Category: Distributed and Open Learning

Module 5: Metaphorically Speaking

On November 18, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

Hi there everyone! Welcome to my last learning portfolio blog post of the year! For this module, we discussed educational metaphors, and I wanted to share my favourite one and my visual representation of it with you all.

Schooling is a vaccine for ignorance.
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One of humanity’s most significant challenges is ignorance—the lack of reliable information about and knowledge of our natural world (Trevors and Saier, 2011). Especially over the last few years, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ignorance of people has become more prominent and noticeable. Ignorance is when one lacks knowledge or education and does not have a complete set of skills to think critically, be mindful of others’ beliefs, values, and emotions, or respect others for their differences.

Essentially, this metaphor suggests that the cure for ignorance is education. In other words, to avoid ignorance, one must be educated and have prior experience and knowledge to think critically, be mindful of others, and respect others for their differences. Attending school and being educated is proven to help people develop social awareness (Trevors and Saier, 2011). In education settings, we have been taught the educational curriculum, such as English and math, but also the hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum is what we are indirectly taught in school—we do not notice we are being taught this curriculum. The hidden curriculum is unwritten rules of the world, unspoken expectations, unofficial norms, desired behaviours, values, and social and cultural messages.

Click here for more about the hidden curriculum.

In many societies, education is used to decrease violence and discrimination in a society (Drew, 2022). For example, in some cultures, children are sent to school in order to deter them from joining gangs or committing crimes. Essentially, school is offered as an ‘alternative’ to criminal life. Further, here in Canada, we are taught about various ethnic and cultural groups. Being taught about various ethnic and cultural groups and their beliefs and values teaches students to be respectful of others and that one person matters just as much as the next.

When people attend school and receive a quality, unbiased education, they learn about values, ethics and compassion. This hidden curriculum influences students to be critical thinkers, good decision-makers, and empathetic toward others.

To illustrate this metaphor, I have created this visualization that shows someone about to get picked by a needle full of the hidden curriculum that is taught in schools.

My visualization of “Schooling is a vaccine of ignorance.”

Despite this metaphor seeming quite powerful and simple, it is extremely flawed. Students can learn ignorance, just as they can learn how not to be ignorant. School is just one part of a student’s life; there is also home life. At home, parents might teach their children different values, behaviours, and social and cultural messages that conflict with what’s being taught in school. Also, peers have a huge impact on the development of beliefs. Some students may learn something at home, which they will then bring to school and share with their other peers. Thus, many develop beliefs that are very harmful and hurtful to others. Schooling and receiving an education is just one small part of the cure for ignorance alongside home life and peer influence.

Reflecting on this metaphor, I believe it is important that we always consider and keep in mind the hidden curriculum we might be teaching in schools or that we might be learning in school. Further, teaching curriculum, such as why it is not acceptable to be racist, is essential. In order for students to get the most out of their education, teachers need to be willing to tackle big issues, such as racism and discrimination. Thus, I believe the metaphor that school is the vaccine for ignorance Should be considered when administrators are developing policies and when school boards and education ministers are revising curriculum. It is essential that students are offered the chance to learn more than just English and science. Students should have the chance to be able to learn how the world works.

I chose this learning portfolio activity prompt because I thought the idea of making a visualization was very interesting. I love having the chance to be creative and interpret the various meanings of metaphors. Further, visualizations can be very impactful, and I can use this visualization in other parts of my life as well in order to make an impact on society and education.

Thank you for reading! I hope that you enjoyed it.

Amelia 🙂

References

Trevors, J. T., & Saier, M. H., Jr (2011). A Vaccine Against Ignorance?. Water, air, and soil pollution, 220(1-4), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-011-0773-1

Drew, C., (2022). 23 Metaphors About School and Education. Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/metaphors-about-school-education/

Module 4: Open Pedagogy

by ariehl

On October 31, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

When I first heard the term open pedagogy, I freaked out because it sounded super complicated. However, open pedagogy is the use of open educational practises (OEP) and resources (OER) to support learning and share material and content (Hegarty, 2015). Examples of open pedagogy include Websites or textbooks in which many people can contribute and free online education platforms, otherwise known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

To fully experience a MOOC, I signed up for a beginner digital photography course through Alison. I love taking photos, so it would be good to have some educational experience to back up my portfolio. I enjoyed this first class so much that I signed up for two more: intermediate and advanced digital photography. Each course is organized with various units, such as working your camera, photographic techniques, and how to use multiple editing platforms. Further, each unit has subtopics. For example, the unit on how to work your camera includes sub-topics, such as how to clean your camera and set the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

If you are interested in a MOOC, here is a link to Alison! They offer many different courses, and they are a well-established MOOC.

Throughout my experience with this course, there were few options for interacting with other students or an instructor; however, if I needed help navigating the website or had any questions about the material, I could contact someone via the chat box.

Upon completion of each unit, there were quizzes to complete. To move on to the next unit, I needed to achieve a specific grade; otherwise, I would have to try the quiz again. Further, to sum up, for each course, there was a large quiz at the end, in which I needed to achieve a particular grade to earn the certificate.

Compared to my more traditional courses, this learning experience proved to be a legitimate, autonomous, practical learning experience. My digital photography courses through Allison were legitimate as they were created based on a combination of various facts and research from camera manufacturers and world-renowned photographers. Further, my experience was autonomous as I could complete my course independently and on my own timeline. Also, for me, this was a practical learning experience as digital photography is one of my interests, and it’s something that I would like to know more about so that I can take better photos. Buy more traditional courses are legitimate; however, they are not so much autonomous as I usually have to follow a strict schedule curated by professors. Sometimes my learning experiences in my traditional courses are not so practical as I often have to take courses that I am not interested in, such as computer science.

This MOOC should be considered an xMOOC. An xMOOC is a “space where students are introduced to core skills and concepts and can lightly apply the skills and concepts,” whereas a cMOOC is a “massive space for students, and anyone can share and critique each other’s projects, building a community around doing” (Caulfield, 2013).

Click here for more on the differences between an xMOOC and a cMOOC.

Based on my experience, the MOOC I completed is open. This MOOC is open as all I needed to do to enrol in my course was to create an account, which anyone can do with an email. The format was straightforward to follow, some videos accompanied the text, and the quizzes were relatively easy to complete if you followed along with the material in each unit. However, to get the certificate of completion from Alison at the end of a course, you need to pay a small fee to prove that you completed the course. For many, this fee might make Alison’s courses not open to all. Many people use MOOCs for free education from reputable resources to gain employment. Therefore, the price to get the certificate of completion may be difficult for some to accomplish.

I chose to do this learning activity because I am learning not only about open pedagogy but also about photography. Essentially, this was a two-for-one experience that I enjoyed. I learn best through completing an assignment hands-on, so being able to research open pedagogy through experience, helped me fully understand what open pedagogy is. From my experience, I learned that there are many platforms in which MOOCs are offered, so it’s essential to do some research and choose a platform with a good reputation. Suppose you take a MOOC to use the certificate on a resume. In that case, it’s essential to consider the importance of the platform you use to ensure your certificate is as credible as possible.

I hope you enjoyed 🙂

Amelia

References

Caulfield, M. (2013). XMOOC communities should learn from cmoocs. EDUCAUSE. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2013/7/xmooc-communities-should-learn-from-cmoocs

Hegarty, B. (2015). Attributes of Open Pedagogy: A Model for Using Open Educational Resources. Educational Technology, 55(4), 3-13. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/stable/44430383

Module 3: Universal Design for Learning Framework

by ariehl

On October 17, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

This module taught us about accessibility, diversity, privacy, and ethics in learning and learning environments. Throughout my blog post today, I would like to discuss how the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework applies to a topic I have previously taught to students.

In one of my past university courses, I created a presentation for an assignment, and my professor asked me to come to teach it in their middle year’s classroom. I will discuss this presentation and the parts of it which reflect the UDL framework for learning.

Here is a copy of my PowerPoint presentations to follow along.

I prepared a video walkthrough of my UDL PowerPoint incase you don’t feel like reading 🙂

The first thing that you will notice in this PowerPoint is that it is colourful and very blue. I have purposely chosen these colours as they are high in contrast, or not colours that are commonly associated with colour blindness, and are exciting to look at. Often times slideshow creators select colours that do not contrast with each other, are challenging to read, or do not consider colour blindness. Colour choice and contrast are essential in a UDL so that information is easy to access, read, and see (IDRC, n.d.).

Next, you will notice that information is offered in more than one format. Students can read the text on each slide while they listen to the instructor present the information. There are also visuals and graphics to help enhance understanding. Further, there are engaging videos throughout the slideshow. Another noteworthy mention is that for each activity, there is a description of it that students can refer to while completing the activity.

Overall, this slideshow supports a UDL as it presents the lesson’s goals, includes various teaching methods, incorporates various materials, and includes an assessment activity for each topic to ensure student understanding (CAST, 2018). Students must know the lesson’s goals to understand the important takeaways (CAST, 2018). Further, not every student learns the same, so presenting the information using various methods with various materials will help ensure every student can be included in the lesson and be successful (CAST, 2018). Lastly, assessment is essential, and students expect assessment (CAST, 2018). Each assessment activity is different and can be modified on the spot to be done individually, in groups, or as a class, depending on the needs of the students

I chose this learning portfolio prompt because I am passionate about inclusion in the learning environment, which is fostered when a teacher has prepared a UDL. Essentially, I learned that a UDL is when a lesson is optimized to ensure learning and success for all. Teachers can create a lesson that adheres to every individual’s needs in their classroom to avoid any challenges that can be faced when teaching the lesson and help everyone feel included and welcomed in a learning environment.

Hope you enjoyed the read 🙂

Amelia

References

Inclusive Design Research Centre. (n.d). What is inclusive design? Inclusive Design Research Centre. https://idrc.ocadu.ca/about/philosophy/

“About UDL” from CAST (2018) http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/udl_about

Module 2 : Connectivism in Psychology

by ariehl

On October 1, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

Hi everyone!

Module 2 on identity, community, space, and place covers topics of digital identity and digital spaces. A concept I found particularly interesting in this module was the theory of connectivism.

According to Siemens (2005), connectivism is “the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories.” In other words, collectivism is when learning occurs through connected peers and sharing opinions, views, and ideas—it is a collaborative process. In collectivism, there are four activities: aggregation, relation, creation, and sharing. Aggregation is when “learners access and curate a wide range of resources; relation, in which learners are encouraged to relate content to their earlier experiences; creation, in which learners are encouraged to create an artifact of their own; and sharing, in which learners share their work with others in the network” (Weller, 2020).

I study the discipline of psychology, where collectivism is not used much. Currently, in psychology, professors use learning approaches such as behaviourism and cognitivism. If psychology were to design a course that emulates connectivisim, content delivery would change drastically. Instead of lecture and exam-based learning, psychology classes would have to focus on discussion-based and community education. Further, if connectivism were to be employed in psychology classes, students would need to be provided more opportunities to make choices about learning. More ways that connectivism can be utilized in psychology classes are through group projects, discussions, and engaging with other people. These methods would entirely change the format of psychology courses.

Here’s a brief video for more about the discipline of psychology!

Considering the four key activities (aggregation, relation, creation, and sharing), here is an example of what they would look like in a psychology class. For example, a professor could ask us to write a group essay on a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). To complete this group essay, learners with me to explore various resources (aggregation), relate the information in these resources to our own experiences (relation), create the paper itself (creation), and share our essay with others in our class (sharing) in hopes of creating some sort of discussion.

As I stated earlier, employing connectivism in our learning would drastically change the teaching mode. Rather than using lecture-based classes and giving exams, professors would need to provide opportunities for students to work together on group projects, engage in discussions, and create more opportunities for students to interact with one another and discuss course content.

Further, because students would be engaging in so much group work, professors would need to evaluate us on this work as we would not have much time for other assessments such as quizzes or exams. To create a class that strictly employs connectivism, assessments would need to be based on group work.

Employing connective ism in a psychology class would not be a successful paradigm for psychology. The education of psychologists is held to a very high standard, with many concepts and items we must learn to advance to a master’s degree or a doctorate. Professors need to be sure that we completely understand all of the material being presented to us, rather than just a few items that the assigned group work covered. This is why psychology classes are primarily lecture-based, with exams as assessments.

Connectivism places a lot of emphasis on group work and discussion-based learning, which could pose some potential obstacles to learners, instructors, and institutions. A potential challenge for learners could be that some people just do not learn from discussions. For instructors, a potential challenge could be creating various activities for assessment that employ connectivism. Lastly, a potential challenge for the institution could be that students are not learning what they should be in class because groups are not focusing on all the material presented, just a few significant concepts.

Here’s a short video for more information on connectivity in the classroom!

I chose this learning portfolio prompt because I am interested in learning theories and how people might learn best. It intertwines with psychology as people are unique; therefore, people are unique in how they learn. I also thought it would be enjoyable to relate this learning theory to my discipline of psychology. Finally, this activity made me appreciate how my professors currently run their psychology courses, as I very much enjoy your lecture-based learning and exams as assessments.

Thanks for the read 🙂

References

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://er.dut.ac.za/bitstream/handle/123456789/69/Siemens_2005_Connectivism_A_learning_theory_for_the_digital_age.pdf

Weller, M. (2020). “Chapter 17 – 2010 Connectivism.” 25 Years of Edtech. AU Press. https://read.aupress.ca/read/25-years-of-ed-tech/section/198057f5-1a3e-4436-a4b8-c6e1a3e0bd69#ch17.

Module 1: Learning Theories

by ariehl

On September 21, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

Hi there!

After reading the article, “The nature of knowledge ad the implications for teaching,” in the book “Teaching in a Digital Age” by Bates (2022), I started thinking of my own experiences with these learning theories.

As a psychology major, behaviourism is a theory that I am very familiar with because it is mentioned in every class. Behaviourism learning is accomplished when a proper response is demonstrated following a specific environmental stimulus (Bates, 2022). This sounds complicated, but we have probably all experienced this in the vast amount of time spent in school! For example, Behaviourism is when a child misbehaves in class, the teacher takes something away from the child, and then that undesired behaviour becomes desirable when the child stops misbehaving. Just as teachers reinforce the behaviour with punishments, they also use rewards, such as class parties at the end of the week, if the class demonstrates desirable behaviour (Staddon, 2021). Another example of behaviourism I have experienced is when I receive immediate feedback on an assignment or a correct answer to a class question, quiz, test, or exam (Bates, 2022).

Cognitivism is very helpful when teaching more complex and abstract ideas, such as when knowledge can be simplified and applied to different topics and contexts (Bates, 2022). An example of cognitivism that I have encountered was in ED-D 101. This class placed great emphasis on how we receive information, organize that information, store the information, and then retrieve this information. To do so, we completed weekly readings; we were then influenced to create study plans to study to work on organizing and storing the information; then, at the end of the week, we were given a quiz to work on the retrieval of this information. This example uses approaches to learning such as Bloom’s taxonomy (Bloom et al., 1956), which is one of the most popular theories of cognitivism in education (Bates, 2022).

Next, constructivism states that learning happens by creating meaning from experience (Bates, 2022). Constructivism may sound like a foreign concept; however, we use it daily. Every time we reflect on our work, participate in discussion forums or do group work and projects, we learn through personal experience. The constructivist approach also emphasizes problem-solving (Bates, 2022). When we solve problems, we apply everything we have learned to our current experience. Depending on the result of the solution, we may learn what worked well and what did not work well. Bates (2022) discusses how “constructivists believe that learning is a constantly dynamic process.” In other words, This means that we are always building upon what we have previously learned with new information, just as we do while problem-solving. In connectivism, “learning can reside outside of ourselves” (Bates, 2022). An example of connectivism that I, like many, have experienced is

Lastly, connectivism states that “knowledge is created beyond the level of individual human participants, and is constantly shifting and changing” (Bates, 2022). In connectivism, “learning can reside outside of ourselves”, with the help of technology (Bates, 2022). An example of connectivism that I, like many, have experienced is using websites and social media. Various websites, such as Wikipedia, and social media, such as Twitter, promotes group discussion. This discussion, therefore, allows for various viewpoints and beliefs for us to learn and consider for ourselves, and thus learning occurs outside of ourselves.

I have chosen this Learning Portfolio activity prompt as I am a psychology major hoping to continue my education by pursuing my Master of Education in Counselling Psychology. Studying learning theories will be pertinent to my future education and career opportunities. As a behaviour technician and teacher, I am passionate about providing the best education possible for my children. It is important to learn about many types of learning theories so that we can provide the best possible education for our students. All in all, as Ertmer and Newby (2013) and other authors, such as Beauchamp and Parsons (2000), say, no learning theory is better than the rest. An instructor using many learning theories within their instruction will provide the best learning experience for their students—this should be the most important goal as educators.

References

Bates, A., (2022). Teaching in a digital age. BC Campus. (3rd). https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev3m/chapter/3-3-cognitivism/

Beauchamp, L, & Parsons, J. (2000). Teaching From The Outside In. Edmonton AB: Duval House.

Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43–71.

Staddon, J. E. R. (2021). The new behaviorism: Foundations of behavioral science (Third ed.). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Learner Profile

by ariehl

On September 9, 2022

In Distributed and Open Learning, edci339

Hi there! I am Amelia Riehl (she/her), and I am very excited about this course. I have taken a few EDCI courses in the past, and I loved them, so I decided to sign up for this course. I have also learned a fair bit about open learning, so the title of this course piqued my interest. I hope to learn more about open and distributed learning and how it can be optimized for student potential.

I am starting my last year of my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Education. This class fits my studies wonderfully as I am passionate about elementary childhood education and child and adolescent mental health.

Outside of my studies, my interests and hobbies include lifeguarding, teaching swimming lessons and first aid, swimming, soccer, adventuring outdoors, and photography. I also love travelling home to northern Manitoba to see my friends and family.

I used to dislike group work; however, in my recent EDCI courses, I have grown to enjoy it. Group work allows for great collaboration and teamwork, not to mention it’s fun to get to know others and understand their opinions! I have no preference to work alone or with others, as long as the job is completed. I’m a natural leader, so I typically take charge when working in group situations. I love good collaboration, and I also enjoy working alone.

I’m excited to start this course and look forward to meeting you all!

Thanks for the read 🙂