I have been travelling the #edtech world for several years, and here’s what I’ve seen:
- I’ve had students submit assignments using Google Slides, Docs, and email.
- I could Zoom, Skype Classroom, or Google Classroom for distance learning.
- I can make PowerPoints using Microsoft PowerPoint, Open Office, Prezi, Scribd, SlideShare or Google Slides again to organize/present my information.
- I can collect assessment data using Socrative, Seesaw, Kaizena or Kahoot.
- Or create fun, short informative blurbs using Powtoon or GoAnimate.
Kahoot in class today! #learningtogether #assessment #eci833 pic.twitter.com/XpyLcudC47
— Logan Petlak (@MrLPetlak) October 25, 2016
However.
All the tools presented and proposed in this class are actually a bit overwhelming! There are so many options and yet what feels like so little time to experience all of them. The clock is ticking as I consider how to deliver content in my AP Biology course synchronously as soon as next school year for Prairie South Schools (and SunWest doesn’t offer this, yet! I’ll be a hot commodity). In our meeting October 25th, Jade Ballek mentioned that SunWest even offer classes to international locations such as China… how do they receive funding for this? Do they receive a tuition from Chinese students (what is listed is $500 on the website)? Do they charge more to international students?
Can I use this?
A colleague/friend of mine, Jeff Boulton, mentioned the potential of offering distance education privately. At $500/student, could I offer a Biology course to 10 students for $5000? And could I even have this class programmed asynchronously so it basically funds me once I complete my initial prep work? And if it’s asynchronous, with automated marking programs, couldn’t I manage well over 10 students?
Money? Interesting.It is here that we reach our quandary. Do we sell our educating soul?
Chappelle Swag via Giphy
I possess the ability to offer education to individuals worldwide and potentially receive money to do so. Should I? Would you? Based on my principles and beliefs related to open education and how learning should unfold, I should make my content and work free, which I have, but if I were to actively record instruction and create lessons to educate students worldwide, do I take a “small handout or reward”? Is it okay to?
It’s important to note that I believe that every individual deserves an education… so perhaps the solution lies in equity, with affordability to those who can’t and collection from those who can to promote my use and production values?
All these questions aside… can I even replicate the Logan Petlak Classroom Experience online? Is the educator I am on a screen the same as that face-to-face? I would argue probably no. Not without active discussion and interaction with students. That’s my favourite part of teaching, getting to work and talk with as well as read and respond to students… is that gone in the distance classroom – even with synchronous sessions (perhaps offered via Zoom)? And does this lend itself to more direct instruction? What about the socialization of being on campus and engaging with other students in the classroom? Many sources will tell you that a cons to distance education is a lack of “student to teacher face time” and “no social interaction”.
Solution?
Digital citizenship: fostering a digital presence and creating a networked learning community. And from that networked learning community, perhaps presents opportunities to collaborate with professionals from around the world to invite to contribute to class sessions (Adam reminded me of this idea with Skype).
This stuff you’re teaching Alec is starting to take shape more and more, day by day!
What are your thoughts? Does distance education present an opportunity for us as educators to earn beyond our negotiated salary? Do we as educators have a moral obligation to simply provide instruction to all and do this in the most cost-effective way possible?
– Logan Petlak
Logan Petlak 
HI Logan,
You present some very difficult questions Logan. especially when you talk about receiving money for delivering distance learning. I would understand all the work and time that goes into developing a course and monitoring it as students learn. Should you be paid for that? I would say absolutely but there is a sense out there that teachers should give and give, yet at what cost do teachers continue to give? Is there a line between our obligations to our school division and suites within our school and what we can do outside of that? Sorry no answers but lots to think about.
Benita
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Logan you raise a lot of good points and ask even better questions. Although there is money to be made in education, I feel like we have to be careful that it doesn’t change education in a negative way making it only accessible to those who can afford it. I do think that we should be compensated for our work and if you are able to develop a course maybe you should be paid for that. But I also think that everyone has the right to an education that is affordable just like you said.
This is the same debate we have had in the past when we talk about Teachers Pay Teachers and submitting work to that site. We are unable to post our work to that site and ask people to pay for it because technically our work is ‘owned’ by our divisions or the STF (I can’t remember which). Either way, we are not allowed to sell our work to earn money. We can offer it on that site for free, but maybe we don’t want to offer it for free when we know we can get paid for it.
I’m torn. The scrooge in me wants to say let’s create the courses and charge people to make them and earn more money but the teacher/parent and kindhearted part of me disagrees with that. As always thanks for sharing Logan.
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Definately lots to think about. With so much learning available online for free, it might be difficult to compete in the market with a price attached. It really is hard to duplicate the face to face experience online, and I think of if I were to offer an online course, some of my best features (in my mind) as a teacher would be negated.
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I agree Andy that it might be difficult to compete in the market because so much is available for free. I think that teachers who can do it really well or use innovative strategies might be able to make it work, especially as a supplement to home schooling or as a tutoring service when you have parents who don’t have to worry about money.
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Just like my peers, I too find that you have raised a lot of important questions. How much should one be compensated for a certain amount of work? Where is the line between being paid for your work, and robbing people of something they should have? I really don’t know what the answer is; unfortunately, in our world, you can’t work for free or else you won’t be able to survive. That being said, you don’t need to get paid for every thing you do. I guess in the end it comes down to the educator to decide what is a reasonable amount to ask for the work that is being done, and what ethically should be given away for free. Thanks for the great post!
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My rule of thumb I think is… if I’m doing it anyway or making it for me – it’s free! If it’s tailored to a new audience in which I NEED to invest time. Probably should charge. Thanks for you comment! 🙂
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Logan, I two have been wondering about socialization. I think there are important aspects of being on campus and interacting face-face with others.
You pose interesting ideas about $ which I did not think of myself. In a sense teachers pay teachers is already selling products for teachers to use. Do you think that pre-recorded lessons/units may be the next step? I don’t like the sound of that. Every class is so different. What and how I teach from year to year needs to change based on my students.
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I didn’t like the idea of teachers pay teachers. As a teacher, I create resources for me… if it can be beneficial to others, great… but I didn’t do it for dollars. Asynchronous sessions… probably wouldn’t charge. Synchronous, much more likely.
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