IM is an acronym for Instant Messaging. It is ‘a tool that successfully supports informal communication’. A form of IM is SMS technology. In an example of IM in practice, IM in its SMS form has proved to be extremely effective amongst a group of hearing impaired students. With the assistance of IM technology, these students were able to communicate in real time and use this medium as a tool to facilitate communication with their teachers without the support of an interpreter.
The most common use of IM within an e-learning context has been to produce a cooperative learning environment. Users if IM are said to be able to articulate ideas, issues and opinions in real time. As such, IM can be used to engage and maintain learner interest as correspondence occurs in a timely manner. Although some people may become confused by chat dialogue or the functionality of chat room discussion, it would appear that the positive facets of IM far outweigh limitation.
Challenges facing organizations are to find other way to engage and become part of the emerging technologies. SMS is a synchronous learning object which in an e-learning context can provide the student with real time and instant learning opportunities. SMS or IM, as a real-time communication tool can also be utilize as delivery option for hearing-impaired students. This allows them to access teachers without a third party to interpret. Learners can also use this to get automated feedback from assignments or questions, freeing the tutor from any additional workload.
No comments:
Post a Comment