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Online Educators, Come Out of Your Caves!
Why I Love Conferences

By Mark Welch / December 2009

TYPE: OPINION
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Comments (6) Instapaper
Online education conferences are unlike any other conferences I've attended. Then again, online educators are unlike any other people I've met.

Comments

  • Mon, 16 Aug 2010
    Post by Kenrick

    Really any of the current Tablet PC's out there today will work, just make sure it has an active digitizer for writing ink. Some only have touchscreens or only capacative touchscreens. I'm using a Fujitsu T4410 right now, but any of the other Fujitsu LifeBook tablets with the active digitizer would work. The HP TouchSmart tm2 is pretty inexpensive that some professors here use, and I used to use a Lenovo X series tablet that I also liked.

  • Tue, 27 Jul 2010
    Post by Bonnie MacKellar

    Your description of using your tablet PC in class sounds exactly like what I am looking for! I'm not very familiar with tablet PCs. Which one do you have? Are there particular features I should look for if I want to use a tablet in the way you describe?

  • Thu, 22 Jul 2010
    Post by Suresh

    HyperOffice (http://www.hyperoffice.com) is another great tool for educators and students. It includes web conferencing, surveys, document sharing, calendars and other tools in a single solution. Students can have audio meetings, manage schedules, give simple tests and share assignments using these tools.

  • Wed, 26 May 2010
    Post by Diane

    I recently did some research into the popularity of online learning. It is estimated that in the next 5 years, there will be around 22 million students getting at least part of their college education online. It seems we are overcoming some of the stigma attached to online learning. However, dropout rates for online students are still high. I teach for 6 online universities and have done so for many years. Although I teach bachelor through doctoral level students, I really enjoy the newbies to online learning. I think people need to realize that online is the present and the future of learning. It is too bad that more help isn't available to first-time students. I have found many newbies who have very limited skills.

  • Wed, 09 Dec 2009
    Post by Tracy Greenwood

    When I talk to people about online education, I remember the line from The Graduate. "I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics." Now I want to say one word. Just one word. Online.

    I think when Harvard and other prestigious schools threw their hat in to the ring, the credibility of online programs moved up immensely.

    You are correct about online educators being social creatures. I love getting calls from my students and doing live office hours online.

  • Tue, 08 Dec 2009
    Post by Kathy Howe aka SedonaKathy

    You excite me! Am reviewing an online real estate course contract from one of the on-line companies I write continuing ed classes for... and I am going to take my CDEI from ARELLO over the holidays. I'm also a grad of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and a past Foundation Board President. NAU is steeped in online learning...

    As President-Elect of the Real Estate Educators Association, online learning is one of our priorities. We are working with ARELLO and others to make the learning experience one that the learner passes on to others.

    Thanks for the post. I'm in search of information and education... where are the educators of tomorrow?? Thanks for pointing me in a positive direction.