End of Part 2 Blog: My Learning Experiences with Teaching and Learning Online.
Final Blog
Overall, all the content and learning materials I was presented with were very informative. In Week 7 Unit 6, we were presented with Digital Portfolios. I knew about portfolios because at one point in time I was an elementary major. We were supposed to put a portfolio together throughout our journey as future educators. I did start it, but then I changed majors and did not think about it again. I then ended up working in the Division of Liberal Arts at Governors State University where I came across portfolios again. These were presented in a good quality three ring binder, and many of the items it contains are inserted in plastic sheet protectors. I started asking questions about them and found that in Academia we need to put one together for several reasons. It allows you to expand on your resume in a more comprehensive manner. In a resume, we are limited to one or two pages and having a portfolio allows you to expand as fully as you want to on any area of your expertise. Most institutions require a portfolio in order to get tenure. I became more interested in this topic because I needed to learn what should go into these portfolios in order to be hired in Academia. For this reason, this Unit’s information was very informative.
What exactly is a portfolio? A portfolio is a showcase of your achievements and talents, which can be used to show samples of your work. This work includes work certificates, diplomas, awards, letters of recommendation, and so on. It is most often presented in a three ring binder. Today we are moving from physical portfolios to electronic ones. First, we need to get informed about the definitions used when talking about portfolios. In the portfolio literature, we refer to an artefact. This simply means a document or piece of work. Captions mean a brief explanatory reflection on a piece of work in a portfolio. Finally Evidence of Learning in a Portfolio, which simply has the Artefact, the Reflection (the Learner’s Rationale) and Validation (a Teacher’s Evaluation).
We need to save every document to display our work, this document needs a caption. When people look for evidence of your learning experience in a portfolio, there are three components. First, there is the artefact. The second component is the learner’s reflection on that work, or their rationale or argument about why this artefact demonstrates achievement of a particular goal or learning outcome. Finally, when this evidence is used for high stakes assessment, which is a teacher or assessor’s evaluation of that work.
This unit for me was very informative and useful. I have decided to start building on my digital portfolio. In my opinion, an electronic portfolio will be much easier to maintain and I will be able to use novelty to make mine stand out from the rest. I can use a variety of backgrounds, graphics, and colors to display my work. This will be more organized and detailed to my needs. My portfolio will be able to demonstrate tangible proof of my skills and abilities. Many people when interviewed will talk about their work and I will actually show samples of my work or letters of commendation testifying to the quality of my work. In a digital portfolio, you never have to worry about not finding what you are looking for. When the opportunity arises, everything will be in one place and protected. For your job search, performance appraisal, or application for a promotion all you will need to do is go to your digital portfolio. In today’s world of technology, everyone should go in that direction and have a digital portfolio, but you will be shocked how many people don’t have one. Employers are not used to seeing portfolios on a regular basis and it is to your advantage when you present them with yours and this will really help you stand out from the crowd.
A list of what can go into your portfolio.
Your career goals or career mission statement.
A copy of your resume.
A list of your skill sets or competencies.
Letters of reference or recommendation from previous employers, from volunteer work, from work-study programs such as campus jobs, internships, co-op programs, summer jobs, Peer Tutoring, and so on.
Transcripts.
A summary of community service or volunteer work you have done.
Academic awards.
Copies of educational certificates, diplomas, or degrees.
Copies of positive performance appraisals.
E-mails, thank you letters, and handwritten notes complimenting you on a job well done.
Company announcements of promotions, awards or achievements.
Documents you may have designed-brochures, flyers, pamphlets, report covers, reports.
Flyers, conference brochures, or other materials describing presentations, workshops or seminars you have presented.
If you are into creative arts, you might include a video you have made or photos of a display of your work.
Photographs representing projects you have been involved in. (For example, a photograph of a conference display booth you created for a previous employer.)
As you gain more experience, you will want to include:
A list of articles you have published.
Samples of articles you have published.
A report on research you have conducted.
Articles written about you or projects you have been involved in (newspapers, company newsletters, etc.)
A list of professional memberships or associations you belong to that are work-related, including any special committees on which you serve.
Copies of evaluations from a workshop you presented or a speech you made.
The best time to start assembling your portfolio is ….NOW! Don’t wait until you have a job interview tomorrow and you need to put it together right away. Assembling a portfolio takes time, and you want to do a good job on it to ensure that it is a positive reflection of you and your skills. Remember you portfolio is your work in progress. Update it with each new achievement and each new resume that you prepare. Do not worry if you do not have a lot to put in it at first. Whenever you participate in a project or committee, or you produce something, think about what you can put in your portfolio to represent that achievement.
You can find more information at http://www.georgebrown.ca/saffairs/stusucc/portfolio.aspx
Week 8 & 9, Unit 7: Learning Theories and Instructional Concepts
This unit was also very informative and extremely useful and in my opinion intriguing. The assigned readings were very interesting. We read Foundations of Educational Theory for online learning. There is an ongoing debate about whether it is the use of a particular delivery technology or the design of the instruction that improves learning (Clark, 2001; Kozma, 2001). In these readings we covered the Benefits of Online Learning, Designing Online Learning Materials, Schools of Learning, Behaviorist School of Learning, Implications for Online Learning, Cognitivist School of Learning Part 1:Memory, Cognitive School of Learning Part 2: Individual Differences, Constructivist School of Learning, Learner Preparation, Learner Activities, Learner Interaction, Learner Transfer, and Looking ahead. All three theories behaviorist, cognitive, and constructivist have contributed in different ways to the design of online materials, and they will continue to be used to develop learning materials for online learning. This unit also contained information about theories. It had the following topics discussed in more detail. Attributes of Learning, Learner Centered, Knowledge Centered, Assessment Centered, Community Centered, Affordances of the Net, The Role of Interaction in Online Learning, Defining and Valuing Interaction in Online Learning, Student-student Interaction, Student-teacher Interaction, Student-content Interaction, Teacher-teacher Interaction, Teacher-content Interaction, Content-content Interaction, and it shows a model of E-learning. There are also the following topics discussed Online Learning and the Semantic Web, and Toward a Theory of Online Learning.
This unit addressed the learning theories and instructional strategies matrix. It was very interesting to learn that the behaviorist model is still being used by educators.
Week ten, Unit 8 Online Pedagogy.
This unit focused on the online pedagogy and how effective instructional and technological online strategies. It explained the Instructional Approach with Teacher-centered and Student-centered explanations. It was interesting to read that good teaching is good teaching regardless of the delivery format. Good pedagogy involves several factors: student-instructor interaction, active involvement of students in the learning process, constructive feedback on student progress, time on task, communication on high expectations, and respect for diverse talents and ways of learning.
Week 11 & 12, Unit 9: Online Technology, Introduction
This unit focused on the effective use of technologies. These can enhance learning outcomes, present materials in ways that will benefit all learning styles. This unit discussed the various technologies available for online instruction. This unit described the different technologies used like basic text, still images, animations, audio, packaged streaming video available on-demand and downloadable video, to real time lecturing. Having these many technologies which one are we to incorporate into our course. This unit provided us with certain issues to factor into our decision.
By participating in group projects, I was able to learn that not all group members will be content with team choices and technologies used. We have to incorporate innovation and learn to go on no matter what the rest of the team has done. In facilitating a course these same problems will arise amongst our students when working on group projects.
Week 13, Unit 10: Content Resources
In this unit we discussed the content for online courses and how it can come from different sources. The following sources can be implemented in online courses. Textbooks, Links to existing resources on the Web, Learning Objects and Learning Object Repositories, Develop Original Material in word, Publisher Materials:E-Packs, Companion Web Sites, and Turnkey Courses. In this unit we are also suppose to participate in an online survey. Titled End of Part 2 Course Feedback Survey. If you haven't done it click on this unit and completed.
In conclusion, I have to say that I have been very happy with all the learning opportunities I have been presented with. Part two was very informative and helpful to my growth as a future facilitator. I have never been so challenged as I have been in this class. I have learned so much and I know that online teaching is for me for sure. I can honestly say that I retain more information and knowledge from online courses than I do from traditional courses. I find myself more focused and determined when taking an online course. Thank you to all of you for helping me grow throughout this course.
