Crafting Meaningful Reflections for ePortfolios
OLTD 501: Introduction to Online Learning
Evidence: Pecha Kucha-Learning Activity 5-eLearning Delivery Formats and Student Engagement
See attachment at the end of this reflection
OLTD Outcome Addressed: Understand, design and commit to student success in online learning environments.
This piece of evidence is my Pecha Kucha, a power point presentation. The task was to design a twenty slide power point presentation along with embedded music in relation to the statement, “I Imagine… Teaching Online.” Each slide includes a statement with related photo image that
demonstrates my understanding of student learning, and my feelings on or commitment to teaching in an online learning environment, one where all students can meet with success. We cited the source for each image; this is in direct line with our understanding of the need to protect copyright, a topic covered in this course and important for student success. My “I Imagine” statements were crafted in response to a number of factors: my teaching philosophy, my practices as an online educator, my further understanding of online learning garnered from participation in OLTD 501 and my hopes for the direction of online learning and education.
This was the first power point presentation I have ever designed. This is a tool that I have seen other teachers at our DL school use as a presentation option, this in response to students wanting the opportunity to express their understanding in other ways and teachers looking to increase engagement. I had also been thinking how I could implement this in my own courses. I have come to realize, while it is a great medium it takes much more time to create a presentation then I expected, from coming up with twenty meaningful statements relating to a specific topic, to finding twenty individual photos and finally finding and embedding appropriate music. This was a good lesson for me to learn as I take it forth to my online learning students. I want them to meet with success. I now have a different plan on how I will design/present this learning opportunity.
As teachers it is paramount that we understand how students can meet with success as learners and in response to that design an online learning environment that meets their needs. This involves looking at our practices as teachers and how our learning and understanding of the theories and theorists guides our teaching philosophy. We need to understand students’ different learning styles and how this affects our creation of the learning environment and the learning activities, including the choice of online tools. Further we need to look at how best to engage our students by creating online learning opportunities that motivate our students and take in to account the many factors that lead to student success, interactions being one of the key factors. Also we need to look at the best practices for assessment and use these in our teaching. Of importance is looking at the research and connecting with like-minded teachers and people in the field, so we are forever moving toward best practices in online learning, remembering that change is happening continually and that we are educating our students for a future we may not be able to even imagine.
In these ways we are showing our commitment to student success in online learning environments.
See attachment at the end of this reflection
OLTD Outcome Addressed: Understand, design and commit to student success in online learning environments.
This piece of evidence is my Pecha Kucha, a power point presentation. The task was to design a twenty slide power point presentation along with embedded music in relation to the statement, “I Imagine… Teaching Online.” Each slide includes a statement with related photo image that
demonstrates my understanding of student learning, and my feelings on or commitment to teaching in an online learning environment, one where all students can meet with success. We cited the source for each image; this is in direct line with our understanding of the need to protect copyright, a topic covered in this course and important for student success. My “I Imagine” statements were crafted in response to a number of factors: my teaching philosophy, my practices as an online educator, my further understanding of online learning garnered from participation in OLTD 501 and my hopes for the direction of online learning and education.
This was the first power point presentation I have ever designed. This is a tool that I have seen other teachers at our DL school use as a presentation option, this in response to students wanting the opportunity to express their understanding in other ways and teachers looking to increase engagement. I had also been thinking how I could implement this in my own courses. I have come to realize, while it is a great medium it takes much more time to create a presentation then I expected, from coming up with twenty meaningful statements relating to a specific topic, to finding twenty individual photos and finally finding and embedding appropriate music. This was a good lesson for me to learn as I take it forth to my online learning students. I want them to meet with success. I now have a different plan on how I will design/present this learning opportunity.
As teachers it is paramount that we understand how students can meet with success as learners and in response to that design an online learning environment that meets their needs. This involves looking at our practices as teachers and how our learning and understanding of the theories and theorists guides our teaching philosophy. We need to understand students’ different learning styles and how this affects our creation of the learning environment and the learning activities, including the choice of online tools. Further we need to look at how best to engage our students by creating online learning opportunities that motivate our students and take in to account the many factors that lead to student success, interactions being one of the key factors. Also we need to look at the best practices for assessment and use these in our teaching. Of importance is looking at the research and connecting with like-minded teachers and people in the field, so we are forever moving toward best practices in online learning, remembering that change is happening continually and that we are educating our students for a future we may not be able to even imagine.
In these ways we are showing our commitment to student success in online learning environments.
jane_jacek_pecha_kucha_presentation.pptx | |
File Size: | 4205 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Crafting Meaningful Reflections For ePortfolios
OLTD 501
Evidence: Online Learning Design Model-Topic 3-Design for Online Learning-Learning Activity
OLTD Outcome Addressed: Integrate current cognitive learning and brain-based learning theory
*examine current research around best practices
I have chosen my Online Learning Model as evidence to address these related learning outcomes. For this learning activity we were asked to use an online mapping tool to design an image map, which demonstrated our understanding of online learning in relation to the learning theories and theorists. As I had no previous experience in designing an image map I chose a mapping tool suggested to us by our instructor, “SmartArt” found in “Microsoft Word 2010” under the tab, insert. I created two models as I teach two very separate and distinct subjects, Math and PE, in a DL environment. We also included with this submission a write up that explained what theories and theorists we drew from in the design of our
model. As well we crafted a rationale to go with our model.
I was able to state in a word document my rationale for teaching online, by drawing on my experience as an online educator and referring to what we had learned about the theories and theorists. When it came to transferring this into an image map, I struggled. Perhaps as I drew from a few theorists for my design model or perhaps because I do not see myself as a creative person more concrete. For assistance I contacted our wonderful instructor, and with her help was able to get a frame of reference for my image and how my information could fit into my design. The next struggle was using “Smart Art”. I had difficulty figuring out how to manipulate the different graphics. I tried on my own and got frustrated. I then turned to online resources for help. I did not find the instructions on the internet sites suggested by “Google” at all helpful, plus I have always struggled with following printed instructions, such as those found in games. My son then suggested I go to “YouTube” and view a video. That was my plan for the next day. Change of plans, I ended up getting a short tutorial from a co-worker, one of her students had introduced her to the tool just a few days
before and she had shared this wonderful find with us over lunch. I found this lesson most helpful, I thought, however once home I could not manipulate the graphics the way she had. I eventually found a graphic I felt conveyed my view of student learning and my design models were created. Even as I submitted them I struggled, as I was not sure they truly showed my design on learning.
This learning activity helped me reflect on best practices for online learning. “Smart Art” offers some great graphics for students, such as Venn diagrams, but I would be very hesitant to ask them to create an image map without previous exploration. Students however may be more successful then I, as they are often more willing to take chances with technology or may already have experience using this tool. But, before asking students to use this or any other online tool I would spend a far bit of time investigating and playing, and if available take a related workshop. I would then create an online lesson /presentation, such as the one we had the opportunity to refer to for creating our Personal WebSpace on “Weebly”. In addition I would offer, for those that wish it, a face to face opportunity or for distance learners an online meeting where I would guide them through the process. Best practices for designing online learning opportunities are grounded in the research and what theorists/theories have to say. For student success in this kind of learning opportunity, one needs to look at the way the information/instructions are presented to the students and how students will interact with the learning opportunity based on their cognitive processes and learning styles.
How students see the world and interact/react to what is around them affects how they learn. This in turn is affected by students’ unique learning styles. These both have an effect on students’ success as a learner. Each of the different theories/ theorists/ schools o learning: behaviourist, cognitivist, constructivists and more recently connectivism, state that students acquire knowledge in different ways. How resources were created from the start of distance learning was guided by what the theorists had to say about cognitive learning and from research in brain-based learning. The research has looked at both distance learning and more recently online learning, and how in relation to each theory learning can be designed to best meet students’ needs. As teachers it is important to use theory to guide our teaching so we use best practices. Whether we draw from one theorist or a few it does not matter, what is of importance is that our teaching philosophy/practices are grounded in sound research. As we move forward I believe the theory of connectivism will be used more as a guide for online learning, as this is the one theory that has been developed since we became a networked world.
jane_jacek_learning_activity_3_math_process.pdf | |
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jane_jacek_learning_activity_3_pe_process.pdf | |
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jane_jacek_learning_activity_3_rationale_online_learning_model.docx | |
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jane_jacek__learning_activity_3_theorists-theories.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
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