W4: Adventures in HyperDocs

Adventures in Hyper Docs

This week our class was challenged to explore the newer online teaching and learning tool, Hyper Docs. To begin, I went online and did a Google search after I read about and watched the information provided by Dr. Bigenho. Next, I followed my academic referred resources about Hyper Docs with my Google search on this Web 2.0 resource. 

HyperDocs is not just a word document or google doc with links. They are learning experiences designed, created, facilitated, and operated by the educator. These interactive learning experiences allow the teacher to set up the student's learning objectives and expectations for the students. These engaging teaching and learning experiences can be used in the active learning environment with students when the teacher creates and manages a subject matter task, assignment, or even project. Students can then use various Web 2.0 technology tools such as videos, media, presentations, and hyperlinks to other academic learning spaces online, to name a few. 

With HyperDocs for the teacher, the resources, technology tools, online links, and resources are identified before the learning experiences so that students, during the valued learning opportunities in class time, can just be focused on the learning that is ready for them in a packaged, outlined, and organized fashion. In addition, the teacher can have all of the interactive learning teaching and learning technology tools available and ready in a specific starting technology application such as Word file, Google Doc, PowerPoint, Presentation, Wakelet, or other technology tools available to the teachers and students alike for the class. 

Other considerations to consider when preparing a HyperDoc for a class are the age level of the students, grade level, subject matter, course content, pedagogy, and the perimeters and time the students will have available to cover the range through the HyperDoc. As the instructor, it is essential to consider these factors as mentioned above so that the students will all be able to have an equal and meaningful learning experience that is age and grade-level appropriate along with the subject matter and course content that suits the timeframe of the learning experience. 

HyperDocs begins with engaging, exploring, explaining, elaborating, and evaluating where the teacher sets up the interactive learning resources, links, apps, and technology tools. These five Es are listed above in this order. The purpose of this arrangement and facilitating of the HyperDocs for students is to afford students access to many technologies, tools, and resources that challenge their thinking as it relates to the subject matter and allow the students to experience multiple perspectives of the material in such a way to challenge students thinking in general as well. 

There are advantages and challenges to working with HyperDocs in teaching and learning. One advantage is that the interface is usually familiar to students and teachers. HyperDocs can be created initially using a template, or teachers can be creative and start from scratch, which doesn't box educators into one format in planning and preparation. As mentioned above, the HyperDocs can be originated with already familiar software applications and operating systems like Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office suites, Google Suites, Apple iOS, and Apple suites, to name a few popular ones. Students and teachers can upload and download these HyperDocs from the school's associated Learning Management System (LMS) using these operating systems and software applications. This format of learning material using HyperDocs allows teachers to use multiple learning resources from various sources besides just using the textbook alone, which is also incredible for learners. 

Like the advantages, there are usually challenges associated with creating, using, and managing HyperDocs. Depending on the educator's technology tools and resources, there may be an associated financial cost to use some of the technology Web 2.0 tools. Creating and using HyperDocs for teachers can initially take time and effort. Some forms of information educators may differ from the Learning Management System the school system uses. In addition, this interactive learning package of HyperDocs can take an instructor much more time to upload to the LMS than just one file per concept. 

Reflection

HyperDocs, I've learned, can be an engaging, interactive learning experience that is more meaningful for the students and the educators too! This is a new technology format, resource, and tool that educators have available in their teaching tool kit. It provides students with extensions of former teaching and learning experiences that used to be limited.