The brief.
As you might expect from a final synthesis, we were invited in this assignment to consider all of the diverse elements from the course and how they shaped and influenced our learning. We were also invited to incorporate diverse media sources in our synthesis. I tried using Miro to create graphics for my synthesis, with mixed reception.
In the
beginning.
There was our idea of what the class would be about and help us to achieve. Our very first submission for the course was called a flight path and it encouraged us to think about what our learning goals would be for the course ahead. Looking back at this early attempt at predicting my learning it became clear I was a bit disorganized and was perhaps trying to do too many things. See a summary of my original goals in the graphic above.
In the end.
After taking the course, and looking at where I made progress, I revised my concept map portraying my flight plan. While writing and planning my original flight path I remember being particularly struck by the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FNESC, 2015) as an English as an Additional Language teacher. I think so often we don't think of the learning experience that holistically and consider the school environment as almost a workplace. Personal issues should be left at the doorstep and not brought into the classroom. EAL doesn't work that way though with issues around homesickness, adjusting to a whole different lifestyle and learning environment, financial difficulties, etc. Thinking about teaching and addressing some of these problems together, or being accommodating of them, used to make me feel quite uncomfortable. I think noticing this in my initial flight path helped me zero in on the modules in the course that dealt with learning as whole-learner journey.
At the same time as I was working toward these learning path goals, several other goals emerged as I was exposed to more information and ways of thinking about educational technology. In order to explain my course experiences, I iterated on the map to better show how the readings, discussions, case studies, videos and projects influenced me and helped me meet my goals.
Course experience.
The concept map above synthesizes the varied course experiences we shared and relates the ones I felt impacted by to the learning goals from my flight path. You can see that several weeks had readings or case study discussions that impacted my personal goals of finding more collaborative and imaginative ways to set up content and activities online - these are indicated in pink. The orange section relates the experiences I had that met two of the goals from Chickering & Ehrmann (1996), while the purple describes experiences that met my goals related to the First Peoples Principles of Learning (2018). Many of these experiences were connected with and interrelated with each other so you'll find them sitting between goals in zones rather than connected with arrows. I cherry-picked the experiences that resonated with me the most throughout the map, such as key readings I couldn't stop thinking about, case studies that pushed the boundaries of my experiences in education, and discussions that felt revelatory. Finally, I felt I best showed my learning in my Moodle course design and so the pieces of information that most profoundly impacted that project are indicated in the blue dots connected with arrows in the outer ring. To make the map bigger, open it in a new tab and zoom in on the part you want to see.
Watch it unfold.
Watch a step-by-step guide through the concept map.
The takeaways and moving forward.
The final set of course readings really helped me to reflect on where I want to go next in my journey with educational technology. The two I found most interesting in framing my ideas were Alexander's (2014) predictions and the Educause (2020) HORIZON report. I have just completed a curriculum review and revision in my program and after reading the Alexander (2014) paper and his ideas about flipped learning I think my next steps will be to further exploit the use of our Moodle LMS to attempt creating this idealized vision of synchronous learning experiences that are centered around active learning in context-rich environments. I have already 'flipped' a lot of our English language learning fundamentals but I think with some more attention paid to asynchronous self-study activities we can push that even further to take controlled practice out of the lesson space entirely, leaving it free for production tasks and feedback.
As an instructor that engages partly with teaching game design, media arts, and other media-rich content, what Alexander says about relying more on student content creation and gamified lesson structures also struck a chord. Here, I think the future is more 'now' than 'future' but I believe that what has started among educators in some disciplines will spread and become more normalized and expected. The pandemic pulled this idea into sharper focus and for me, renewed my focus in creating motivating experiences for learners that allow for maximum learner input and low barrier-to-access experiences that aren't as load-bearing for learners. For example, I have been and will continue to focus on scaffolding tasks that involve a lot of learner input to make sure those responsibilities don't rest solely on their shoulders. Anderson's (2008) concept of teacher-presence has a lot to do with that I think. I want to make sure the input learners provide doesn't make up the entire learning experience, but is supported by teacher efforts.
Finally, the Educause (2020) HORIZON report articulated very well what I want for myself as a set of long term goals as they relate to being a learning designer. I am a learning designer, but I'm on a team that doesn't define that term or call me by its name. I think the section in the report describing the collaborative role of a learning designer embodies everything I want from this vocation. In fact, I plan to use the description of the LD profession on page 23 to restructure my website, time-permitting. The toolbox has really helped me understand where I need to develop and demonstrate my competencies in the future. See the diagram below for more information (not exhaustive, just some ideas). I learned so much from this course and I'm truly excited to see where my design journey takes me.
References.
Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia [ARPDC] (2018). Weaving ways: Indigenous ways of knowing in classrooms and schools. Retrieved from http://empoweringthespirit.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Weaving-Ways-IntroductoryDocument-10-09.pdf
Alexander, B. (2014). Higher education in 2024: Glimpsing the future. Educause Review, 4(5) Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2014/9/higher-education-in-2024-glimpsing-the-future
Anderson, T. (2008a). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 343-365). Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Anderson, T. (2008b). Towards a theory of online learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 45-74). Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S., C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6. Retrieved from http://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples.htm
Ciampa, K. (2013). Learning in a mobile age: An investigation of student motivation. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 30(1), 82–96.
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (Eds.). (2010). The nature of learning: Using research to Inspire practice. OECD Publications: Paris, France. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
Educause. (2020). Horizon report: Teaching and learning edition. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/-/media/files/library/2020/3/2020_horizon_report_pdf.pdf?la=en&hash=08A92C17998E8113BCB15DCA7BA1F467F303BA80
FNESC (2015). The First Peoples principles of learning. Retrieved from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/aboriginal-education/principles_of_learning.pdf
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2017). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
Mazur, E. [Derek Bok Center, Harvard University]. (2013, Nov 19). Assessment: The Silent Killer of Learning [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzn9RAJG6Q
McErlean, K. (2018). Interactive narrative. In Interactive narratives and transmedia storytelling: Creating immersive stories across new media platforms (pp. 120-151). New York: Routledge.
McTighe, J., and Wiggins, G. (2004). Introduction: The logic of backward design. Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Osterweil, S., Shah, P., Allen, S., Groff, J., & Sai Kodidala, P., & Schoenfeld, I. (2015). Summary report: A framework for evaluating appropriateness of educational technology use in global development programs. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts & The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India. Retrieved from https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/115340/Summary%20Report_A%20Framework%20for%20Evaluating%20Appropriateness%20of%20Educational%20Technology%20Use%20in%20Global%20Development%20Programs.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y
Tobin, T. J. (2014). Increase online student retention with universal design for learning. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 15(3), 13-24.