Models of Online Learning

Part 1: In the Models of Online Learning course (EDIT 761), the module that impacted me the most was the first module. I think it laid the groundwork for the rest of the course. Reforming education (blog post) to train students for the 21st century workplace is what makes blended learning so important. (my workshop page) Regardless of what blended learning model you use (info-graphic) you are granting 21st century skills to your students, preparing them for the workplace to which they will graduate.

We experienced the 4 C’s in the course. The collaborative assignments we did in the class (the infographic and full blended learning workshop page) showed me the power of collaborative learning. These assignments also engaged my creative side and forced me to critically think about the most important parts of Blended Learning Models. The Blended Learning Workshop also inspired me to do well on the project because it was project based. (Personalized Learning Portfolio Page). Overall, the most important aspect of the course is that it modeled what an online course should be like by requiring the projects described above.

Part 2: Throughout this semester I have learned what a blended classroom looks like and experimented with what they feel like. From looking at how the workplace is changing from creating factory workers to creating people ready for a flexible, cooperative, collaborative, and creative workplace, I know that our future relies on teaching 21st Century skills. That has been the major shift I have made in my teaching during this semester. I have started using a version of the lab model where we spend some time in the classroom and other times in the lab so I may engage students with new technologies. So far this semester we have collaborated using Google Sites, Google Docs, and Padlet and demonstrated understanding using Popplet, Piktochart, and Smore. I have also given them flexibility on how to show me their understanding of the content in an effort to further personalize their educational experience.

Much of these experiences took place in a Learning Management System (LMS) that provided me with the ability to grade formative assessments quickly and monitor student usage- something I’ll do more of in the future. The LMS also allowed me to have kids learn a unit on their own pace and along their own path. They even had their option to learn at home or on the go because the LMS has an app.

In the future, I will examine more applications with which students may creatively use technology to demonstrate their understanding and try to alter my practice. I will offer students opportunities to critically think, communicate, and collaborate with each other and those in the community. I also hope to make future lessons more interactive and creative so it transforms their learning experience. I intend to petition my principal for a set of classroom laptops so I can begin to blend my Astronomy course for next year without the fear of not having the ability to get a computer lab.