Friday, September 21, 2012

Why Online Learning/Teaching?

Do I love computers? Yes
Do I love the Internet? Yes
Am I interested in Teaching/Training and Learning Online because of my interest in computers and the Internet? Perhaps partly it makes it interesting to me that I like the medium and the tools but there is more to it than pure technology.

My interest in computers and IT was born with the first mini frame the company where I worked, in the late 80s, bought. This interest became much stronger with the introduction of the first PC in the office and became a full blown hobby when I got the chance to buy my own home PC in 1992 which was a whopping 80 kbs clock speed and a 100 kb hard drive space, if I remember correctly. :) I loved playing with it, experimenting, reading manuals, going through tutorials, discovering what I could do with the different software. I also became interested in the technical side of the computer. As I watched the IT support while they worked, I asked them a hundred questions and I gradually turned into the trouble shooting geek in the office. What I enjoyed in computers was a sense of discovery and always learning, creativity and problem solving challenges with the ever evolving technology, something that I still enjoy very much.

For a short time I thought that I had all the technology that I wanted with my PC at home until one day, visiting some friends, I discovered that PCs can connect to each other using a modem, a telephone line and communication software. I discovered the BBS. I'd been using telexes and of course computers connected to the main frame in the office but always thought that as an individual I had no access to that kind of communication technology at home. Few years later I had the Internet connection installed at home as soon as I heard that it was available and affordable. It was love from first log in. Being Online to me was and is mainly about being Connected. Online, I am constantly and easily connected with technology and information but most of all I am connected to people and communities from around the world. It was like a magical machine that was both a time machine and a space ship carrying me through time and space to explore new worlds.

Online Learning and Teaching is about more choices, more information, more tools,  more access and most of all being Connected to the world with all the chances of more learning that those can provide. It is an environment where I can be always learning or always teaching or both.


1 comment:

  1. Besides being able to save lots of money, it's possible to also multi-task with online degree programs. Through getting a greater education online one can absolutely work and at one time study. This is actually the very good reason that many employees would select online education as opposed to a traditional education.

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