261.766 Narrative

261.766: Teaching for e-Learning

Learning outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the central concepts, theories, and current areas of debate in the study of teaching in online environments; 
2. Identify, discuss and analyse the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in E-Learning situations and demonstrate their application in practice; and 
3. Define teaching challenges arising from the use of educational technologies for distance and distributed teaching in their own educational setting and develop, discuss and implement ways of meeting those challenges in that setting 

This is one of three eLearning papers I have chosen to undertake this year. I have always had an interest in eLearning and the opportunity arose where I am in a position to extend my learning through completing a post-graduate diploma.

This blog represents my learning throughout this paper and the artefacts that are included help provide evidence. I have included the poster from Vensipred as ultimately I would like my eLearning environment to fit squarely on the right side, as classroom B.

I come to this paper as a learner and Module One is about What’s behind my teaching?  After establishing what I wanted to get out of the course as shown in Artefact 1 considering the perspectives I hold as a teacher as shown in Artefact 2 is important. As Pratt (1998) argues that without careful and critical analysis there is no change in practice. My TPI results show that I am strongest in Developing and Nurturing. Artefact 3 involves me reflecting on my views of teaching and recognising the similarities and differences between my views in teaching and my teaching practice.  This was a good exercise to complete because it made me think about what I have been doing in the classroom and if they really are what I believe should be happening. Further to this, I also reflected on whether my teaching practice requires revolution (extreme change), evolution (gradual change) or leaving it as status quo as shown in Artefact 4. As demonstrated in the artefact, I believe that my teaching practices are always requiring refining and improvement.

Links with Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the central concepts, theories, and current areas of debate in the study of teaching in online environments.
2. Identify, discuss and analyse the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in E-Learning situations and demonstrate their application in practice.

Module 2 focuses on the theoretical foundations of teaching for e-learning and provided the theoretical foundation for the entire course. This module was the most interesting and most powerful for me.  It really made me think about what programs I provided in an eLearning context. Artefact 5 focused on the aspects of the Howland, Jonassen and Marra (2011) reading and making a choice on which was the most relevant.  This reading I found was a reading I referred to quite regularly once I understood the focus of the reading whilst I didn't quite understand at the time, and it has hit me right now, it is focused on student engagement through providing meaningful learning. Choosing whether it was pedagogy first or technology first was a challenging task as shown in Artefact 6.  For me, this is because I have always loved using technology in the classroom because I have seen the potential. As a final task to the module, I reflected on my learning journey through a Synthesis Discussion as shown in Artefact 7.

Links with Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the central concepts, theories, and current areas of debate in the study of teaching in online environments.
2. Identify, discuss and analyse the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in E-Learning situations and demonstrate their application in practice.

Engagement with eLearning was the focus of Module 3 this had a focus on the learners perspective which is an important aspect of the purpose of education is to educate students. Our online discussion lead to being asked to rank the recommendations.  This was not an easy task and I am sure that if I were to spend more time on this it would look quite different than shown in Artefact 8.  I was more focused on the course design, as this is an important factor of providing meaningful learning and encourage active engagement, I suppose it could be said that I had my teacher hat on through this exercise. Readings such as Zepke and Leach (2010) and Gibbs & Poskitt (2010) made suggestions for improving student engagement.  One of these focused on self-efficiency. This reminded me of Carol Dweck (2014), and her Growth Mindset theory which is very pertinent in our education today.  

As part of being a critical practitioner identifying where there are failures in our teaching and learning program are important and my reflection of a lesson plan that didn't work out as intended is shown in Artefact 9.  This is only one example of when it did not turn out as intended.  There have been others and I am sure that there will be more in the future.  Reflecting and identifying where there is room for improvement is part of the process.  Learning not to repeat such failures is the key.

Links with Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the central concepts, theories, and current areas of debate in the study of teaching in online environments.
2. Identify, discuss and analyse the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in E-Learning situations and demonstrate their application in practice.

The focus of Module Four was the roles and responsibilities of teachers teaching in eLearning environments and some of the issues that arise through the adoption of eLearning. Many of these I have experienced first hand in my teaching position.  Zaka's (2013) reading was easy to relate to, as shown in Artefact 10 as the school I was employed in is currently in this position. I have learned first hand that the role of leadership is crucial when implementing a blended learning environment.  I am hoping that the school I am employed in next year has a different  perspective that I have previously experienced. Artefact 11 is about the eLearning competencies. I have chosen to include this reading because the spirit of the New Zealand Curriculum (2007) is based on the front end of the document and this is where the Key Competencies lie.  I have always felt that the Key Competencies are the ultimate goal of education.  Looking at the eCompetencies seems more prevalent as we move forward into eLearning and they compliment the Key Competencies.

As a conclusion to Module Four and the conclusion of this paper, it is then time to reflect on this learning journey, as shown in Article 12 and Article 13 and it has been a journey.  I have started to find answers to questions that I have had for a long time and now wish I had sourced earlier. eLearning is a way forward for education and I am looking forward to implementing what I have learned next year in my own classroom.  I believe that readings like Howland, Jonassen and Marra (2011), Bonk & Khoo (2014), and Gibbs & Poskitt (2010) are going to be part of my pedagogical library for a long time coming. It is a teacher's goal to provide actively engaging learning experiences to our learners and through a well planned eLearning environment our learners have the potential to become the very best that they can be.  The final artefact that demonstrates my learning journey is this narrative and I hope that I have given this course justice with the artefacts chosen. 

Links with Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the central concepts, theories, and current areas of debate in the study of teaching in online environments.
2. Identify, discuss and analyse the roles and responsibilities of the teacher in E-Learning situations and demonstrate their application in practice.
3. Define teaching challenges arising from the use of educational technologies for distance and distributed teaching in their own educational setting and develop, discuss and implement ways of meeting those challenges in that setting.

Bonk, C. J., & Khoo, E. (2014). Adding Some TEC-VARIETY: 100+ Activities for Motivating and Retaining Learners Online, 367. http://doi.org/978-1496162724

Dweck, C. (2014). Carol Dweck: The power of believing that you can improve | Talk Video | TED.com. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve?language=en

Gibbs, R., & Poskitt, J. (2010). Student engagement in the middle years of schooling (years 7-10): A literature review. Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Education.

Howland, J. L., Jonassen, D., & Marra, R. M. (2012). Meaningful learning with technology (4th ed., pp. 1–19). Boston, MA: Person Education, Inc.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media. Retrieved from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum

Pratt, D., & Associates. (1998). Alternative frames of understanding. In Five perspectives on teaching in adult and higher education (pp. 33–53). Malabar, FL: Kreiger.

Zaka, P. (2013). A case study of blended teaching and learning in a New Zealand secondary school , using an ecological framework. Journal of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning, 17(1), 24–40.


Zepke, N., & Leach, L. (2010). Improving student engagement: Ten proposals for action. Active Learning in Higher Education, 11(3), 167–177. http://doi.org/10.1177/1469787410379680