Earlier on this blog site, I stated my goal in taking this course was to expand my comfort level with online mechanisms and learn enough to share with others. My goal is being met, let me recount where I've been in this journey thus far.
During my first two weeks, it was all about getting acquainted with the new online format. Let me draw a parallel, if I may. When I first learned to kayak it was all about not tipping over, and getting in and out of the kayak without looking totally foolish. It wasn't about where I was going, it was just about staying afloat! The first unit out of the six in my course thus far was like that for me. It took a bit of time to just get acquainted with my first online course, I equate it to: "So which part of the paddle did you use?" So now I'm "mid-course", so to speak, looking over my shoulder to see where I've been paddling, and yes I did say "paddling", a far cry from "Which end is up?".
Getting used to discovery learning and the constructivist approach is a paradigm shift for me, as most my experience with the education system has been "instructor delivered". It's not that I'm opposed to "student centered" learning, it's just that I'm not as familiar with it and possibly not as good at it. (I shutter in stating this last point out loud.)
So, more seriously, on to the course. There is an ongoing deepening of my understanding of the constructivist approach. I am beginning to place my understanding of the larger construct; constructivism, with the more manageable constructs of learning styles and teaching styles.
Starting with my learning style, my personal preference for visual/verbal, and auditory learning are but subsets of the many DVC learning styles (expanded elsewhere in my blog). However, if I am to remain an effective trainer, I will benefit from increasing my sensitivity and modifications of my coursework for multiple learning styles. Putting this in place seems a bit more manageable given some experience with the group project, yet I feel it is an emerging skill. Even within the group project, my traditional ways stay with me. There's a part of me that says: "Oh, I so hope my group wants to use several Wimba sessions for the next group project!" (hint) after all, it is a auditory visual learner's delight.
In terms of teaching, I'm posing the following question to myself: So, who am I as an instructor? When I took the rather unscientific quiz "Is online teaching for me?" (not in our course, by the way) I scored an 84% (which apparently means - great candidate). Hum... not so sure about that one. According to Grasha's five teaching types (which may be a more realistic measure) I lean towards being "instructor centered". I'd be lying if I said that I was not at least a little bit bummed about being more "instructor centered" versus "student centered" as online teaching fits well with "student centeredness". So I'm working on the delegator role, my weakest of the two "student centered" types. Right now, since I don't do more training until March, yet I'm practicing my delegator role in the work environment, with interesting results (That I will not report here!). This is one small step, yet perhaps a useful one if I am to expand my competency in training.
I remember reading in Unit Two that 20% of Higher Ed is taking at least one online course. Where do I fit in that picture? I am currently on the receiving end of the online curriculum, yet that may change someday. Since curriculums rarely shift from fully "on ground" to fully online, a compact hybrid or blended training curriculum looks like a feasible goal to me for the future. So for now I'll keep paddling and if this "digital immigrant" can figure out how to upload kayaking pictures on this site, I will.
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