P. Kawachi (Japan)
Quality, Reduced costs, Online student annotation
Many students in developing regions have poor infrastructure and narrow bandwidth unsuitable for most new high-end technological developments. Here we report improved quality of learning and distributed knowledge construction achieved using only the most rudimentary internet. We have converted free blog software and service into a networked synchronous discussion board. which allows multi-user connectivity and interactivity either in small groups in class (using peer-review and tutor guidance, commentary, negotiated syllabus and assessment) or in distance education linking together any number of users simultaneously or asynchronously in a shared learning context. High-end learning management systems at preventive high cost, and occasional sudden downtown for servicing, are obsolescent, and email service is redundant. Students, teachers, administrators, other stakeholders, and invited (or uninvited) experts can collaborate to generate new shared knowledge – not unlike wikis, but by far simpler, with clear authoring capabilities to allow immediate feedback online assessment. We have combined this with student annotations in any number of languages to suit the learner alongside the pre-constructed content – as well as for the shared content under construction - delivered online to develop a system for three-times better quality of learning at a reduced cost to the institution, teacher and student..
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