GILBERTO TEIXEIRA (DOUTOR FEA/USP)
Advantages (possible):
Delivering course material through the Web in this fashion affords some advantages; students can learn at varying rates and explore material to whatever depth they desire. There are new ways to guide students through tutorials and to provide them with instant feedback. Using internet technology makes it possible for students in different geographic locations using varying computer types to have access to the course. There are potential cost benefits to administering a course completely or partially through the web.
Delivering course material through the Web in this fashion affords some advantages; students can learn at varying rates and explore material to whatever depth they desire. There are new ways to guide students through tutorials and to provide them with instant feedback. Using internet technology makes it possible for students in different geographic locations using varying computer types to have access to the course. There are potential cost benefits to administering a course completely or partially through the web.
Summary:
- Provides new tools to facilitate better instruction
- Students can study at varying paces
- More opportunity for interactive exercises
- Easy to provide a link to source material anywhere in the world
- Possible to more closely track the progress of each student
- New ways for to collaborate and communicate - between professor and students and also between students (email, newsgroups, chat)
- Easy updates to keep information current
- Multi-platform
- Opportunity to reach a more geographically dispersed audience
- Possible cost benefits
Disadvantages (possible):
The advantages must be weighed against the possible disadvantages; instructors will have to spend some time learning these new tools and setting up courses on them. The restrictions of the technology (bandwidth and limits of HTML) will hamper some desired teaching methodologies. Additionally there will be a need for technical support for the students and instructors who are using these products.
The advantages must be weighed against the possible disadvantages; instructors will have to spend some time learning these new tools and setting up courses on them. The restrictions of the technology (bandwidth and limits of HTML) will hamper some desired teaching methodologies. Additionally there will be a need for technical support for the students and instructors who are using these products.
Summary:
- Learning curve for new tools
- Restrictions of bandwidth will hamper some teaching methodologies
- Access issues
- Support required for students and professors to deal with new technology
There are strong indications (although no hard data) of exponential growth in interest and activity in WBI. There is a realistic possibility that this technology (or a part of it), will become a standard tool for teaching. It is important then that instructors and professors direct and keep up with the evolution of the tool-set. The geographic ubiquity of this technology is really a double edged sword. While it provides the opportunity to reach new students, it also creates the risk of losing students to other teaching institutions and thus r