I have been a proponent of using Twitter in the classroom for a few years now.  I recently ran across a webinar on the subject and the presenter’s goals for using Twitter resonated with me.  Here is what Dr. Robert Williamson Jr., of Hendrix College, listed as his goals for using Twitter:

1. To encourage students to read texts more closely.
2. To help students make claims about a text or topic and to engage the claims of other students.
3. To extend classroom discussions beyond the temporal and spatial confines of the classroom.
4. To create a structure in which the ideas of quieter students can be invited into class discussion both inside and outside of the classroom.

To view the webinar, go to http://davidjhinson.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/twitter-in-the-classroom-at-hendrix-college/

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are all the rage in the media where it concerns the future of higher education.  So far, I don’t see it!  The retention rates are abysmal and there is no evidence that this delivery method is improving student learning.   I am all for transforming learning outcomes through technology but I just don’t see how MOOCs are accomplishing that right now.

I suggest that we create POOCs (Personalized Open Online Courses).  POOCs would combine actual intelligence with artificial intelligence to tailor the learning experience based on the student’s ability to comprehend the subject matter.  While the course would be more difficult to build, the outcomes would be greatly improved over the MOOC or even traditional pedagogy. 

I envision with the POOC that the student would start a lecture and would be frequently queried to see how well they understood the material.  Based on their responses, additional instruction from the faculty member would be played to the student to enhance the subject matter.  Many decisions and forks in the lecture would take place based on how well the student is comprehending the material until the desired learning outcome is achieved.

To develop this type of instruction, the instructor would need to develop lecture modules around specific concepts in varying levels of detail.  If a concept can be explained in multiple ways, each way would need to be accounted for.  Additionally, outside links and references could be used to give the student different paths to the learning objective. The course engine would need to be able to recognize the concepts that need further explaining/development for the student and present those options at the appropriate times. 

POOCs would require refining after the initial development.  I see the POOC engine collecting data on each student so that it can be analyzed to enhance the course (continual process improvement).  The POOC engine would analyze quiz results and pair students for additional peer led learning.  A student weak in one concept may be paired with another who is strong at that concept.  Online faculty hours could be spent reinforcing concepts a student is having difficulty with by using collaboration tools. 

While the MOOCs may be a way of introducing knowledge to the masses, I see the POOC as a way of ensuring each student gets the most out of the experience.

Comments and feedback welcome.

Students tend to put off seeing their academic advisor for numerous reasons but often it has to do with scheduling difficulties.  Using virtual collaboration tools such as Skype Premium and VSee are inexpensive ($5 to $9 per month for the advisor and free for the student) and can open up countless opportunities for advisors to connect with students.  These collaboration services allow the advisor to share their screen or desktop with the student so that a robust dialog can take place throughout the advising session.

Just read Dr. Ebbeler’s article on how she flipped her classroom (http://goo.gl/8V7f5).  I’d like to hear of other success stories using blended learning here at CUNY.

As the Chief Technology Officer at John Jay, one of my primary duties is to look at new technologies that can make an impact on teaching and learning.  I am looking for problems or issues that you may be experiencing where technology may be a solution.  I am also looking for ideas that you may have about a technology that can make a difference in the classroom. 

I look forward to your input.

New Technologies are perennially imagined to be not simply the enemy of established systems but in fact a direct threat to the essence of what it is to be human ~ Kathleen Fitzpatrick