Week 3: 10/24-10/28
Updates:
In the course announcement section the instructors continue to tweak their delivery based on learner feedback. For example, this week the homework completion deadline has been delayed by a day. I find it really helpful that the program, despite being pre-recorded can still remain receptive and adaptive to student needs.
Also worth noting, is that if you were to go through the suggested readings (for the sake of time I am not!) from the correspondent textbook the instructors make the following refreshing caveat, "These suggested readings are taken from Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, but you are welcome to review these topics from any source." This simple disclaimer is a refreshing sign of the shifting textbook times as big publishers loose some of their business to online resources and platforms like Flat World Knowledge.
Pros:
-I continue to discover the benefits of this model of online learning! I have learned more in the last three weeks about a subject about which I had no prior knowledge, than I have in many in-person courses over semesters.
-Why? I think this rapid learning has occurred due to the reinforcement of available explanatory support materials after each section or quiz. Also, because information is delivered in small video-based chunks via low barrier-to-entry technology (website, YouTube videos, easy to understand interactions) the material can shine and is easy to digest and process.
-The simple fact of being able to re-watch a section easily is highly re-enforcing.
Cons:
-Occasionally if the instructor's annunciation isn't perfect, I can see how learners for whom English isn't their first language might get confused and not have the opportunity to ask for clarification. However, translations are available for most languages.
-In a similar vein, I would like to be able to easily download transcripts of these lessons to review later.
-Most of all, as I have stated previously, I wish these lessons were available and fully interactive on a smart phone!
-I wish there were a way to "talk back" to & engage with other students - you do feel a bit isolated, which is why online learning like this may not be ready to COMPLETELY replace all in-person classes!
The Week's Takeaways & thoughts:
As I have mentioned above, I am both consistently impressed with and find valuable this format for learning and participating in a course. I am curious to take other courses in this format and hope that eventually there will be more of a 2-way conversation possible! Perhaps something like VYou could be added so that students can ask & answer questions in "real time?"
Screenshots:
The disclaimer at the bottom is a great way for instructors to add corrections to their previously recorded lessons...
