The above quote has always resonated with me. Learning is a journey; it is one with road forks, uphill challenges, roadblocks, clear pathways and sights to see along the way. Learning isn’t always easy, and it shouldn’t be all the time.
This eLearning paper has challenged me in ways that have changed my thinking towards the implementation of eLearning within my classroom programs. Although I had the intention of focusing on the learner, there are times where the constraints of time, management, and missing information have had its impacts and maybe my intention was not presented to its fullest.
Pratt & Associates (1998), challenged the idea of looking at one's self and understanding where we come from, our own perspectives, to make progress going forward. This is so true, and difficult at times, to say the least. How does one recognise one's weaknesses without overlooking one's strengths or vice versa?
Over the past few years, I have been searching for the missing link in my theoretical understandings and through this course, I have started to find the answers I have been looking for. I knew that pedagogy was the key to unlocking learning from a students’ perspective however I was missing some of the theoretical foundations to take this to the next step.
Assignments like the Critical Elements and the eLearning Planner were challenging yet rewarding. There is a significant difference between acquiring knowledge and using it in a constructive way. Much like the difference between the Acquisition Metaphor and Participation Metaphor discussed by Sfard (2015).
The use of eLearning opens doors of opportunities, yet it is more than knowing about the wide variety of technologies, Web 2.0 tools, and applications available, it is about using these tools in ways that enhance the learning and increase learner agency. A seamless integration whereby the focus is on the learner and the teacher is a facilitator within the process during which students are encouraged to inquire, experiment, design, communicate, collaborate, write, model and visualise with technologies (Howland, Jonassen, & Marra, 2012). This is a challenging prospect, yet achievable.
Has my learning journey come to an end? As the image above clearly states, learning is a journey, there is much more to learn despite this paper coming to the end.
Howland, J. L., Jonassen, D., & Marra, R. M. (2012). Meaningful learning with technology (4th ed., pp. 1–19). Boston, MA: Person Education, Inc.
Pratt, D., & Associates. (1998). Alternative frames of understanding. In Five perspectives on teaching in adult and higher education (pp. 33–53). Malabar, FL: Kreiger.
Sfard, A. (2015). On Two Metaphors for Learning and the Dangers of Choosing Just One. Educational Researcher, 25(4), 4–13. Retrieved from http://edr.sagepub.com.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/content/27/2/4.full.pdf+html
No comments:
Post a Comment