When I was in high school, I took my very first online learning class in 2004 (at the time I didn’t know it was optional). Our teacher was piloting a Science 10 course online which was a first in the Surrey School District at that time. Even though we had a teacher (who played a facilitator role), we were given laptops to use and were using WebCT as our platform. I remember thinking how odd this was as I was used to traditional teaching and online learning was rare at that time. The course was mostly self-directed and we worked through modules and experiments with our desk groups. It was a great learning experience. I used how to use WebCT, we learned how to post on the discussion board and work through modules. Our class loved using the email system through WebCT which we realized after the course our teacher could read all our messages! The funniest moment for us was when our teacher thanked us for being part of this pilot project and for not choosing to leave (we didn’t even know this was an option, we thought this was how the class was) as he was one of the main developers for Surrey Connect at that time. I was very thankful I had this learning experience as when I got to UBC for my undergrad, many of the courses used WebCT so I was very familiar and comfortable with the platform.
Hi Amanda,
you report about an quite early experience with online-based learning. It seems that the course was mostly self-directed, yet with some experiements do be done in groups? Do you think that this social part of the course helped to make it as successful as you describe?
(I am asking as I am interesting in the social presence aspect of online learning at the moment.)
Elske
Hi Elske,
Yes it was definitely an interesting experience for us Grade 10-ers. Not knowing what we were getting ourselves into too! Yes being able to work with other students definitely helped as we could problem-solve together, work through modules and support one-another. As for the experiments there were videos for us to watch, so we could set-up the experiments from a video demonstration. Our quizzes and end of modules tests were also completed online which was a first for many of us! Also, it wasn’t a distance-ed online class, we were in our high school for our Science 10 block but instead it was all online and mostly self-directed so that made it easy if we needed support from our teacher, he was right there.
Hi Amanda!
Thanks for your post about your science course. Very funny and interesting that leaving was optional- though if you enjoyed working online and in groups with a facilitator, I can’t imagine that anyone would have chosen to leave!
I had a similar (sort of) experience in high school where my exposure to InDesign through a tech course in Grade 11 helped me feel way more comfortable using it during undergrad for a school magazine. It’s incredible how valuable those experiences can be, and how much they can teach us about how guided exposure through a program or system can be so important for our students.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
I’ve been teaching online high school science and a few other classes for the last 12 years. I will be creating my third version of the science 10 course this year. It is difficult (time-consuming) to keep up with the technology. I remember my first online high school class — the course was basically a PDF of the Print version of the course. Print versions of courses have been available in BC for over 100 years.
Everyone – what was your first experience with an online course? Was it what you expected?
Christopher
Hi Christopher,
Wow that’s so interesting that your first online high school class was a PDF of the print version! I can only imagine how time-consuming it must be for online course designers to keep up technology as technology changes so fast!