Critical and Analytical Reflections about Online Learning

Throughout this unit, I have developed immensely as a learner and educator and am now more engaged in online learning. Reflecting back on Salmon’s ‘Five Stage Model’ (2011) and where I first positioned myself at Stage 2, I now feel that I have progressed and am situated between Stages 4 and 5. 

Learning in a new online community was daunting at first. I was in the ‘liminal space’ – overwhelmed by the unit’s content and structure that made it difficult to engage. However, Kayri’s constant encouragement pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace difficulty as an opportunity to learn, which allowed me to become more self-directed, motivated and confident in my abilities (Meyer et al., 2010). 

The Conversation. (2017). The classroom of the future

My growth stemmed from our supportive EDFD459 CoP. As I learnt about the six different learning spaces and participated in forum discussions weekly, my confidence increased and I became more comfortable sharing my personal reflections without judgement (Smith, 2003/2009). The forums allowed me to communicate with my peers, learn from their own experiences and gain valuable feedback which helped me recognise how my point of view compared to others (Peacock & Cowan, 2019). They greatly supported my self-efficacy and sense of belonging within our CoP despite the physical separation (Prilop et al., 2021). 

Ebook Friendly. (2020). Dr. Seuss Quotes

Overall, the unit has equipped me with new skills, methods of learning and resources I can implement in my future teaching practice. Namely, having learnt the implications of different learning spaces, I now know how to meaningfully engage and support students in their own learning, as it is a uniquely individual journey (Cooper, 2009). 

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References

Cooper, C. R. (2009). Myth 18: It is fair to teach all children the same way. Gifted Child Quarterly, 53(4), 283-285. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0016986209346947?casa_token=uzswrXCO2AkAAAAA:0l_Kcffg4g_SdLPpe3zf0W7EPhBp3evxOS0v1gaorP01_hvL_L27r3QVzwwY9hwozTxlEvg5N-8Xew. 

Ebook Friendly. (2020). Dr. Seuss Quotes (image). https://ebookfriendly.com/best-quotes-books-reading/. 

Meyer, J. H., Land, R., & Baillie, C. (2010). Threshold concepts and transformational learning. BRILL. https://www.lamission.edu/learningcenter/docs/1177-threshold-concepts-and-transformational-learning.pdf. 

Peacock, S., & Cowan, J. (2019). Promoting sense of belonging in online learning communities of inquiry in accredited courses. Online Learning, 23(2), 67-81. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1218391. 

Prilop, C. N., Weber, K. E., Prins, F. J., & Kleinknecht, M. (2021). Connecting feedback to self-efficacy: Receiving and providing peer feedback in teacher education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70, 101062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101062. 

The Conversation. (2017). The classroom of the future (image). https://theconversation.com/online-learning-can-prepare-students-for-a-fast-changing-future-wherever-they-are-80497.