Hello there! Welcome to my reflection journal for OMDE 610- Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education!
Introduction
This journal is near and dear to me because it gives me the opportunity to pause and contemplate on the content that I have been exposed to throughout the course. In doing so, I get to utilize and hone my metacognitive skills. This strategy, is in fact, a cognitivist strategy that Alley (2008) suggested and thoroughly discussed in his work. In his discussion of the cognitivist learning theory, he identifies various ways that distance education professionals can engage and support learners. One such cognitivist strategy is to give students the opportunity to use their metacognitive skills (Alley, 2008). Reflection assignments have been considered to be a metacognitive activity because it allows learners to thoughtfully assess what they are doing as well as their progress throughout the learning process. This is exactly what I am doing and is the major purpose of this learning journal for OMDE 610.
Journal Organization
In the chronicles that follow this Introductory section, I briefly review and reflect on the major underpinnings of e-learning or distance education. They are behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, community of inquiry, open collaborative learning, and connectivism. These theories will be categorized and discussed in a chapter-based format with chapter 2 covering behaviorism and cognitivism. The chapters that follow cover the aforementioned learning theories respectively and provide a general reflection on the first month of the course. Lastly, the journal wraps up with a final reflection which shares parting thoughts. But first, here is a synopsis of module 1.
Module 1 Summary & Reflection
Module 1 of this course is indeed analogous to the roots of a plant, the foundation of a building, or the tip of an iceberg. How? Well, it laid the foundation for what is to come specifically the other modules that follow. It is especially analogous to the tip of an iceberg because the readings briefly discussed major learning theories like behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and connectivism. The readings also briefly examined its epistemological assumptions. Essentially, the content in this module served almost like a preview of a detailed and thorough chapter.
Bates’ (2019) work is a great exemplar of this. Chapter 2 of his book provides brief insights on epistemology and the previously mentioned learning perspectives. Overall, I must acknowledge that he did a fantastic job of breaking down the term epistemology (i.e., the theory of knowledge) along with the epistemological approaches. Honestly, prior to exposure to his work, I had no clue what epistemology was and that such a word even existed. In fact, I vividly recall feeling anxious about the discussions and assignments that covered this concept simply because it was new to me and there was also a lack of understanding. Consequently, the discussion option and assignments initially posed a challenge to me. However, I love challenging myself. So, I embraced this challenge.
After reading Bates’ (2019) work about three times and doing other Google searches on the term, my understanding began to deepen. As my apprehension of epistemology got deeper, I decided to tackle option 1 of the Theory Changes and You thread. Particularly, I pinpointed the significance of understanding the epistemology underlying a learning theory and discussed the impact such understanding can have on a DE professional’s instructional and technological choices. In short, the major reason put forward is that an apprehension of the epistemology underlying a learning theory helps DE practitioners make the best decisions that suit their context. Essentially, this understanding can shift their perspective, and as a result help guide their practice. The infographic assignment also helped me better conceptualize epistemology. The readings coupled with these tasks heightened my knowledge and understanding, and at the end, I learned the following:
Epistemology is a philosophical branch that studies and focuses on knowledge. Bates (2019) specifically notes that it studies “the nature and justification of knowledge”. It forms the basis of learning theories which helps DE professionals to understand the origin, validity, and apprehension of learning theories.
The behaviorist epistemology is an objectivist approach where learning is measured through overt behaviors. Cognitivism, however, focuses on the mental processes involved in learning, and connectivism and constructivism highlight the social aspects of learning.
I like to think of these epistemological vantages as puzzle pieces that when put together by a DE professional create a grandeur and holistic picture of distance education. Each piece or part plays a significant role in my apprehension of the whole (i.e., distance education/e-learning). Saba’s (2003) reading puts this into perspective specifically noting that the synergies of theoretical vantages aid in the holistic and systemic understanding of distance learning. His thorough discussion on systems thinking and pragmatism deepened my understanding on the potency of each learning theory and the importance of making interrelations and correlations between them. I must admit, though, that his work when compared to Bates (2019) was quite a difficult read, and I had to read it about three times to fully understand his discussion. Notwithstanding this, I think it is a great read and I am happy to have read it. Ultimately, these are two sources that I will go back to for further information.
Having gained a better understanding of the learning theories and its epistemological assumptions, I do not have any inquiries about the theories. Perhaps, as I delve deeper into each theory, questions may arise. I also do not find anything to be missing from the information that I was exposed to in this module. However, as I study each theory more thoroughly in the upcoming weeks, I will continue to think about how they inform my current context and how they can inform my future context. I will also continue to think about how they can be used and applied in these contexts.
I will wrap up by saying thanks to the readings, threads, and assignments, I can confidently identify and explicate epistemology and its role in learning theories, and make necessary correlations between learning theories and current distance education practices. As such, I am ending this module with a great deal of clarity and I am no longer confused or feels anxious about epistemology and its approaches. I am therefore looking forward to the modules that follow. In reference to the analogies made at the start of this section, I must admit that I cannot wait to delve beneath the surface of the learning theories iceberg. I also look forward to seeing how my learning process germinates and ultimately blooms into a beautiful flower!
See you in chapter 2!
Yours truly,
Kind Krista
References
Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.). The theory and practice of online learning. Athabasca University Press. pp. 15-44.
Bates, A. W. (2019). Chapter 01: Fundamental change in education, and Chapter 02: The nature of knowledge and the applications for teaching. In Teaching in a digital age. SFU Document Solutions Books. https://teachonline.ca/teaching-in-a-digital-age/teaching-in-a-digital-age-second-edition
Saba, F. (2003). Distance education theory, methodology and epistemology: A pragmatic paradigm. In M. G. Moore and W. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education. Lawrence ERL Baum and Associates. pp. 3-19.
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