Hello everyone!
As Covid numbers rise across Canada, I hope that you are your family are keeping safe during the next few weeks. I am home in isolation with my family after my daughter was considered in close contact with a Covid positive teacher, I have friends going through symptoms of Covid – I know that all of you are facing challenges in your own ways. Please contact me if you need any extra support as we…. complete the last few assignments for this class.
Weekly Reading:
Selwyn, N., Hillman, T., Eynon, R., Ferreira, G., Knox, J., Macgilchrist, F., & Sancho-Gil, J. M. (2019). What’s next for Ed-Tech? Critical hopes and concerns for the 2020s. Learning, Media and Technology, 1–6. (Check your course outline for a link to access the article through the UVic Library).
In this article, Selwyn et al. (2019) identify some major influences in educational technology, online and open learning – before Covid. The article sets the stage for your final project and final blog reflection. Your final project will have to consider an emerging trend that may or may not have been considered before Covid AND is still considered emerging in 2020. Alternatively, you can choose an educational technology that was not as apparent before Covid – BUT was amplified as a result of Covid. The research in educational technology can be identified in “pre- Covid” and “During-Covid” please take that into account as your complete your final assignments.
Assignment 4 – FINAL Blog REFLECTION:
Assignment #4 is your final blog reflection about how and what you learned throughout the course.
FINAL REFLECTION:
In the final reflective post, you are asked to reflect upon your learning throughout the course. This is a personal final reflection and you are NOT expected to add your reflection to your public blog if you do not want to. You can add your final reflection to the Brightspaces Dropbox as a pdf file OR add your link to your blog post.
Please use the following questions to help guide your final reflection blog:
Review the #EDCI339 course outcomes:
1) Develop an awareness of the potential of human-centered learning in online and open learning contexts
2) Explore and engage with current literature on the distributed and open education movement
3) Critically reflect on and articulate concepts around modality, pedagogy, and access, including distributed and open learning theory, online and open learning history, privacy laws, online learning communities, open research, and open data.
4) Examine and reflect upon the potential for equitable access for all learners in online and open learning contexts.
5) Conduct research into and critically reflect upon emerging and future educational technologies
6) Practice digital, networked, and open literacies in support of learning about distributed and open learning
Final Reflection Questions: (please attempt to answer all three questions in your own way integrating the course outcomes, course resources, course activities and course twitter hashtag when able to do so )
Q1: Of the six learning outcomes, which outcome(s) did you feel you demonstrated the most growth in as a learner? What kinds of evidence can you share to demonstrate this evidence of learning ? Please share some of the evidence to support your answer and describe WHY you chose these examples. (Some examples of “evidence” could include screen shots, videquotes from your blogs, summarize conversations with your social pods).
Q2: When you consider the definitions and practical examples of distributed(online) and open learning that were examined throughout the course, which approach to learning would be most effective for YOU as a learner and why? You can also suggest a blend of the two approaches. Please ensure that you clearly take a position and explain your position.
Q3: Finally, what was the most valuable thing you learned about yourself as a learner throughout this course? Give evidence to describe and support your answer.
You can create these reflections as text (500 words) or by using audio and/or video (2-3 minutes). Make sure to address all of the reflection prompts from the weekly instructor blog posts and use multimedia appropriately. I will expect you to use open educational resources and openly licensed content in your reflection. Use the category ‘Reflective posts’ for the reflection if you choose to post this reflection in your blog.
Assignment 5: Review of distributed and open learning initiatives, technologies, or futures
***Your proposal for Assignment #5 is due by next Monday, Nov 23, 2020. Please write up to three sentences (50 words) describing your topic and how it connects to the course. The proposal will be included in the final rubric score. You can add your proposal into the Assignment #5 Dropbox in Brightspaces/ D2L.**
You CAN do this assignment as a group, but each person will have to clearly communicate how they have demonstrated evidence of their 1500 words or project contribution. You may want to compare and contrast 2 emerging trends if you are doing this as a group.
You will create a 1500 word review of a distributed and open learning initiative or technology. You must include 2-3 academic references as part of this assignment, using readings from the course is acceptable. Use the category ‘Final review paper’ for this assignment.
Options for this assignment include:
- Review a social learning experience you have taken part of or choose to engage with as part of this course (a MOOC, online course, social learning community). Use the SECTIONS Model to guide your analysis.
- Review an emerging technology you believe has merit to support distributed and open learning (artificial intelligence, adaptive learning, educational games, virtual or augmented reality, etc.).
Use the SECTIONS Model to guide your analysis.
- OR The last option allows you to be creative and imagine a possible future for open and distributed learning. Create a story about learning openly and in a distributed way in the year 2040. This activity must be grounded in topics from the course, but you can feel free to imagine a future based on the current state of the field. (The story must include implications of Covid from the year 2020)
Due dates: This assignment is due before the final day of class, December 4, 2020. Early submissions are also welcomed.
Evaluation criteria: The final project will be evaluated using the following rubric:
I look forward to receiving:
- Assignment #5 Proposal: November 23, 2020
- Assignment 4: November 29, 2020
- Assignment 5: December 4, 2020
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Kind regards,
Dr. Roberts 🙂