Comments on: Elearning is weather-proof http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/elearning-is-weather-proof/2009/02/02/ Michael Hanley's blog about e-learning, web-based elearning, technology in education, e-learning tools, learning 2.0 (blogs and podcasts), & continuous professional development. Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:09:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Michael Hanley http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/elearning-is-weather-proof/2009/02/02/comment-page-1/#comment-306 Michael Hanley Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:21:56 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/elearning-is-weather-proof/2009/02/02/#comment-306 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. -- 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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]]> By: Virginia Yonkers http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/elearning-is-weather-proof/2009/02/02/comment-page-1/#comment-305 Virginia Yonkers Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:22:52 +0000 http://michaelhanley.ie/elearningcurve/elearning-is-weather-proof/2009/02/02/#comment-305 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. 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.

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