Choosing &
Using Technologies in Education & Training
Audioconferencing
Bates, A. W.
1995, Technology, Open Learning and
Distance Education, London: Routledge.
A book which provides an eminently
useable methodology for making competent and informed
decisions on choice and use of technologies in education.
Bates sets out criteria for decision-making based on an
analysis of common questions each institution must answer for
itself, to do with access, costs, teaching and learning,
interactivity and user-friendliness, organisational issues,
novelty, and speed.
Teachers and managers will find the
first chapter especially useful. In it, Bates proposes
12 golden rules for using technology in education
and training: good teaching matters; each medium has its own
aesthetic; educational technologies are flexible; there is no
super-technology; all major media types should be
available to teachers and learners; balance variety with
economy; interaction is essential; student numbers are
critical; new technologies are not necessarily better than
old ones; teachers need training to use technologies
effectively; teamwork is essential; and technology is not the
issue but how and what do we want students to learn is.
Subsequent chapters deal with the
educational, technical and cost issues involved in technology
selection and implementation of four major types of media:
print, television, audio (including telephone), and the
computer. He concludes with a thoughtful look at the future
of technology and its limitations in education and training.
Carmichael, John
1995, Voice mail and the telephone: a
new student support strategy in the teaching of law by
distance education, Distance Education, Vol. 16,
No. 1, pp. 7-23.
A readable account of how voicemail can
be used to provide up to date, regular feedback to a large
class of Australian distance students. Bulletins (up to 10
minutes long) were recorded which explained and clarified
issues on-campus students in the same course were finding
difficult, feedback on assignments, and administrative
information. Voicemail is an easy-to-use, affordable addition
to the familiar technologies of the telephone.
Chute, Alan G.
1991, 'Strategies for implementing a teletraining system', Paper presented at International Teleconferencing
Association Convention.
http://www.lucent.com/cedl/strategy.html. Site accessed July
1997.
A useful paper for teachers and
managers which defines 'teletraining' as an integrated system
for planning and delivering interactive training in several
sites using audio, video and audiographics. The technologies
themselves have moved on since the article was published, but
the principles for design and implementation are still
current.
Chute, Alan G., Balthazar, Lee B., &
Poston, Carol O.
1988, 'Learning from Teletraining', article originally published in American
Journal of Distance Education.
http://www.lucent.com/cedl/learntt.html. Site accessed July
1997.
A summary of five years' learning from
teletraining, identifying what students and teachers have
each learned about design and management of teletraining
systems - defined as 'a complete system that integrates the
planning, delivery and management of training by using a
combination of information technology and teleconferencing
services'. Media used are audio, audiographics and video. The
article covers instructional effectiveness, cost benefit
analyses, course and curriculum development, instructor
competencies, and media attributes.
Gilbertson, Denny & Poindexter,
Jamie
1997, Distance education classroom
design.
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/rooms/county.htm. Site accessed
July 1997.
Excellent tips for designing
teleconferencing meeting rooms and flexible learning
classrooms using audio and videoconferencing, satellite,
computers or desktop collaboration. While the details are
specific to the University of Wisconsin, the issues and the
advice on how to maximise effective utilisation of the
technologies are pertinent to Australian conditions.
International Teleconferencing Association (ITCA)
http://www.itca.org/
The International Teleconferencing
Association (ITCA) is an American professional association
linking users, providers, strategists, educators, learners,
managers and workers who use teleconferencing, tele-
collaborative and distance education technologies. The site
provides membership information, a calendar of events, and
links to other resources including information about
inter-operability standards, teleconferencing,
tele-collaboration and distance education. Its list of
resources is constantly updated.
Laurillard, Diana
1993, Rethinking University Teaching: a
Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology,
London, Routledge.
This book, written by a leading UK Open
University academic, has greatly influenced approaches to
staff development in Australian universities in recent years.
Laurillard sets out a framework to help teachers think about
the nature and processes of learning and how best to use and
combine new and established media in their teaching. Part 1
explores students' learning, and what it is that they need
from educational technology. Part 11 looks at individual
teaching methods and media, including non-interactive media
(lectures, print, audio), hypermedia (CD-Rom and the Web),
and interactive media (simulations, modelling programs). Part
111 examines design methodology, designing learning
activities, setting up the learning context, and maintaining
quality.
Oliver, Ron & Grant, Mike
1994, Distance Education Technologies: a
Review of Instructional Technologies for Distance Education
and Open Learning. Perth: InTech Research, Edith Cowan
University.
A highly practical and very suable
guide to the various instructional technologies that can be
used to support distance teaching and flexible learning. Four
groups of technology are outlined - telelearning (including
various forms of television and teleconferencing); computer
mediated communications; computer mediated instruction; and
print and other 'hard copy' materials. Each section briefly
describes the technology, its instructional applications and
learning opportunities, its relative strengths and weaknesses
as a delivery medium, the costs and equipment required to
support its use, and information on groups and organisations
able to provide services and assistance to providers of
education and training.
Robson, Joan
1996, The effectiveness of
teleconferencing in fostering interaction in distance
education, Distance Education, vol. 17, No. 2,
1996, pp. 304-334.
A detailed study of the use of
teleconferencing in teaching Year 11 and 12 mathematics
students in a cluster of rural schools in NSW. Although one
aim was to improve interaction among students, most
interactions were between individual students and the
teacher, and the study raises useful questions about lesson
structuring, power and control in the class, and the
potential advantages of using audiographics rather than
audioconferencing for the purpose.
Tkal, Lucy (Series editor)
1997, Technology Survey Report (3rd
ed.), Open Training and Education Network, NSW TAFE.
A deservedly popular and eminently
suable introduction to the communications technologies
available for flexible learning, the Report is a handy
reference to keep at one's elbow. Technologies covered
include the range of teleconferencing, computer mediated
communications, computer managed learning, broadcasting, and
online technologies. Each section describes the technology,
its applications, equipment and service requirements, its
advantages and disadvantages, and cost factors.
Willis, Barry
Distance Education at a Glance.
http://www.uidaho.edu/evo/distglan.html.
Site accessed July 1997.
A set of 14 concise, well-presented guides
on distance learning, covering an overview, teaching
strategies, instructional development, evaluation,
instructional television, instructional audio, computers in
distance education, print in distance education, learning
strategies, distance education research, interactive
videoconferencing, the worldwide web, copyright, and a
glossary of terms. The guides can be downloaded free.
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