One of our assignments called for us to list three things that were important to us as learners in online courses and safe and supporting conditions stood out most to me. I think all learners (as evidenced by many of my classmates' responses) list this as an important factor in online courses. It's also a component of facilitating learning. Instructors must create a safe environment so that students are encouraged to express themselves freely. I must say that each of my online courses have enabled me to freely express my ideas on topics even if my ideas/comments were not favored by all. Yet it leaves me wondering if creating a safe and supporting environment really aid in participation. Yes, there are many other factors that facilitate learning but as I previously stated, this stood out for me.
In a sense this ties back to my post about virtual communities. In each of my classes there has been a sense of community as well as safe and supporting conditions yet neither of these are what compels me to participate. Maybe, unconsciously. It's like I know there is a sense of community and that it's safe yet something still holds me back. What I have learned is that it is not an effect of distance education as I hinted towards a few posts back as I've experienced this same thing in face-to-face classes. Which of course leads back to it being something within me. I get so afraid of rejection that I hold back. And it's so frustrating because I KNOW I have so much potential. If my classes provide a safe and supporting community, why am I holding myself back. What am I afraid of???
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Constructivism
We've read many articles on different pedagogical approaches and I must say that I am rather enthralled with constructivism. Using one's prior knowledge, experience, and understanding of the world to construct new knowledge is fascinating. It's fascinating because I've never thought of learning in this manner. In my opinion, regardless of what pedagogical approach an instructor utilizes, all students tend to bring with them their own perceptions of the world and those perceptions shape any new information presented.
Of course, as with any theory, there are criticisms of constructivism. Some of the readings have presented compelling arguments against the effectiveness of constructivism but I think the good far outweigh the bad. In this day and age, the average adult learner who actively seeks knowledge (i.e. furthering their education) needs to have control over their learning and constructivism allows this. Not only constructivism but distance education classes as well since they tend to promote independence (but that's an entirely different topic). Adult learners are no longer in the phase of learning what the teacher wants them to learn by rote memorization. Instead, adult learners make an active choice to seek knowledge and therefore should be more in control of what they learn.
As an adult learner I'm quickly beginning to understand that, huge thanks in part to me being an MDE student. With any pedagogical approach I think the underlying process involves tyring to understand how students learn and how they learn best. Of course constructivism may not apply to all students (i.e. those coming from a limited background possessing little knowledge and experiences) but I'm a fan of constructivism.
And it's funny because when I first began reading about constructivism I honestly could not stand it! Now look at me.
Of course, as with any theory, there are criticisms of constructivism. Some of the readings have presented compelling arguments against the effectiveness of constructivism but I think the good far outweigh the bad. In this day and age, the average adult learner who actively seeks knowledge (i.e. furthering their education) needs to have control over their learning and constructivism allows this. Not only constructivism but distance education classes as well since they tend to promote independence (but that's an entirely different topic). Adult learners are no longer in the phase of learning what the teacher wants them to learn by rote memorization. Instead, adult learners make an active choice to seek knowledge and therefore should be more in control of what they learn.
As an adult learner I'm quickly beginning to understand that, huge thanks in part to me being an MDE student. With any pedagogical approach I think the underlying process involves tyring to understand how students learn and how they learn best. Of course constructivism may not apply to all students (i.e. those coming from a limited background possessing little knowledge and experiences) but I'm a fan of constructivism.
And it's funny because when I first began reading about constructivism I honestly could not stand it! Now look at me.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Virtual Communities/Isolation
It's interesting that I keep coming across this concept of virtual communities. It's embedded in our reading assignments and just like my last post, it's something that I had not heard considering I've been an online student for quite some time. I'm starting to realize the distinct differences between the MBA and MDE programs, which I guess should be pretty obvious. Nonetheless, this concept of virtual communities caught my attention finally. Enough to want to write a journal entry!
Just what is a virtual community? In my own words I think a virtual community is a group of people in different geographic locations having somewhat of the same interests/classes/etc. that come together in an online environment. Hmm, if it were that simple then I guess my class is considered a virtual community?? And maybe it is, but shouldn't a community make you feel as though you are connected by more than simply having the same interests or classes? If so, I have to admit that I've never felt such a thing. And for some odd reason I do not think it is the fault of the online learning community. Maybe it is. Or maybe it's both the community and myself.
I also know that there are advantages of virtual communities such as enabling learners to interact with a diverse group of people (per the readings) and I can say that I have been able to do that but something is still missing.
Many researchers say that students tend to feel a sense of isolation when taking online courses (and I think that's why virtual communities are important). Maybe because I've been an online student for such a long time and have lost that feeling you get when you interact with other students in a f2f class setting. Even when I try to become more engaged, I still feel a disconnect. Could it be the content? I don't know but it perturbs me greatly. I don't like the feeling of isolation yet it seems as if I can't do anything about it.
Just what is a virtual community? In my own words I think a virtual community is a group of people in different geographic locations having somewhat of the same interests/classes/etc. that come together in an online environment. Hmm, if it were that simple then I guess my class is considered a virtual community?? And maybe it is, but shouldn't a community make you feel as though you are connected by more than simply having the same interests or classes? If so, I have to admit that I've never felt such a thing. And for some odd reason I do not think it is the fault of the online learning community. Maybe it is. Or maybe it's both the community and myself.
I also know that there are advantages of virtual communities such as enabling learners to interact with a diverse group of people (per the readings) and I can say that I have been able to do that but something is still missing.
Many researchers say that students tend to feel a sense of isolation when taking online courses (and I think that's why virtual communities are important). Maybe because I've been an online student for such a long time and have lost that feeling you get when you interact with other students in a f2f class setting. Even when I try to become more engaged, I still feel a disconnect. Could it be the content? I don't know but it perturbs me greatly. I don't like the feeling of isolation yet it seems as if I can't do anything about it.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Is Enough Time Being Allotted to Lessons?
After the reading the article on novice instructors I was left pondering why it seemed to me that instructors focused more on delivering the content of a particular subject rather than on whether the student actually grasped what was being presented. As I stated in the discussion on this topic, in my experience with online classes I have often found that my instructors would present the content, not engage in discussion, and then move on to the next topic/objective. I initially stated that I could possibly understand why instructors would choose to do this but upon further reflection I do not agree with that anymore.
It is not beneficial to the student nor the instructor to simply rush through topics just to ensure that everything is "covered". Engaging thoroughly with the material, both the student and the professor, is how learning takes place. For example, class discussions are a huge part of an online learning environment and it is in my opinion that this is a critical component for both the student and teacher. For the student, it is to express his or her understanding of the material being presented at that time and for the teacher it is to guide that student into a deeper/richer understanding or therefore making their contribution to the discussion just as important as the student's.
One of the reasons I chose to attend UMUC was because the structure of their online learning environment did not strike me as being rushed (i.e. earn your degree in as little as a year type thing). But I have found that even in a 10-15 week course subject matter is gone over rather quickly. Maybe this is the nature of online learning. A survey on how instructors determine how much time should be spent on material would probably yield very interesting results. Interesting...
It is not beneficial to the student nor the instructor to simply rush through topics just to ensure that everything is "covered". Engaging thoroughly with the material, both the student and the professor, is how learning takes place. For example, class discussions are a huge part of an online learning environment and it is in my opinion that this is a critical component for both the student and teacher. For the student, it is to express his or her understanding of the material being presented at that time and for the teacher it is to guide that student into a deeper/richer understanding or therefore making their contribution to the discussion just as important as the student's.
One of the reasons I chose to attend UMUC was because the structure of their online learning environment did not strike me as being rushed (i.e. earn your degree in as little as a year type thing). But I have found that even in a 10-15 week course subject matter is gone over rather quickly. Maybe this is the nature of online learning. A survey on how instructors determine how much time should be spent on material would probably yield very interesting results. Interesting...
Just How Important is Technology?
There was a lot of discussion on technology in week 4. The discussion was based on technology being a driving force behind distance education. Some discussions led me to believe that the overuse of technology has hindered distance education while on the other hand technological advancements have enhanced distance education. In my opinion, technology used to deliver educational content is just as important as the content itself. I agreed with a student in stating that I agree that poor use of technology in any case can be a setback yet research shows that proper use of technology has and will continue to enable students access to unlimited knowledge and information.
In a distance education environment institutions must have in place current technology. I can understand the arguments relating to not placing so much importance on technology but at the same time it shouldn't be counted as ineffective. I also found it interesting that the type of technology used in distance education courses should be the last aspect determined in a distance education course. Why is it that it can't work both ways? Why can't you determine the type of technology you'll use and then build your course around that? I just wonder what the implications of that would be....
In a distance education environment institutions must have in place current technology. I can understand the arguments relating to not placing so much importance on technology but at the same time it shouldn't be counted as ineffective. I also found it interesting that the type of technology used in distance education courses should be the last aspect determined in a distance education course. Why is it that it can't work both ways? Why can't you determine the type of technology you'll use and then build your course around that? I just wonder what the implications of that would be....
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Reflective Thinking
I've heard the term reflective thinking countless times but it never occurred to me to discover what it really was. Considering that I've been in school for over 20 years, you'd think that I would be quite familiar with its concept. Reading Mayes' article (as well as just about everything else in this course) made me realize just how truly important reflective thinking is. Not just important, but an essential and fundamental element necessary for learning.
It is through discussion that we are able to learn, to take in other people's perceptions and we use reflective thinking to process these new perceptions and try to make sense of those new perceptions by using our own perceptions (prior knowledge). Reflective thinking allows for a greater learning experience and it's something that I becoming to understand is pretty much unavoidable. So when I really think about it, it's more than likely (highly possible) that I have utilized reflective thinking in the past without realizing it. However, now I am able to channel my thoughts in a way to get the most of learning.
I also feel as though effective reflective thinking in itself is a learning technique. What I mean is that I don't think you're a born expert, it is something that must be honed in on in order to mature to its full capability. I'm off to do some research to see if there are ways in which you can improve your reflective thinking skills, it's such a necessary concept, one that shouldn't be left unattended!
It is through discussion that we are able to learn, to take in other people's perceptions and we use reflective thinking to process these new perceptions and try to make sense of those new perceptions by using our own perceptions (prior knowledge). Reflective thinking allows for a greater learning experience and it's something that I becoming to understand is pretty much unavoidable. So when I really think about it, it's more than likely (highly possible) that I have utilized reflective thinking in the past without realizing it. However, now I am able to channel my thoughts in a way to get the most of learning.
I also feel as though effective reflective thinking in itself is a learning technique. What I mean is that I don't think you're a born expert, it is something that must be honed in on in order to mature to its full capability. I'm off to do some research to see if there are ways in which you can improve your reflective thinking skills, it's such a necessary concept, one that shouldn't be left unattended!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Recognizing That Change is Good
So last week we had to read an article by Wilson and I must say I found it rather interesting. We had to choose a line/excerpt from the article and talk about it. I liked this activity so much that I wanted to include it in my journal. Below is the excerpt I chose and my explanation as to its importance to me.
"Consistent theoretical grounding is only possible or desirable where participants share a common ideology. Examples might include the military, a small company, or a charter school. But even in these cases, constituencies have this maddening tendency to diverge off the beaten path; to seek innovation and change; to differ on even fundamental points. Resulting instructional designs are likely to be some sort of compromise, reflecting the diversity of the community. And rather than being seen as a weakness for lack of theoretical consistency, I tend to see such compromise as valuable reality checks" (Wilson, n.d., p. 7).
I found this excerpt to stand out the most for me as I constantly come across this in both my educational and professional life. In learning environments I tend to see that generally, most communities do attempt to utilize a common concept or try to generalize a theory to fit for everyone. While I can understand the implications for doing so, especially when looking at the given examples, it makes me wonder why we tend focus so much on applying a single/common theory when we as individuals are not one in the same. And even though most learning communities allow room for change and innovation, many still hold strong to a common theory across the board.
I also come across this in my daycare when managing my employees. I find myself trying to use a general theory of management practice when dealing with my employees and find myself getting frustrated when it seems as if I need to employ another theory because the current one isn't working for one or all of my employees. So what I like best about the excerpt in regards to my business is that he says to not look at it as a weakness but rather a reality check. A reality check because no matter how common the community, no one theory is going to work 100% of the time and it's okay to change it up a little. You don't have to abandon the theory in favor of a newer one, but altering it by allowing for change and innovation is best. Once you get past that, Wilson says you're beginning to account for people's needs.
"Consistent theoretical grounding is only possible or desirable where participants share a common ideology. Examples might include the military, a small company, or a charter school. But even in these cases, constituencies have this maddening tendency to diverge off the beaten path; to seek innovation and change; to differ on even fundamental points. Resulting instructional designs are likely to be some sort of compromise, reflecting the diversity of the community. And rather than being seen as a weakness for lack of theoretical consistency, I tend to see such compromise as valuable reality checks" (Wilson, n.d., p. 7).
I found this excerpt to stand out the most for me as I constantly come across this in both my educational and professional life. In learning environments I tend to see that generally, most communities do attempt to utilize a common concept or try to generalize a theory to fit for everyone. While I can understand the implications for doing so, especially when looking at the given examples, it makes me wonder why we tend focus so much on applying a single/common theory when we as individuals are not one in the same. And even though most learning communities allow room for change and innovation, many still hold strong to a common theory across the board.
I also come across this in my daycare when managing my employees. I find myself trying to use a general theory of management practice when dealing with my employees and find myself getting frustrated when it seems as if I need to employ another theory because the current one isn't working for one or all of my employees. So what I like best about the excerpt in regards to my business is that he says to not look at it as a weakness but rather a reality check. A reality check because no matter how common the community, no one theory is going to work 100% of the time and it's okay to change it up a little. You don't have to abandon the theory in favor of a newer one, but altering it by allowing for change and innovation is best. Once you get past that, Wilson says you're beginning to account for people's needs.
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