Does the evidence regarding online tuition in Price et al.’s paper fit your own experience of online communication in general and your own experience of online tuition on H800?
The big question in this for me, is not so much does it fit my experience, but more about peoples conceptions. We I think back to my university days, I think that I saw my tutor about four times in three years. I had no idea what the role of a tutor was.
However if I think on some of these examples of how other see tutors – pastoral care, enthusiasm, leadership – it evokes memories of g my teachers in school. Form tutors were much better at this connection between enthusiasm, professionalism and pastoral care.
What I love about MAODE is that each tutor brings different insights and experiences with them. Each is challenging and supportive in their own way. Mostly they have been challenging in one way or another and the biggest plus for me has been the excellent feedback that I get from work. It is positively challenging and focused on ways that I can improve my work and reflection. Naturally, this may be different because we are on a Masters course of study.
Do you agree with Price et al. that online tuition is a pastoral activity and not a purely academic activity?
Yes. I think that this is an important aspect within online/distance education because you don’t see people. It’s harder to know what is going on. I always let my tutor know, if I am going away, or having time out, and try to let others know on the forums too. But that two way communication doesn’t always exist. Therefore not all students push, and tutors need to do more pulling.
Do you agree that the absence of what the authors call ‘paralinguistic cues’ in an online environment can limit the effectiveness of online tuition?
No. I think that Price et al’s premise that more work is needed on helping to teach both teachers and students how to communicate online is more pertinent. I think, and my experience is that both forums and conferencing and email can be just as emotive as face to face, and sometimes more so because of the physical distance between people. I think that we can become comfortable with communicating online and develop behaviours that allow us to pick up alternative ‘cues’. In fact I think that I communicate more in an online environment that I do in face to face environments.
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