taught from a
completely different angle. Progressive educational practices focus more on the
individual student's needs rather than assuming all students are at the same
level of understanding. The modern way of teaching is more activity based,
using questioning, explaining, demonstration and collaboration techniques.
One modern method is spaced learning,
this is when students are encouraged to quickly switch through activities, for
example; providing 10 minutes of knowledge on a subject with a PowerPoint
presentation and then having 15 minutes of sport. The aim of spaced learning is
to achieve better grades, and it works! It is claimed that this is a more
effective than teaching students by traditional methods for four hours, thus
helping the brain cells to create connections that they need to remember
knowledge. It also helps people relax.
Sonia Jackson who wrote an interesting blog post about
modern teaching methods for Getting Smart states:
“The traditional “chalk and talk” method of teaching that’s persisted for
hundreds of years is now acquiring inferior results when compared with the more
modern and revolutionary teaching methods that are available for use in schools
today. Greater student interaction is encouraged, the boundaries of authority
are being broken down, and a focus on enjoyment over grades is emphasized.”
Virtual Teaching
Virtual learning is a learning
experience that is enhanced through utilizing computers and/or the internet
both outside and inside the facilities of the educational organization. The
instruction most commonly takes place in an online environment. The teaching
activities are carried out online whereby the teacher and learners are
physically separated (in terms of place, time, or both).
Virtual Teaching – educational theories
BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism examines how students behave
while learning. It focuses on how learners respond to certain stimuli. When the
teacher repeats the stimuli, they can observe, control, and modify the
learner’s individual behavior. Learners do what they are instructed to do and
are only prepared to reproduce basic facts and automatically perform tasks.
Behaviorism does not examine the mind or cognitive processes.
In virtual learning behaviorism can be
applied through step-by-step video tutorials, game-based activities, regular
and constructive feedback, quizzes, gamification, etc.
COGNITIVISM
Cognitivism focuses on the role of the
mind and cognitive processes in learning. It explains how the brain is
functioning and the levels of cognitive development that form the foundation of
learning. Studies of cognitivism help educators understand how people learn and
how to teach more effectively.
In virtual learning cognitivism can be
applied through customizable learning environments, adaptive and personalized
learning applications, AI, learning analytics, etc. It is important to provide
content that is tailored to your learners’ cognitive abilities, such as text,
images, multimedia, etc., in which the learners can choose how lessons are
presented.
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM
Teaching and learning are explained as
complex interactive social phenomena that take place between teachers and
students. Learning activities focus on experience sharing, teamwork, and
collaborative learning.
Social constructivism finds perfect
application in group discussions, brainstorming, problem-based learning, and
small group activities. A great environment for these types of activities is
the virtual classroom for live online teaching with
interactive tools like collaborative web-conferencing, an online whiteboard, breakout rooms, screen sharing, etc.
Virtual Teaching – characteristics and
benefits
·
Individualized learning
process that takes into consideration the personal level of competence,
individual needs, and different learning styles
·
Safe and secure learning
environment
·
Flexible learning in
terms of time, location, and pace
·
Cost-effectiveness,
time-effective, easily scalable… and much more
Virtual Learning – significant terms
Virtual learning has many
forms and related terms. These seem very similar but represent different
aspects of learning and teaching and can help us understand the essence of
“virtual learning.” Here are the most commonly used ones:
E-learning in its broadest sense refers
to:
Using electronic technologies for
learning and teaching.
The learning activities take place either
entirely or partially online. They can be conducted by means of electronic
media without the use of the Internet.
Web-based learning
Web-based learning refers to the use of a
web browser for learning.
Online learning
Online learning is associated with the
provision of electronic content available on a computer/mobile device. It might
involve the use of the internet, but the use of a web browser is optional. Online
learning can be done through programs or apps installed on your personal
device, which can also be used offline.
Distance learning does not have to use
electronic and web-based technologies. It means learning from a distance; in
other words, the participants are physically separated.
Distance learning is related to:
Distance learning is related to:
Providing instruction to a person who is learning in a place and at a time different from that of the teachers and the other learners
Nowadays, with the development of digital technologies, distance learning is increasingly associated with online learning. The use of virtual classrooms for live online teaching brings distance learning closer to the traditional form of learning by reproducing its main characteristics in the online environment.
Blended learning
This type of learning combines virtual
and traditional forms of teaching. The learning content should be digitalized
and made available online. Thus, learners are able to control the learning
process in terms of time, place, tempo, and method of learning.
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