Elearning is weather-proof
The Irish calendar does not observe the typical astronomical seasons (beginning, in the Northern Hemisphere, on the equinoxes and solstices), or the meteorological seasons (beginning on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1), but rather centers the seasons around the solstices and equinoxes (so that, for instance, midsummer falls on the summer solstice), beginning the seasons at the approximate halfway points between solstice and equinox, following the seasons of the Iron Age (or Celtic) inhabitants of the island.
According to how we measure the calendar in other words, yesterday was the first day of Spring.
Now read on…
As the country experiences the worst snow storm for nearly two decades, according to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ’s website:
The cold snap has resulted in widespread disruption to road and air traffic and the closure of dozens of schools. Sub-zero temperatures and snowfalls in parts of Ireland and most of Britain have led to flight cancellations and long delays for motorists.
So I’m still sitting at my desk at 7.00pm catching up on some paperwork, as the road out of my office is gridlocked and has been for some hours now…
Assuming this traffic clears, I still have to find my car (which is somewhere under all that snow)…
…and I still have to make it home.
It occurs to me, that e-learning is resistant to all of this weather, and traffic.
Normal service resumes tomorrow (as I hope will the weather!).
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February 02 2009 07:10 pm | e-learning
Virginia Yonkers on 03 Feb 2009 at 7:22 pm #
Interestingly enough, that looks like a light snow storm in our neck of the woods! There is a new regional high school that draws from a 200 square mile area (students come from locations up to an hour away) that my daughter is interested in attending. During the orientation, they told us that each student has a lap top. Because the school is represented by so many school districts and such as wide area, at any given time during the winter, a student may not be able to make it into school. Since the focus of the school is collaboration and 21st century skills, they told us on the information night that students are expected to log in and participate in classes and group work, even if they have a “snow day.”
I do the same thing at the university level, as many of my commuter students come from great distances (sometimes up to 4 hours away). I don’t cancel classes, but rather move the venue to online when there are poor driving conditions within the 50 mile radius of the school (it could be clear at school, but 10-20 centimeters of snow west or south of the school). E-learning has allowed a continuity that was not possible a few years ago. The only problem has been ice storms that result in no power or internet connection.
Michael Hanley on 04 Feb 2009 at 11:21 am #
Hi Virginia,
Lucky you!
I guess that if anyone knows anything about Ireland it’s that it’s green (forty shades, apparently).
It’s green because it rains.
Incessantly.
There are three recurring climactic constants in Ireland: it’s about to rain, it’s raining, or it’s just finished raining.
We don’t get much snow and it’s especially rare when it precipitates in Springtime – we should be seeing snowdrops and daffodils and so forth now, so I felt that it was worth commenting on, for the novelty value if nothing else.
I like your illustration of the benefits of e-learning allowing a “continuity” of learning, despite the weather; I would suggest that as a society we are about to enter a time where virtual environments will facilitate communication, collaboration, and learning for financial and ecological as well as weather-related interventions.
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