Lesson 3 - Implementing Online Learning

8.1. Live or Recorded

These are fairly obvious in their meaning. Live media by definition are face-to-face events, such as lectures, seminars, and one-on-one face-to-face tutorials. A ‘live’ the event requires everyone to be present at the same place and time as everyone else. This could be a rock concert, a sports event, or a lecture. Live events, such as for instance a seminar, work well when personal relations are important, such as building trust, or for challenging attitudes or positions that are emotionally or strongly held (either by students or instructors.)  The main educational advantage of a live lecture is that it may have a strong emotive quality that inspires or encourages learners beyond the actual transmission of knowledge or may provide an emotional ‘charge’ that may help students shift from previously held positions. Live events, by definition, are transient. They may be well remembered, but they cannot be repeated, or if they are, it will be a different experience or a different audience. Thus, there is a strong qualitative or affective element about live events.

Recorded media on the other hand are permanently available to those possessing the recording, such as a video cassette or an audio cassette. Books and other print formats are also recorded media. The key educational significance of recorded media is that students can access the same learning material an unlimited number of times, and at times that are convenient for the learner.

Live events, of course, can also be recorded, but as anyone who has watched a live sports event compared to a recording of the same event knows, the experience is different, with usually, a lesser emotional charge when watching a recording (especially if you already know the result). Thus, one might think of ‘live’ events as ‘hot’ and recorded events as ‘cool.’ Recorded media can, of course, be emotionally moving, such as a good novel, but the experience is different from actually taking part in the events described.