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The Implications of Teaching and Learning on the Internet

INDEX

INTRODUCTION PAGE

MAIN ESSAY

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

HEALTH AND SAFETY

INTERESTING LINKS

SOURCES

ESSAY PLAN

Personal Experience

Speaking from personal experience I find that the internet has opened up opportunities for me that I previously thought would not be possible. Since gaining an interest in computers and wanting to learn about setting up web pages this inspired me to investigate to find a course that would help with my needs.

I chose the Open University course because along with the subject area that I was interested in, it also gave me the opportunity to start studying for a degree. I found initially, that the OU web site was easy to navigate and ordered a prospectus to find out more information.

Since joining the May presentation of T171, I have been following the web site as each separate section opened up to allow me to study the next part of each module. This was a very good way to present the information and allowed you not to get too far ahead but also leaving the previous areas open so that if you got behind you could still catch up but also so that previous information was also available.

I initially formed a study plan so that I would spend around 8 hours a week studying but found that I had to increase the hours to keep up. The drawback with this is that when you work full time, it is very difficult to increase the hours that you need in order to keep up. On the other hand the way this course is presented it is a bonus because as I previously said the information is there for you whenever you can find time to study.

FirstClass is an excellent way of keeping in touch with other students studying the same course as yourself. It has been a very good way of forging new friendships, especially as there is common ground. The tutor groups have been quite quiet at times and haven't always worked as they should. In my experience, taking my own problems into account also, two common problems have been experienced within the group, computer problems and people's work commitments. So unfortunately I cannot say that I have had very encouraging group experiences.

Taking the whole year into consideration, it has not really been a very successful learning experience for me and I can quite sympathise with the students featured in an article found on my interesting links page.

I have experienced feelings of isolation, frustration, anger and tears over mostly technical difficulties. I believe that if I had been a student new to computing, I would never had survived this long. Although FirstClass is a good way of finding out FAQs for various difficulties that you may experience, nothing prepares you for computer breakdown. I have come to a full stop on more than one occasion due to this problem.

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