Thursday, October 01, 2009

efest - eTLC09 - day two debate

A debate on ‘the web: End fo the classroom era’ was adjudicated by Alan Caldwalder. Affirmatives on the motion by Stephen Bright, Joyce Seitzinger & Leigh Blackhall. The Negatives represented by Helen McPhun, Bonnie Dewart & Colin Cox.

Stephen began by stating the affirmatives case. Online school students on the increase. Evidence provided by increases in students, courses & teachers using Moodle. Helen approached the debate from the point of ‘sensing human instead of insensitive technology’. F2F affords PRESENCE both for the learner & for the teacher. Joyce countered with the need to provide students with a voice using technology so that learning is not teacher-led. Recommends we check out youtube video – Mr Winkle wakes up where all of society apart from education has engaged with technology. This was followed by Helen J. with the trivialising of knowledge by twitter & other web 2.0. Leigh provided a rebuttal to the negatives case & brought the affirmatives case by stating that school as being interdependent & does not meet learning needs of students but the internet is where the student connects with experts, other kindred spirits etc. Colin closed the debate of how effective elearning / simulators may be in training pilots & dentistry?

Interesting points of views from the audience & rebuttals from both the affirmatives & negatives. Alan provided a quick summary. Votes counted indicate a DRAW!!

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