Module 3: Perfect e-Storm: emerging technology, enormous learner demand, enhanced pedagogy, and erased budgets. Bonk (2004).

I really could not pick just one point from the Bonk (2004) article, but I did limit myself to three!

The Explosion of Online Learners – At my college, as elsewhere, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of online learners. While, college-wide there are 28 programs offered fully online, in my division we have been limited by the New York State Department of Education. They require a separate registration application for online programs, although they are the same as the f2f programs, which are already registered. Because of the demand we are experiencing, a colleague and I are beginning to write the above applications.
Emerging Technology – Asynchronous conferencing and discussion forums. I researched the sites mentioned in the article, and came across World Crossing (a free version of WebCrossing). World Crossing offers public or private asynchronous forums, threaded messages or linear conversation, unlimited participants and unlimited messages, personal email, chat rooms for synchronous communication, and several other features. The college where I teach has four campuses plus a fifth, the online campus. I think World Crossing could provide a place for all students in our Literacy Program to come together for mutual support and learning, professional development, mentoring, etc.
Emerging Technology - Reusable learning objects – This is an intriguing concept, forms of which are already used in industry. While it has the opportunity to provide rich resources for online courses, which I would like, I wonder if it also has the ability to provide “canned” courses.