Evidence and Reflection Learning #1:
“Does learning take place differently online and in blended learning environments?”
OLTD Learning Outcomes Addressed:
- Continue from OLTD 501
- Engage in learning communities and communities of practice;
- Critically assess and evaluate resources for best practice in online learning
- Become familiar with common terms, definitions and elements related to blended and online learning environment
- Develop skills to optimize learning experiences through personalization based on characteristics, needs, stages development, current personalized learning mandates, and misconceptions.
Reflection to support evidence:
My first evidence of learning is a group project to prepare a response to the question, “Does learning take place differently online and in blended learning environments?” My group partners Helene, Angela and I were instructed to present our findings in a creative way. The process we agreed upon was a Skype session while writing a group google document. We began by making a chart comparing the differences between online, blended and face-to-face learning environments. We listed positive and negative implications of instructional delivery to a variety of learners noting supporting theorists. We then decided to create a PowToon’s video to deliver our findings.
Our group came from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Angela brought understandings of secondary blended leaning with a background in video creation. Helene provided secondary online experience and I bought elementary face-to-face and blended learning knowledge. Because of this, we decided to split the activity based on our personal strengths, which meant Helene and I worked on theory and script while Angela wheeled her magic with the video. What I learned from this experience is how much I enjoy the process of collaboration for learning. My communication had to be clear, I was required to defend my ideas and be more accountable for what I was writing. I enjoyed bouncing ideas around, sometime having my mind changed or given a new perspective by another groups members’ comments. I had an authentic experience of Connectivsim principles in action and now have a concrete understanding of the theorists and how they apply to learning frameworks. I learned far more with this activity than I would have if I had done it individually. My only regret is not having been part in the video production. I feel I missed out on a valuable learning experience so will try one on my own time.
Reflecting on my involvement in the activity gave me a concrete understanding how important it is to get students collaborating. The process of engaging online learners with a community of learning and practice is essential to build the necessary skills required in the 21st century workforce. Incorporating tools such as the Community of Inquiry framework to insure the course is being taught equally focusing on social, teacher and cognitive presence is imperative to ensure students feel encouraged and comfortable to collaborate online.
My first evidence of learning is a group project to prepare a response to the question, “Does learning take place differently online and in blended learning environments?” My group partners Helene, Angela and I were instructed to present our findings in a creative way. The process we agreed upon was a Skype session while writing a group google document. We began by making a chart comparing the differences between online, blended and face-to-face learning environments. We listed positive and negative implications of instructional delivery to a variety of learners noting supporting theorists. We then decided to create a PowToon’s video to deliver our findings.
Our group came from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Angela brought understandings of secondary blended leaning with a background in video creation. Helene provided secondary online experience and I bought elementary face-to-face and blended learning knowledge. Because of this, we decided to split the activity based on our personal strengths, which meant Helene and I worked on theory and script while Angela wheeled her magic with the video. What I learned from this experience is how much I enjoy the process of collaboration for learning. My communication had to be clear, I was required to defend my ideas and be more accountable for what I was writing. I enjoyed bouncing ideas around, sometime having my mind changed or given a new perspective by another groups members’ comments. I had an authentic experience of Connectivsim principles in action and now have a concrete understanding of the theorists and how they apply to learning frameworks. I learned far more with this activity than I would have if I had done it individually. My only regret is not having been part in the video production. I feel I missed out on a valuable learning experience so will try one on my own time.
Reflecting on my involvement in the activity gave me a concrete understanding how important it is to get students collaborating. The process of engaging online learners with a community of learning and practice is essential to build the necessary skills required in the 21st century workforce. Incorporating tools such as the Community of Inquiry framework to insure the course is being taught equally focusing on social, teacher and cognitive presence is imperative to ensure students feel encouraged and comfortable to collaborate online.
Evidence and Reflection Learning #2:
Lesson Critique
OLTD Learning Outcomes Addressed:
Lesson Critique
OLTD Learning Outcomes Addressed:
- Plan learning opportunities most suitable to the strengths and challenges of blended and online learning environments.
- Develop and design intentional learning activities suitable for the learning environment and the learner
- Incorporation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles; and
- Selection of strategies and resources appropriate for the learning environment, learners, and learning outcomes
Reflection to support evidence:
My second evidence of learning is the lesson critique. For this assignment we were instructed to critique an existing learning activity and redesign it using a given template. The activity required us to be familiar with the frameworks Understanding by Design (UbD), Universal Design for Leaning (UDL), learning theories and design principles. I selected a K-1 level social studies lesson on Friendship found in Primary Success Publications by Jean Roberts and chose the Understanding by Design framework for the redesign. The redesign of the lesson is directed towards a traditional face-to-face environment but could be easily adapted for blended learning.
The progression of remodeling this lesson reshaped my lesson planning format. The systematic approach of becoming clear in an established goal, followed by describing student understandings of exactly what I wanted the students to know facilitated the process of coming up with essential guiding questions. Once it was determined what the student would know, defining assessment was effortless, as was thinking of an accompanying rubric. Designing a variety of student activities to support learning needs and styles was an enjoyable natural next step and was again guided by what I wanted to students to know.
The main takeaway I got from this activity was how important it is to have a goal and create the supportive map to achieve it. I have followed the work of John Hattie in assessment and purpose of curriculum development for learning but had not connected the dots in a tangible way until I applied UbD framework to designing the lesson. It also brought to light how imperative it is to have clarity of goals and intentions when working in a blended and online environment where face-to-face immediate interventions may not be possible. I look forward to connecting with cohort members to share my lesson and see what others have done.