Date:         Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:48:17 -0400
Reply-To:     CS92-L List <CS92-L@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU>
Sender:       CS92-L List <CS92-L@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU>
From:         Christina Yen <Christina_Yen@BROWN.EDU>
Subject:      Thursday's discussion
In-Reply-To:  <38F32B4A.F8C71275@brown.edu>
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Hello all,

After Tuesday's discussion and after reading chapters 5, 8, and 9 of the
Tiffin and Rajasingham I think there is plenty to talk about not only on
the future of the classroom, but also the role of software as a form of
educational technology.  Hopefully, we can bring that idea back to our own
software.

Some general thoughts:
What are the pros and cons of the "virtual class" compared to the
traditional classroom.  What are the attributes of the virtual classroom
that society and the educational system should try to acheive, and is it
possible to implement those attributes in the classrooms of today (via
educational software, telecommunications, etc.)?  Should we redefine our
whole notion of the "classroom experience"?  After all, if education isn't
just "communication" then what is it?


CH. 5

Chapter 5 presents 3 major technological movements -- correspondence,
television, and computers -- all of which did not pose a serious threat to
the dominant paradigm of the classroom.  One suggested reason why is that
these new approaches did not have the same capability as the "sophisticatd,
fully integrated, broadband, mutimedia environment which is capable of most
of the communication processes involved in instruction." (p. 87)  With
these characteristics already in place, is it even necessary for the
virtual class to replace the traditional classroom?  Has the "computer
movement" already passed, or is there more that can be acheived with
computers in the classroom?

One explanation as to why the Puebla telescuelas had the highest results on
the secondary school tests is that the tests evaluated what was taught with
written problems using knowledge existing in written words.  If the goal of
the educational software is to allow for an interactive multimedia
experience, how can we create models of assessment that will evaluate
problem-solving by more than just writing?  Has your own software done this?

CH. 8

Chapter 8 presents four levels of communication systems in education: the
individual learner, the learner and teacher, the small group, and the large
institution.  On what level(s) do you think the virtual class could be the
most successful or least successful?  Thinking about the software we are
developing, what level(s) do you think your project best accomodates?

Tiffin and Rajasingham also make a case for AI virual teachers that will
can build on experience and provide precise individual learner feedback and
free the real teacher to deal with human intelligence and compassion.  Do
you think that the example of Woo the Wise Old Owl has a place in the
future?  Is there a limit to what we should expect virtual teachers or
educational software to do?


CH. 9

Chapter 9 outlines the factors that may determine the the development of
the virtual class in an information society including the costs and effects
of a virtual class.  Do you think that we will shift from an industrial
society to an infromation society in the future?  Do you think it is
possible to overcome the obstacles presented in this chapter to create the
virtual class?  Could the virtual class truly be accessible by anyone?

Do you agree with having a virtual class for academic subjects with sports
and arts taught in the community classroom?

Tiffin and Rajasingham cited of the biggest problems in education is the
"slow trickle down of knowledge through the system."  How can we prevent
that today?