Learning Technologies: Design & Applications

Problem: Lenora’s web access is dial-up only. It can take a really long time to upload and download files. Plus she’s never created a web site before and doesn’t know anything about where one puts a website.

Discussion question: Is a website the way to go for Lenora – why or why not?

Dial-up:

• A dial-up system has never worked for me. The fact that it is slow has usually deterred me from accessing the information.
• However, if I consider Lenora’s indigenous society, this may not be such a deterrent. Aboriginal reservations often function on a much slower time frame.

Nevertheless, if I were Lenora, I might want to ask other band members to find out how they feel about this issue.

Interactivity:

• According to recent research, the construction of knowledge through interaction is far more effective for indigenous students than learning in isolation.
• Indigenous learners have been shown to appreciate reciprocated questioning; feedback and reflection through problem-based projects.
• Group forums and team work are operations and activities’ design formats that make this type of mutual assistance possible.

In view of these findings, I would say that a blog would be better than a stand alone presentational website.