Seeing is Achieving
If a picture is worth a 1000 words, a moving picture has got to be worth at least 1001!
On November 16 of last year, Profweb published a story I had written entitled
“Old School – New School” is which I lauded the benefits of books and recommended a DECclic user’s manual entitled “DECclic: The Basics.” The thrust of the story was this: some users of information technology, even quite advanced users, still prefer to refer to a printed text when accomplishing certain tasks, such as learning how to use a learning platform or software package.
While not an advanced user of information technology by any means, I count myself among those who prefer paper to PCs when reading texts of any length.
However, it appears that we, the paper-promoters, are not alone.
There is a significant number of people who prefer “seeing to reading” when confronted with the somewhat less-than-enthralling task of learning how to use a course management system. (While reading an instruction manual that explains a process step-by-step may be crystal-clear for some, it may act as a sedative for others!) To those for whom “seeing is achieving”, I say, “Grab the popcorn! Has DECclic got a show for you!”
In the Fall of 2009, I created an activity on DECclic entitled “DECclic’s English Café,” – an activity designed for English Second Language (ESL) teachers working in Québec colleges who might, as some have told me, enjoy learning the basics of the DECclic platform in the language they themselves teach. For these people, composed of “readers and ‘seers'” alike, I uploaded two types of documents to assist them as they master DECclic’s basics:
- A downloadable .pdf version of “DECclic: The Basics”
- A series of short video clips demonstrating how to do on DECclic
As of January of this year, 25 video clips were available for viewing; by May of this year, there will likely be twice that number.
Two colleges have already been given access to “DECclic’s English Café.” The screen recordings were made using Camtasia Studio, a software package which enables users to easily produce screen, voice and PowerPoint recordings.
If you work in a college which has DECclic, and you think that you or your department could benefit from having access to such an activity, please don’t hesitate to contact me as indicated below. My colleagues and I would be more than happy to share a book and a video clip or two with you and yours.
Brent Davis Reid is a DECclic coordinator, department and help center coordinator working at Bois-de-Boulogne College in Montreal.He is also an author of several ESL textbooks published by ERPI.Readers desiring more information about DECclic training sessions or who wish gain access to “DECclic’s English Café” are invited to contact Brent at brentdavis.reid@bdeb.qc.ca or at 514 332-3000, ext. 7769.
