My Last Reflection

As usual, I found this assignment to be well worth the time invested. Being able to reflect on class discussions, assignments, and readings are such crucial components of learning. Reflective thinking is defined as "the process of creating and clarifying the meaning of experience (past or present) in terms of self (self in relation to self and self in relation to the world)...[to which] the outcome of the process is changed conceptual perspective" (Boyd & Fales, 1983, p. 101). If a student wishes to benefit from knowledge presented in their classes (whether online or face-to-face) they MUST reflect on what it is they study, participate in as far as class discussions, activities, assignments, etc. Reflective thinking allows us to control our learning process which is crucial to online courses as I tend to think that online courses are usually designed from a constructivist learning theory approach and reflective thinking is definitely a key ingredient.

This assignment helped me to hone in on other perspectives that I may not have seen simply by participating in class discussions. Both utilizing both (the blog and class discussions) does give the learner the ability to incorporate new knowledge into their existing schematic to construct a new perspective, thus, true learning. I think all courses should implement some form of an activity that requires students to reflect on their class assignments.

I also found the component of this assignment where we had to respond to another student's blog quite interesting. I'm not an experienced teacher so I found it a bit difficult to respond to their reflective thinking in a manner that would help them to reach a new understanding (I believe that was a critical element of the assignment). While I think I did a good job (I'm still finishing up my responses to their posts) this was more difficult for me. It's different than responding to a post on the discussion board but AI still found it very helpful. I now know that I need to work on not just providing feedback to learners but providing feedback that offers new insight.

References

Boyd, E., & Fales, A. (1983). Reflective learning: Key to learning from experience. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23(2), 99. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete Database.

Course Design

Module 3 had me looking into the similarities and differences when it comes to instructional design and delivery for distance education and face-to-face courses. What I've discovered is that designing courses whether for distance education or face-to-face is not an easy task. I've had experience designing once course and it was a painful experience not knowing what I really needed to do. The discussion on identifying the similarities and differences in designing for an online course versus a traditional one would have come in handy as it would have set me on the path to understanding that there is a distinct difference.

However, I must state that it is a bit less complicated to point out those differences than it is to actually design the course. There are many components that start to become an exhaustive list of do's and don'ts. While I understand the lack of being "present" in the classroom poses a huge difference when it comes to how you approach course design, I'm still unsure as to why there's such a huge difference when it comes to actually designing the course. It would seem that the design that's used for face-to-face should be able to transfer over to distance education with a few tweeks and vice versa but that is not the case.

I understand that there's a different learning approach depending on which type of class you take (DE or F2F) and that plays a major role in instructional design. But I wonder if there is really a huge difference when designing a course for distance education or face-to-face or if it's not that big of a difference but seems that way when you don't fully understand course design. As I progress through the course and the overall program, it is my desire to gain a better grasp on instructional design and all its intricacies.

Assignment 1: Comparing Asynchronous/Synchronous Technologies

As noted in a previous post, our class has been undergoing discussions on asynchronous and synchronous technology. Recently, we just completed an assignment on comparing asynchronous and synchronous technologies based on their general aspects, technological and pedagogical views, and their strengths and limitations. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to approach the paper but I soon found that I had much to write about and found it quite difficult to stay under the word limit. The two technologies I chose to compare were AT&T Connect (which I had never heard of) and Moodle (which I have heard of).

What I'm finding rather interesting is that I'm starting to favor synchronous technologies a lot! As I progress through my studies I'm beginning to get a stronger grasp on what type of learner I am. That is one of the points of these classes and assignments such as these, to reflect on what you have learned and how you assimilate that information. To get back to the assignment, as I do more research on the different technologies and actually test out programs for each technology it brings me a step closer to understanding why these two technologies are equally important.

In my opinion, they should coexist within distance education courses. I think the biggest benefit is to keep students on track but still allowing that element of flexibility within their busy lives. Student retention and student success will both be higher if distance education courses employ both asynchronous and synchronous technologies. Of course some classes will need to utilize one more than the other but they definitely should coexist within one course. For some students it'll help them to stay focused by implementing synchronous class meetings and for others it'll serve as a refresher to know that they're on the right path.

All in all, I'm thoroughly enjoying researching these technologies!

Web 2.0

Now Web 2.0 is some exciting stuff! The topic dealing with Second Life really caught my attention. Utilizing Second Life as a learning tool is a GREAT idea. Being able to study online and then take virtual field trips to be able get a visual feel of what you're studying alone makes me a very interested student. Of course, it seems like the biggest drawbacks of Second Life would be that of its infrastructure and the heavy demands using Second Life places on your computer equipment. Even with that, in my opinion it still seems like a very valuable learning tool. Until the infrastructure and computer requirements are compatible for use for the majority of students, it might be best to use Second Life as a supplemental tool rather than implementing it full on for courses.

But Web 2.0 has many benefits and has changed the way we collaborate, socialize, and search for information. And it will only evolve more as technology keeps producing more and more devices enabled for web browsing. I for one use my cell phone for multiple social networking and blog sites, and even for participating in some class discussions. However, this phenomenon that is Web 2.0 makes me wonder just how much are we beginning to rely on technology. While Web 2.0 is certainly a good tool for learning, what about our dependence on it outside of learning. I wonder if the benefits of Web 2.0 outweigh a stronger dependence on such technology and any potential backfires.

Asynchronous/Synchronous

In class we explored the concept of asynchronous and synchronous technologies and the advantages and disadvantages of both. Before doing any research on the topic, my opinion was that asynchronous technology would be the better option as it allows the greatest amount of flexibility, a very important factor for me. However, after posting to the conference I was able to gain a better understanding of synchronous technology and my thoughts on which is better has changed.

For example, with synchronous technology I like that fact that there is an increase in assignment completions and student retention. I believe this is due to the fact that students have to meet at regularly scheduled times and therefore are usually always on the same page as others so no one gets left behind. While I love the flexibility I have with asynchronous learning, I often find that I fall behind in assignments due to my extremely heavy workload. I think it would benefit me tremendously if I had to "check in" at a particular time and would stay more on task.

One of the disadvantages I discovered with asynchronous learning was the loss of certain aspects of community and interaction. Throughout my time with UMUC, I've stated in other classes that even though I'm in a class with other students I feel a sense of isolation, as if I'm here but not really here. I don't really feel as if I'm part of a group but rather an individual who provides input on a discussion topic and no more. Perhaps the next discussion on Second Life will enlighten me as to how I can feel more connected to my learning environment.

Overall, I think this topic discussing asynchronous and synchronous technologies was effective because it makes you look at both viewpoints and not just the one you prefer (which I know you should do anyway as a learner). I think a mixture of both would benefit many students and give them (and myself) that balance that may be missing.

Welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog on Technology in Distance Education. I'm currently enrolled in University of Maryland University College's Master of Distance Education program. Currently, I am a student in course entitled, "Technology in Distance Education" and what I hope to do with this blog is to reflect on the course's reading assignments and ideas that may arise from my participation in the class conferences and assignments.

Reflective thinking is a big part of education in general and being able to delve for a deeper understanding in this course will enable me to interact with the material more passionately and form a richer relationship with the material.

So stay tuned for more insight into this course and I welcome and appreciate any and all feedback!