Recent editions of APOP’s newsletter feature a new category of activity called APOP_411 Online Kiosk. It doesn’t follow the same format as our other APOP online activities in terms of its registration process, VIA invitations and planned presentations among other features. So, what are online kiosks exactly, and how do they fit into APOP’s overall offer of services to the Anglophone college community?
Well, kiosks are a paradigm shift! Although they don’t impact the general direction of APOP’s services, they change the way we interact online with our users. We maintain our support of the use of IT in teaching and learning, but are approaching it in a more open manner. In this format, it is no longer the presenters who are “controlling” or “directing” the activity’s program and content, but the participants who are sharing their concerns and problems in integrating IT into their pedagogy. In APOP’s newsletter, an open invitation is sent to all recipients to give them the opportunity to join in whenever they wish. There is no registration process, no VIA invitation to receive and you are only two clicks away from joining us online!
To further experiment with this new format, we have decided to offer the APOP_411 service in the online kiosk. It becomes a virtual service counter where you can meet a resource person who provides meaningful answers to your questions about educational technology. Also, some of these kiosks focus on a given topic, such as specific technologies and software that are currently used in learning and teaching activities. In fact, these topics are selected based on actual APOP_411 calls that we received from teachers in the collegial network, and for which there seems to be a need for more information, like Microsoft Office Suite, multimedia software, presentation tools and concept map editors. Note that other topics could be explored, like webconferencing tools, ePortfolios and avatar editors – the choice is yours! In addition, if you would like to submit an idea for the next APOP_411 Online Kiosk, please send us your suggestions.
Finally, these kiosks are a great way to discover other APOP services and online resources for the Anglophone community. If you would like to know more about the using technology and how APOP can help, grab a coffee and come chat with us online – the APOP_411 Online Kiosk is now open!
