ED-MEDIA 1999 Proceedings Book - Association for the ...

Sharing with others in a class serves one end of learning and teaching. Cooperative learning serves the other. I did
not feel content by assigning grades to students’ paper but satisfied with the genuine achievement that students
made. Obtaining knowledge and increasing understanding actually is the central point of the interaction between
college students and me. The role of an instructor plays in the education of students is vital and fundamental. It is an
instructor who orchestrates students to achieve the desirable outcome of learning in a systematic way.
Acknowledging the importance, I went further by utilizing the hypernews in the learning and teaching process. As
another assignment that invited students to extend their knowledge base, I requested the students to read from the
screen what their classmates have done and to finish this assignment by providing appropriate comments in response
to their readings. From what they wrote, I was able to collect additional data regarding how my students understood
learned concepts and how I would continue modifying my instructional strategies. In this demonstration, pros and
cons will be discussed and shared with the audience.
Distance Learning: When having a group of graduate students who are teachers in public schools, an instructor may
have to face a situation that one or two students cannot attend a certain class during a semester. Frequent absence
caused by one or two students in each class period affected the flow of teaching and students’ understanding of the
content of work. To solve the problem, I took another risk by utilizing the hypernews as a distance learning device.
Having students be in front of computers either at their own homes or places near their houses, my students and I
launched conversations in a scheduled time when everybody had was free from an obligation given by a school. Our
flexibility and new way of teaching and learning elicited advantages and merits. In this demonstration, I would like
to present to the audience how I did this learning project, gains and difficulties my students and I experienced.
Again, in graduate classes, I sustained the spirit of collaborative learning by encouraging the students to share what
they found from the Internet. To share with one another on line, I adapted the means of the hypernews again: the
students attained new ideas from each other in respect to their located resources from the Internet by using
Bookmarks. None of the graduate students that I taught knew how to use bookmarks. Within a short period of time
along with my instruction on the use of Bookmarks, they mastered the skill. Via the hypernews, the students
publicized their bookmarks on the hypernews linking to the found resources. The students found enjoyable
exchanging their findings with one another on line. They grew much academically. Yet, this innovation experienced
unexpected problems that will be reported and discussed with the audience in this demonstration.
Summary
Generally, the infusion of the hypernews into the instruction and inquiry of graduate and undergraduate plays a
significant role in the students’ construction of knowledge, providing them with flexibility and opportunities to learn
at their own paces and their convinced time. Through a wide variety of methods of using the hypernews as a tool or
device, students accomplished and achieved in a meaningful way. Although much thoughts and time have been
given to ways of how to incorporate the hypernews into students' learning and inquiry, I personally feel fulfilled and
take a pride in what I have succeeded. However, although it is a rewarding practice, it is my belief that there is a
need for improvement. I will continue to explore with others the effective utilization of the hyeprnews in college
instructions and inquiry.