The Specter of ChatGPT: Thoughts on Genre, Entertainment, and Truth

Electronic learning (e-learning) is now a global phenomenon, with institutions competing for market share. E-learning is defined by Meredith and Burkle as "learning facilitated by internet and www technologies, delivered by way of end-user computing, that creates connectivity between people and information, and creates opportunities for social learning approaches." 1 This shift towards e-learning provides an alternative to, or augments, traditional face-to-face academic environments and text-based correspondence-style distance education. In this era of worldwide competition, transformations in pedagogy are currently taking place as a result of the exponential popularity of the socalled social-sharing software of Web 2.0. More traditional 'push' approaches to education are being challenged by so-called 'pull' approaches of educational content co-created by students as prosumers. This paper explores 'push' and 'pull' educational pedagogies, exploring the promises and pitfalls of incorporating socially-shared streamed videoclips on You-Tube in formal education contexts. It then explores the YouTube "sensation", 2 "Diagnosis Wenckebach", as an example of the addition of 'pull' to 'push' education in neomillennial learning. COLLOQUY text theory critique 18 (2009). © Monash University. www.colloquy.monash.edu.au/issue18/willems.pdf 5

Bulletin of The American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2010

O nline instruction at institutions of higher education in the United States is burgeoning in the midst of a digital social media revolution. Since 2003, yearly reports from the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) have charted the rapid uptake and increasing acceptance of online instruction by students, faculty and administrators. The Sloan-C and others report the expansion of online instruction sweepingly, in terms of administrative motivation, infrastructure investment, stakeholder acceptance, measures of success and delivery formats, occasionally via anecdotal examples of digital media applications used alone or in concert in specific educational contexts, but rarely in terms of the personal agency of instructors and students. A prevailing theme in these reports nevertheless reflects the current zeitgeist of what is alternately called the connected era, connected age or network society: increasingly accessible social and collaborative digital computing is changing the way people connect with one another and interact.

The Internet and Higher Education, 2017

Vocabulary for describing the structures, roles, and relationships characteristic of traditional, or 'offline', education has been seamlessly applied to the designs of 'online' education. One example is the lecture, delivered as a video recording. The purpose of this research is to consider the concept of 'lecture' as realised in both offline and online contexts. We explore how media differences entail different student experiences and how these differences relate to design decisions associated with each. We first identify five features of traditional lecturing that have been invoked to understand its impact. We then describe a taxonomy of online lecture design derived from digital artefacts published within web-based courses. Analysis of this taxonomy reveals six design features that configure differently the experience of lectures in the two presentational formats: classroom and video. Awareness of these differences is important for the practitioner who is now increasingly involved in developing network-based resources for learning.

The adoption of ICT in Higher education for teaching and learning has grown enormously over the past decade. Today the majority of educational institutes are integrating technology in their teaching and learning experiences. As a result of changes in technology and means of communication, learners are now becoming more and more mobile and integrating technology in their learning. The emphasis is on anytime, anywhere learning. Along with the changes in technology, the use of social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and SMS are continuing to grow. Drawing on recent literature on use of digital tools and informal learning, the authors argue that much learning takes place outside of formal educational settings. They look beyond the modernist narratives of adult development and consider the possible implications of how teaching and learning are impacted by social and informal networking in the digital world.

Marketing Education Review

This paper proposes a video-based discussion learning exercise to consider in addition to the traditional online discussion board format. While the traditional written interaction between students in an online classroom is beneficial, the mass adoption of video technology, along with limitations associated with online discussion boards, led to the development of a new way to facilitate group communication using video communication technology. Utilizing the theory of social presence, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this video discussion format, allowing students to virtually "get to know" each other and collaborate in an environment that more closely resembles a traditional face-toface classroom experience. Following multiple trials of online synchronous video discussions across both small and large class sections, results demonstrate students' preferences for the video-based discussion format over the traditional, text-based discussion boards supported by their institution's learning management system. Findings from two studies support that the video-based discussions enhance learning outcomes and foster a sense of classroom community. An opening question. Active participation. An engaged community of students providing their thoughts and opinions while learning about other peer viewpoints. A chance to deepen the understanding of course concepts through an exchange of information. As educators, these scenarios, which promote active participation in class, are the hallmark of a modern college classroom (Bigatel, Ragan, Kennan, May, & Redmond, [2]). However, the transition of most institutions to online learning due to COVID-19 leaves both professors and students with limited options for facilitating online discussions; namely, they have the online discussion board. Given the need to develop something new with technology that until recently was not widespread in collegiate classrooms, we have recreated many of the benefits of a synchronous, in-person discussion through video communication technology (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WebEx). Feeling that the traditional online discussion board format within their learning management system (LMS) was lacking in facilitating a strong sense of community in their online marketing courses, we saw an opportunity to develop a new discussion method that would be seen favorably by students. In particular, we incorporated video-recorded, small group discussion activities that allowed students to interact synchronously with each other while simultaneously learning modern skills that will serve them well in a post-COVID workplace. Student video discussions were completed in multiple marketing courses-at both the undergraduate and graduate level-and the data collected from student participants confirms students' preference for synchronous video discussions over asynchronous discussion boards. We found the video discussions enhanced relationship-building while also adding depth to the level of conversation usually observed in a traditional, text-only discussion board in their LMS. Traditional online discussion boards, housed within an institution's LMS and limited primarily to textbased discussions in an asynchronous format, can be a polarizing topic among educators and students alike. While negativity toward discussion boards may come as a surprise to some educators (Ally, [1]), we question whether this pedagogical method maximizes educational opportunity, stemming from many conversations with students and faculty. A Google search for "discussion board memes" results in over 38 million results. Notable comedic examples include "I love bread" and "2 + 2 = 4" ("Discussion Board Memes, [8]). An academic review of asynchronous discussion boards provides evidence that the method is not seen as universally positive. In a review of face-to-face versus online discussion forums, Wang and Woo observed the following negatives associated with online discussions: additional time needed to respond to posts throughout the assignment window, increased aggression through negative posts, minimal engagement between student groups, and students copying and pasting older posts rather than providing new content for each assignment (Wang & Woo, [21]). We have attempted the traditional discussion board format in previous courses and have experienced comments similar to the aforementioned research and memes.

The online world is becoming more and more an edutainment experience, where learning, getting informed and entertained seem to be part of one and the same activity. As a result of this current fascination, people are drawn increasingly towards a new genre - i.e. free online 20-minute long lectures that borrow from film and storytelling techniques, that are offering an engaging series of speeches and even courses in many different scientific subjects. Though English as a lingua franca is still the dominant language of the internet, as a result of a growing new trend, namely crowdsourcing translation, knowledge dissemination is further enhanced and is now reaching further into many different cultures, allowing even the so-called minor languages to regain dignity and circulate, by engaging native speakers from different cultural backgrounds. This paper offers an overview on the phenomenon of online edutainment considering the role played by collaborative users who enjoy but also create and translate content. In addition a case study focused on TED Talks allows a more in depth analysis of the new genre and the increasing need for subtitling scripts.

Center for Teaching and Learning, 2012

By Dr. Mark D. Bowles History Professor, American Public University I believe that the greatest asset of the online classroom is its technological potential to engage students with remarkable new teaching strategies that are sometimes impossible to emulate in an on-ground classroom. Over the past four years I attempted to evolve my own teaching techniques in ways that enable students to gain the most out of our digital classroom. This is something that educators Kay Lehmann and Lisa Chamberlin call the “radical truth.” Their book, “Making the Move to eLearning,” argues that online learning can actually be “better than traditional education” when properly facilitated. While this may be possible, it’s my assertion that two minimum components are required in order for educators to ensure that their students receive the best learning experience. It requires (1) an active teaching presence and (2) leveraging the latest developments in technology. When teaching I attempt to accomplish the first component through my forum philosophy and the second component through my personal videos approach. Component 1: My Forum Philosophy Herbert Baxter Adams was a founder of U.S. professional history. In 1884 he wrote a book, “Methods of Historical Study,” which described how he taught history to male graduate students at Johns Hopkins University and to female students at Smith College. He wrote, “The comparative method of reading and study is followed by means of assigning to individual members of the class separate topics, with references to various standard works. These topics are duly reported upon by the appointees… which are discussed at length by the class.” I model this approach to forums in all of my online classes. A student has to post a main response to a common forum question by Thursday of each week. Once the student submits the post, I comment on it directly. I will share a related piece of knowledge, link the student to another resource, and then ask a unique follow-up question. I use this approach consistently for all my students and they’re required to research information and complete their answers by Sunday. I recall a remarkably different experience during my Ph.D. seminars in the ‘90s at Case Western Reserve University when a professor would mention an important book that I needed to review. It was usually late at night, so the next day I would walk to the library (often in the snow because it was in Ohio) and see if the library had it available. If not, I would order it on interlibrary loan. A couple of weeks later the book arrived and by that time I often forgot why I was so interested in reading it in the first place. Now that we’re out of the “technological dark ages,” students are better enabled to translate my book suggestions into an immediate learning experience—all thanks to modern technology. The unlimited and immediate access to research that technology affords students makes for a powerful learning experience. In a way, online education has become an indispensable learning tool. Component 2: My Personal Videos A second and equally valuable educational tool is the use of personal video technology, which I use often to enhance instruction. In my videos I discuss key topics, course expectations, and I provide a little information about myself and my approach to the subject. This supports my belief that what really matters is that the instructor must provide a tangible social presence that’s mediated by technology. For example, I recently created a video entitled, “The History of Science” for a graduate class (https://vimeo.com/46840287) In another course, on History and Popular Culture, I use a green screen so that I can incorporate background images behind me to make the content more engaging for the students. (https://vimeo.com/29901003) These videos serves multiple functions. 1. It’s fun and engaging for students and the professor 2. The intention is to provide an interesting overview of the class 3. It accomplishes what is sometimes missing with an online instructor—a connection to his or her personality. In my videos, I often open up about myself and sometimes I include family members in the discussion. Why? My students respond positively. They get to know me as a real person who also values them as individuals. It’s my hope that this personal touch encourages students to open up in return and share their opinions and ideas throughout the class. And it works. Throughout my teaching career I’ve discovered my own radical truth; student outcomes are directly related to how well the instructor engages the class. Technology by itself is never enough, no matter how advanced. It’s only a tool, but it holds incredible potential for educators who are actively present and constantly interject the human element into the online classroom. When executed properly and with personal passion, I believe that the online classroom in many ways can transcend traditional forms of education. About the Author: Mark D. Bowles is Professor of History at American Public University System. He earned his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1999, and he has authored or co-authored twelve books focusing on the history of science and technology.

Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, 2008

Creative classroom techniques incorporating technology promote a more productive and enriched learning environment. Preparing future health educators in today's technology-driven society requires faculty to adopt new teaching strategies which motivate and engage the new tech-savvy Web 2.0 generation. YouTube® is a popular online video-sharing web site for both scholarly and non-scholarly communication. Currently, there are no published studies on the quantitative assessment of faculty utilization of YouTube in the health education classroom. The purpose of this pilot study was to 1) determine faculty's current and potential utilization of YouTube in their classes; 2) identify faculty perceptions of the benefits of YouTube as a health education resource for in-class and online courses; and 3) identify potential limitations and challenges of this online resource. Using an online survey instrument developed by the researchers and provided via a secured website, data were collected from a nonrandomized convenience sample of 24 faculty members, obtained from a population of 59 full-time tenure-track and fixed-term health and human performance faculty teaching at a mid-size university in the southeastern U.S. The results indicated that, overall, the faculty who use YouTube in their courses consider it to be an effective teaching resource for enhancing their health education course material. In addition, the non-user faculty expressed interest in learning more about the potential application of YouTube as an instructional tool for their classes. While further research is necessary, this pilot study suggests that YouTube may be a viable, innovative teaching resource for use by university faculty in health education and other disciplines.

Performance Philosophy, 2024

Performance is that which attempts to hold that within which it itself is held. This may take the form of an explicit theatricality, foregrounding and reflecting upon the conditions of being seen and being heard, of the speech and appearance of an actor – which can have both dramatic as well as political dimensions (Arendt [1958] 1998; Schmidt 2017). Or it may take the form of an intentional or habitual performativity, generating the conditions which it purports to describe (Butler 2015; Paavolainen 2018). Performance-writing and performance-lectures are well-developed strategies for attempting this reflexive double-hold, in which the content reshapes the container of delivery such that it becomes an instance of that which it is also describing. Performance writing foregrounds ‘the transformative play of text as performance’ (Allsopp 1999, 79), emphasizing ‘writing as doing’ as much as ‘writing as meaning’ (Pollock [1995] 1998, 75), and treating the encounter with and through writing as ‘event’ in its own right (Heathfield 2006). Putting these approaches into practice, an artist like John Hall might use the dimensions and affordances of the printed page as a space to enact, not just describe, the encounters it produces (Hall 2004), or the lecture performances of Rabih Mroué simultaneously describe the effects of representation and participate generatively within their own representational dispositifs (Mroué and Martin 2012; Mroué and Saneh [2005] 2013). How might these strategies be engaged in relation to the ‘problems’ of online teaching? That is to say, the problems of asynchronous engagement, distraction, remoteness and spatiotemporal lag? Rather than obstacles to the apprehension of the subject of performance, could these aspects of the online experience themselves by the subject of the performative act of ‘lecturing’, taking itself as an example to be explored for its pedagogical as well as eventual potential? This online performance-lecture is about these conditions of online gathering, even as it is itself held within them.

Cadernos EBAPE.BR

This article discusses the results of a study aiming to understand how the migration from in-person to distance learning due to social distancing practices to contain the COVID-19 pandemic occurred (or has been occurring). The theoretical framework was based on practice theory, and data were obtained through interviews with 12 professors of different Brazilian higher education institutions. The data were analyzed following the principles of French discourse analysis. One of the conclusions is that mastering a certain technology is not enough for an individual to use it in professional activities. The professors interviewed indicated the need to change a few subjective elements, more specifically, modify understandings and the chains of value and projects inherent in the practice of classroom teaching. The research findings contribute to researchers involved in the field of consumption interested in finding out what happens when a group of consumers adopts a new technology during a r...