MEANINGFUL INTERACTION
As wonderful as technology is, it cannot be a substitute for quality instruction and discussion. If the only interaction online is between a student and the content, the student is more likely to fail if he/she does not possess a strong intrinsic motivation. An learning environment (even an online one) is rich if students can have rich discussions about content, meaningful group assignments, and challenging and personal feedback from an instructor. So, good teachers take heart. A device can never serve as an adequate substitute for good teaching, but it can help us expand the opportunities we give students for learning and interaction.
According to Theory and Practice of Online Learning (Anderson, 2004), students benefit in environments where there are three kinds of meaningful interaction.
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