Charu's Reading Notes #4

This week’s readings have been extremely helpful mainly because this week I have to discuss group symposium speech in my COMM 110 class. Both of the authors have given a list of helpful tips that will help me to discuss this group project more proficiently.

I really like Davis (p. 181-188) discussion of incorporating various kinds of Web 2.0 applications into courses. The emergence of new technologies don’t just help us to convey concepts in an effective and efficient way—but these technologies also give us the ability to convey concepts in new ways that would otherwise not be possible using other instructional methods. In my current teaching project I frequently use web-based learning management systems like Blackboard to facilitate classroom discussion. After reading the description of each application mentioned by Davis in the text (p. 183-188) I believe I will try to incorporate more applications in my teaching strategies as well for instance, blog, wikis, social networking and so forth. I am aware that not all of the web-based applications will work best for my current teaching project, but I will try to pick and choose only those, which I believe won’t turn as a burden for my students or won’t be effective in a particular task. My question is how many web-based applications are generally appropriate for an intro level course.

I really enjoyed reading the various kinds of formal and informal activities mainly because I’m extremely in favor of incorporating these in my teaching strategies. I really want to hear other people comments/experiences with the formal and informal learning activities that they have taken as an undergrad or taught. Lang (p. 109-123) and Davis (p.208-218) gave some wonderful example of activities, which will help me to create an atmosphere that fosters learning in my students.

I believe that students learn in different styles: some do well in lecture settings, some learn through group discussion and others absorb best through reading and reflecting upon what they have read. Although I have noticed that incorporating group activities in the lesson plan consumes a whole lot of my time. Both of the authors (Lang, p. 112; Davis, p. 194) have discussed about forming groups and have a given various options to assign groups. But I really want to listen what other people have done in past to form and assign groups which have worked well.