Online Courses Facilitate Learning in Teacher Education

Discuss the extent to which online courses facilitate learning in teacher education

Due to rapid growing technology, many are becoming more   e-savvy so as to stay inclined with the advancements. Hence, it is a necessity for teachers including trainee teachers to be computer literate , as said in a report. (Raising the Standards report). Professional development courses includes ICT knowledge and skills that can value add to teachers and open up to more career advancement opportunities.

Online learning is also a form of pedagogical method. ICT takes learning to a complete new perspective.On top of fundamentals of computer application, ICT has become a vital part of e-learning. E-learning promotes group interaction, critical thinking into solving Problem-Based assignments, collaboration with peers and teachers and development of effective communication skills. Most importantly, it is able to actively engage students into learning with useful resources that might benefit their learning process. Teachers are able to facilitate interaction through discussion forums online . This aids in developing good rapport and creating a supportive environment for both students and teachers. Also, teachers can make use of apps/gadgets to make e-lessons more interactive.

However, there are some challenges faced by educators when incorporating ICT   into teacher education. Lessons has to be well-planned in order to cater to the various learning patterns of students. Students might also be too comfortable with the traditional teaching methods and be unwilling to shift to e-learning. Resilience becomes the key word here. Flexibility is important in online learning as there many be more than one possible outcomes to the e-learning process.

Additional resource: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/28/1030508069028.html

Renuga D/O Rama Moorthy