Educators & Technology: Reflections
Andragogy Seminar & Briefing Note
EDUC 5402G The Adult Learner in Digital Age
Key ideas: Andragogy
My experience in The Adult Learner in a Digital Age mostly consisted of content transmission and adjustment to the online learning transmission method. I was very nervous for my first seminar in the program, though facilitating discussion in Adobe connect quickly became second nature to me. Additionally, though the topics in this courses were initially new to me, I became accustomed over time to the introduction of foreign terms and concepts, and got more comfortable researching course syllabi on my own at the start of each new term in order to familiarize myself with course content. I am glad I chose to study adult learning because I one day hope to teach or train adults, but the course also provided valuable insight into my own leaning, a perfect place to begin the M.Ed program. This course enabled me to articulate my tendencies as a learner and locate those tendencies in learning theory which is extremely valuable. This experience was particularly useful because it allowed me to critically examine my learning style and habits in order to grow as a learner and teacher, and set me up for success in the program, while also providing a model with which to approach subsequent courses.
Artifact: My Blog & Partner Blog Assignment & Group Blog
EDUC 5105G Technology Diffusion in Education
Key ideas: change models, transformative use of technology
In Technology Diffusion, every assignment required collaboration. As a type “A” personality and a busy professional, I find this challenging, though I do recognize the necessity of collaboration for learning. Particularly difficult was the asynchronous nature of collaboration in this course.
The Ely High Blog attempted to use role-play to create an authentic problem-based learning experience for the class, though the result was not without issue. It was difficult to maintain momentum, and the urgency of solving an immediate real-life problem was lost due to the slow response time of the class and some group members. I think the exercise was well conceived in that it was meant to build knowledge socially as a group as in real-life, though the execution suffered (potentially in the same way it would in real-life). The theory we were attempting to “discover” was not discussed initially (though clearly some classmates obviously did some research before responding), and the goal was to illustrate for the class the barriers to change though the posts of the characters, and eventually arrive at the conditions as described in Ely’s Theory. Though we were not successful in the manner we had imagined at the onset, I think this blog project was interesting. I learned about the limitations and possibilities of asynchronous learning, and got a chance to brain storm, experiment, and collaborate with my colleagues in an attempt to present a new concept innovatively, asynchronously. Students had access to the same information we did, and some were not willing to “play along” with our scenario. This conclusion alone as value, as often “innovative” ideas for projects in educational settings are met with lack of buy-in by students, thus preventing desired results. This task turned out not to be as authentic as we imagined it might be, which is a good lesson for teachers seeking to better integrate technology in their lessons.
Something else I found revealing in this blog assignment, and particularly in my partner blog assignment (also for Technology Diffusion) is something Jen, my co-blogger, also noticed. Construction of knowledge only occurred in these collaboration activities where interactions were authentic. This is not to say that rudeness or unprofessionalism is ever acceptable, but healthy disagreement does much more for learning than dishonest agreement. I see this problem when I teach online ENG4U in summer school. Students are required to participate in discussions and are marked on the quality and quantity of responses to classmate’s posts. Repeatedly I remind them that “I agree” is not a discussion, nor is repeating the same ideas with slightly different examples, to no avail. Few classmates in the Ely Blog exercise were willing to challenge my character (Mrs. Changer, the Principal), even though my posts obviously displayed lack of buy-in in the change process, which left me to explain myself at the end of the activity.
In my partner blog with Jen, we did not have the same problem. I often reacted to her posts with surprising emotion and took time carefully researching and editing my answer before responding, creating a real discussion. Because we were both invested and interested in the project, and agreed to be honest and respectful, this was the first time I felt a discussion had any traction, and learning occurred.
Leadership Plan: How Technology Can Support Learning and Teaching
EDUC 5205G Leadership and Technology
Key Ideas: Transformative Education, change, professional development
When I review this artifact I am immediately reminded of how mentally exhausting it was to write this paper. My paper is in severe need of proof reading! I was attempting to connect ideas that were at the edge of my understanding, just as the type of learning I was writing about is just outside of perception. And I was writing it in July while carrying a full course load and teaching full time. I will talk more about the content of this artifact in my Future Learning section.
In this artifact I struggle to define learning and end up with “a process in context, which is never complete, with capabilities of transformative change, influenced by content”. My conclusion is slightly clearer about technology’s role in learning stating that: Technology supports learning by building rote, higher-order, and “deeper” learning by providing a vehicle for communication, collaboration, differentiation, organization and storage. Technology helps learners become systems thinkers and question assumptions about worldviews which can lead to “previously inconceivable” levels of learning, and preparation for a rapidly changing future. Though this artifact needs a lot of work to be a masters level paper, the ideas I am trying to present embody my current interest in and understanding of learning. Though I failed to make clear the connections I see between L3 learning, transformative leadership, systems thinking, and innovative technology use, I plan to continue to pursue my interest in these topics, and will again attempt to make the connections I see clear in my Final Thoughts section of my portfolio. In reflecting on this artifact I see that I sometimes get ahead of myself when I am excited about an idea and my writing suffers. As an English major I don’t believe I am a weak writer, but I need to focus more on proof reading prior to submitting assignments about which I am passionate.
EDUC 5402G The Adult Learner in Digital Age
Key ideas: Andragogy
My experience in The Adult Learner in a Digital Age mostly consisted of content transmission and adjustment to the online learning transmission method. I was very nervous for my first seminar in the program, though facilitating discussion in Adobe connect quickly became second nature to me. Additionally, though the topics in this courses were initially new to me, I became accustomed over time to the introduction of foreign terms and concepts, and got more comfortable researching course syllabi on my own at the start of each new term in order to familiarize myself with course content. I am glad I chose to study adult learning because I one day hope to teach or train adults, but the course also provided valuable insight into my own leaning, a perfect place to begin the M.Ed program. This course enabled me to articulate my tendencies as a learner and locate those tendencies in learning theory which is extremely valuable. This experience was particularly useful because it allowed me to critically examine my learning style and habits in order to grow as a learner and teacher, and set me up for success in the program, while also providing a model with which to approach subsequent courses.
Artifact: My Blog & Partner Blog Assignment & Group Blog
EDUC 5105G Technology Diffusion in Education
Key ideas: change models, transformative use of technology
In Technology Diffusion, every assignment required collaboration. As a type “A” personality and a busy professional, I find this challenging, though I do recognize the necessity of collaboration for learning. Particularly difficult was the asynchronous nature of collaboration in this course.
The Ely High Blog attempted to use role-play to create an authentic problem-based learning experience for the class, though the result was not without issue. It was difficult to maintain momentum, and the urgency of solving an immediate real-life problem was lost due to the slow response time of the class and some group members. I think the exercise was well conceived in that it was meant to build knowledge socially as a group as in real-life, though the execution suffered (potentially in the same way it would in real-life). The theory we were attempting to “discover” was not discussed initially (though clearly some classmates obviously did some research before responding), and the goal was to illustrate for the class the barriers to change though the posts of the characters, and eventually arrive at the conditions as described in Ely’s Theory. Though we were not successful in the manner we had imagined at the onset, I think this blog project was interesting. I learned about the limitations and possibilities of asynchronous learning, and got a chance to brain storm, experiment, and collaborate with my colleagues in an attempt to present a new concept innovatively, asynchronously. Students had access to the same information we did, and some were not willing to “play along” with our scenario. This conclusion alone as value, as often “innovative” ideas for projects in educational settings are met with lack of buy-in by students, thus preventing desired results. This task turned out not to be as authentic as we imagined it might be, which is a good lesson for teachers seeking to better integrate technology in their lessons.
Something else I found revealing in this blog assignment, and particularly in my partner blog assignment (also for Technology Diffusion) is something Jen, my co-blogger, also noticed. Construction of knowledge only occurred in these collaboration activities where interactions were authentic. This is not to say that rudeness or unprofessionalism is ever acceptable, but healthy disagreement does much more for learning than dishonest agreement. I see this problem when I teach online ENG4U in summer school. Students are required to participate in discussions and are marked on the quality and quantity of responses to classmate’s posts. Repeatedly I remind them that “I agree” is not a discussion, nor is repeating the same ideas with slightly different examples, to no avail. Few classmates in the Ely Blog exercise were willing to challenge my character (Mrs. Changer, the Principal), even though my posts obviously displayed lack of buy-in in the change process, which left me to explain myself at the end of the activity.
In my partner blog with Jen, we did not have the same problem. I often reacted to her posts with surprising emotion and took time carefully researching and editing my answer before responding, creating a real discussion. Because we were both invested and interested in the project, and agreed to be honest and respectful, this was the first time I felt a discussion had any traction, and learning occurred.
Leadership Plan: How Technology Can Support Learning and Teaching
EDUC 5205G Leadership and Technology
Key Ideas: Transformative Education, change, professional development
When I review this artifact I am immediately reminded of how mentally exhausting it was to write this paper. My paper is in severe need of proof reading! I was attempting to connect ideas that were at the edge of my understanding, just as the type of learning I was writing about is just outside of perception. And I was writing it in July while carrying a full course load and teaching full time. I will talk more about the content of this artifact in my Future Learning section.
In this artifact I struggle to define learning and end up with “a process in context, which is never complete, with capabilities of transformative change, influenced by content”. My conclusion is slightly clearer about technology’s role in learning stating that: Technology supports learning by building rote, higher-order, and “deeper” learning by providing a vehicle for communication, collaboration, differentiation, organization and storage. Technology helps learners become systems thinkers and question assumptions about worldviews which can lead to “previously inconceivable” levels of learning, and preparation for a rapidly changing future. Though this artifact needs a lot of work to be a masters level paper, the ideas I am trying to present embody my current interest in and understanding of learning. Though I failed to make clear the connections I see between L3 learning, transformative leadership, systems thinking, and innovative technology use, I plan to continue to pursue my interest in these topics, and will again attempt to make the connections I see clear in my Final Thoughts section of my portfolio. In reflecting on this artifact I see that I sometimes get ahead of myself when I am excited about an idea and my writing suffers. As an English major I don’t believe I am a weak writer, but I need to focus more on proof reading prior to submitting assignments about which I am passionate.