Has anyone used "Blackboard" for distance learning? Has anyone used it for
creating a "virtual classroom"?
My general view on distance learning in physics is that I'm against it . I
feel strongly that active engagement, hands on, peer instruction or learning
community, learning cycle, model-building approaches are the way to go. But
I am applying for work now at community colleges and this is not what they
want to hear. They are almost all already committed to distance learning
and they want people who can make it work. So I am in need of a conversion
experience.
I am looking for tools for "synchronous distance learning", virtual
classrooms where students can communicate and share ideas. I think that
this might work. (What? you have a community college job opening? Did I
say "I think"? Wait! Hold on! I was just trying to sound professional! I
believe! Honest! I *believe* this will work!)
Chat rooms are a good model, but the students will need also to be able to
share with the class their drawings, equations (written by hand not with an
equation editor), graphs and plots, both hand drawn and computer generated,
and the like. Would Blackboard used over the internet do this? Could each
student have a copy of it?
Chris Horton
Chris
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