Online Presentations

There are two things that I would like to discuss in regards to online presentations. The first is Google Docs. Google Docs is a great program that I believe is under-utilized in the classroom. The convenience of collaboration in the same document is something that I have found extremely helpful as a student and is a tool that has helped streamline many of my group projects. Students can access this file wherever they are so you never have to worry about one group mate forgetting their section at home leaving the rest of the students high and dry. You can see who contributed what and when, so as a teacher accessing the file you have a better idea of what occurred during the creation process of the assignment. As a free program that only requires a username and password, I wish more teachers incorporated Google Docs into their classrooms.

The second concept that I would like to mention is the flipped classroom. This is a concept that I had honestly never heard about before, but after having read a bit about it it makes total sense to me. The concept is basically that teachers provide the students with a video lecture that they can view while at home so that by the time they come in the classroom they are ready to tackle what would normally have been 'home' work. I don't think this concept is flawless as it takes away the adjusted teaching techniques that naturally arise in a classroom but there are certainly some advantages. Students who struggle focusing in class can watch the videos whenever they want, going back and repeating the lecture as many times as they need to in order to grasp the concept. The lecture is an attainable goal that students can complete--they are no longer overwhelmed by what often feels like 'endless' homework. Once in the classroom, the teacher is free to help students with their work and ensure that everyone is ready to head on to the next lesson. I'm really intrigued by this concept and hope to utilize it, at least to some extent, in my future classroom. For an interesting infographic on the flipped classroom, click here. Or, to find out more about it by the guys who started it all, you can click here.

Thoughts on Self Directed Learning

Self Directed Learning, or SDL, is a growing technique in the field of education. I have experienced online SDL myself and have experienced the positive and negative aspects that come with an online, SDL course.

Let's begin with the negatives. The greatest negative aspects that I encountered with online SDL were the lack of community and the ability to procrastinate. Not having a physical classroom definitely contributed to my lack of motivation in the course; I felt less engaged because I was not physically responsible to my teacher and fellow classmates. I also found it very easy to procrastinate in the class. When there is not a physical teacher reminding you of what is expected on a class-by-class basis, those expectations become less important

While there are definite negative aspects to online SDL, there are huge benefits as well. The convenience and flexibility of an online course are by far its best selling features. The fact that I was able to write my responses in the comfort of my own home whenever I wanted was fantastic. This is excellent for student motivation-- I could write when I was feeling up to it, not at a pre-determined time of day that would normally have me tired or non-enganged. 

Liyan Song and Janette Hills' article "A Conceptual Model for Understanding Self-Directed Learning in Online Environments" states that learners can direct themselves better in an area in which they are familiar. I encountered this in my own education; I was much more keen on taking an online course on something that I had some experience in. The thought of taking a class that was completely foreign to me was daunting. Online courses are excellent for self-motivation, but sometimes the vastness of the Internet and its resources can be enough to quell a students' motivation.

Online SDL is also great for students who are visual learners or who take a little bit more time to process comments and instructions. It can be extremely advantageous to be able to see the teacher's comments in written format-- to be able to return to the comment and review it whenever the student feels this is necessary. It holds everyone involved in the forum to a higher level of accountability. Yes, there is some personalization that is lost in the time difference between comments, but the insight that comes from having to type out rather than just spew out answers usually outweighs this.

Ultimately, the greatest advantage to online SDL is that students take their learning into their own hands. Hill and Song note that students involved in SDL used resources more effectively and had more control of their learning. One of the best signs of a good teacher is one whom can make their students passionate about their own learning. Real learning occurs when a student cares about the process, rather than just the final outcome (i.e. grade). In the online SDL classes that I have taken, I definitely found that I learned more for the sake of learning rather than to just achieve my final mark. Online SDL encourages students to be responsible for their own education, which I believe is the most effective form of education.

You can check out a great resource on self directed learning by clicking here.


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Song, A & Hill, J. R. (2007) A Conceptual Model for Understanding Self-Directed Learning in Online Environments. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 6(1) Retrieved from:http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/PDF/6.1.3.pdf

Blogging in Education

Blogging is just one more technique where teachers can use technology to their advantage in the classroom. Teaching students how to create and maintain a blog has many advantages. It gives teachers and opportunity to teach online safety in a monitored setting. It is a good organizational tool for both students and teachers. It not only allows absent students to be present in the classroom, but also allows parents to have a glimpse into what is going on as well. It reduces the need for paper in the classroom, which reduces the risk of lost or destroyed homework. It presents the students with a setting where they can be comfortable; students who may not be prone to talking in the class may find their voice online. It provides a forum where students can discuss and colloborate and the teacher can comment directly on their work. It encourages students to read and write and gives them pride knowing that their work is actually being published and is viewable by anyone in the world. I have had a blog of my own for over five years and I know that it has played a substantial role in my own development as a writer. I am encouraged to write because I know that someone somewhere will read it.

Blogs don’t just help students either. Teachers can utilize blogging to communicate with each other as well. Successful education blogs are overflowing with great resources and suggestions; teachers from around the world are able to help each other out. They can share ideas, voice concerns, and address issues, all in simple and easily accessible manner. In a world where technology is so prominent, I think that teachers absolutely need to captilize on this tool.

There are hundreds of ways that blogs can be used effectively in the classroom: blogs to showcase poetry, to establish timelines, to host a book club, etc. For a great list of classroom blog ideas, click here or here!

Nice to Meet You!

My name is Michael Willems and I am in the Education faculty at the University of Lethbridge. I am in my fourth year and hope to be graduating in 2014. I am originally from Calgary, AB, but I love living in Lethbridge now. I am an English major with a minor in Psychology. When I am not out traveling—which is something I am constantly attempting to remedy—I am at home working on my own creative writing projects. I have a passion for spoken word poetry and for getting people excited about literature. I work at a bookstore, which is a dream job as it allows me to feed my obsession for reading (by funding and providing me with the material). I am also passionate about music, both playing it (trumpet and vocals) and listening to it. 

I grew up with a father who taught computers and English and passed those skills on to me, a mother who cut hair for seniors who taught me the need for compassion and empathy, and two sisters who taught me how to come outside of my bookworm shell and socialize with the world. My environment has had a really positive effect on my desire for learning, and I hope one day to positively affect my students' environment as well.

Welcome to my blog!