I believe that there are many similarities and differences when comparing oniline and face-to-face subjects. Obviosuly you are learning the same subject but in a very different way. The seminar can basically commence when you want it to and therefore means that work is more likely to get done as people can do it whenever they are free. Whereas is a seminar you need to be there at that particular time, for example, someone may be ill therefore they miss the seminar. With online seminars they can still attend but from home.
Although initially the whole process seems quite difficult to get used to, after the first couple of weeks I now know what is expected of me and i am now able to write much more freely. This brings me to another point. In face-to-face seminars I sometimes dont like answering questions because of the fear that the answer will be wrong and ill get funny looks. When blogging it is much easier to say points which you would otherwise keep to yourself therefore making it much easier for me persoanlly to express myself. The fact that everyone can see what im writing does worry me a bit but not as much as it would in a normal seminar!Does anyone agree with me?
It also allows you to interact with people who you may not usually interact with. If you are stuck on a particular topic you can post queries on the forum and anyone who can help will reply. This shows increased interaction as people may feel less contious typing a reply into a computer than telling the answer to someones face in the seminar.
I have to admit that I already feel i am learning alot more about the subject than i think i would in a normal seminar. Whereas it may seem quite easy to miss a normal seminar, here the work needs to be done (although it is over a 1 wk time period) or else you could easily fall behind. By initially being told to read other peoples blogs, it brings up ideas which i may not have thought about. In seminars people need to think on the spot, here they are able to think about things much more thoroughly. Therefore the subjects being discussed are much more in-depth and relevent, therefore i feel we are learning more.
Although one problem with online seminars is the fact that it can take a while to get comment/reply about ur blog. Therefore you may not know whether what you are saying is correct or whether or not other people agree with you, so this can be frustrating sometimes. Therefore it may be a good idea to have more interaction with tutors even if it is just over the forum.
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2 comments:
hiya sarah! i think the same in that the blogging gives you much more time to think and structure your answer better as i can never think of good stuff to say on the spot i often talk rubbish. The fact we can read and comment on other peoples is good also because if can often give us a better undersatnding of something and help us look at it from a different point of view.
Sarah,
Again, a more specific title here to your post would allow the reader to see immediately what the subject is. I was interested to read your comments here about the benefits to this on-line way of working. I'm glad you feel that this way of working has enhanced your learning experience.Yes, I agree, it can be a bit frustrating waiting for a response to your blog. Do feel free to email me, if you have any urgent queries, rather than waiting for me to look at the blog or forum.
All the best
Emma
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