What is your educational background, the current status of your studies and the previous experience you have about learning environments?
My academic background is: Lawyer, Professor of Law and Master in Media Educational Processes by Technologies. I worked for 10 years at the University of the Republic in the Teaching Support Unit and we were training and supporting the use of the Udelar EVA platform. Two years ago I quit that job and I currently work at the Institute of Teacher Training in Paysandú as a Technology Guidance Teacher. Among our activities is the support of teachers and students in the use of the ANEP Platform.What are your expectations towards the course and the motivation to
complete this course?
My expectations in the course are to know experiences of using learning environments that are carried out in other countries. In Uruguay, these spaces are used mainly for the purpose of comptroller of the students, to see if they enter to see materials, perform some activities and above all, as a repository of resources. They have a use mainly to support the classroom and not to replace that space, which in some cases could be beneficial, especially when there are massive classes where many times the presence does not contribute to the student, continuing in many cases, with the classes Traditional. It motivates me to learn about experiences, how the difficulties that these spaces pose to us have been overcome, not only in terms of how we teach, but also in our work modalities and what management models are implemented for these spaces at the institutional level.
In your own opinion, give at least 5 reasons why it is important to learn about smart learning environments?
Five reasons why I consider it important to learn about these intelligent learning spaces are:
1) It is a way to expand the possibilities of studying thousands of students without the need to move from their geographical location.
2) They allow access to an important diversity of resources, using different languages such as image, audio, text, giving greater opportunity and a variety of opportunities to access information.
3) It is a way to connect with other specialists in various subjects beyond the physical space of a class.
4) It is another space for the student and the teacher, diverse to the physical classroom. Many in these spaces feel more comfortable, safe, and time and space change their configuration.
5) Create, design, motivate, communicate, are keys so that a space of this type is not transformed into a repository of materials. Challenge the teacher to go beyond their discipline, as well as to work as a team, with others who contribute from various fields of knowledge such as computer science, communication and design, among others.
Regards,
Sofía
.