Final Reflection: My Learning Outcomes and Free Inquiry Project
In EDCI 339‚ I learned that online and open learning is much more than just putting schoolwork on the internet․ I had always envisioned a similar format where students were able to watch a series of lectures‚ submit assignments‚ and work through the course from home․ The course content‚ readings‚ blog posts‚ and my inquiry project have made me realize that teaching and learning online requires far more planning‚ access‚ design‚ privacy‚ feedback‚ and support․ Just because the course is being taught online does not mean that it is flexible‚ fair‚ or easy to access․ However‚ the design of the course itself is at least as important as the technology․
One of the biggest things I learned related to Learning Outcome 1‚ to develop an understanding of the history of online and open education and foundational concepts․ I learned that there are a variety of different learning modes‚ such as face-to-face‚ hybrid‚ blended‚ multi-access‚ online and even offline learning․ I probably would have grouped most of those together before this course‚ but modality makes a difference on how an experience is designed․ A fully online course is going to be different from a blended or multi-access course․ I learned that there is a difference between emergency remote teaching and intentionally designed online education․ While many classes went online during COVID‚ that does not mean that they are good examples of online education․ The experience helped me realize quality online learning takes time‚ preparation‚ and support․
Learning Outcome 2 investigated the ethical and legal issues in online and open education practices such as privacy legislation‚ copyright and creative commons licensing․ This was one of the areas I had not really thought about before․ Even though I’m constantly thinking about online classes from the student perspective (logging in to platforms‚ accessing readings‚ videos‚ and uploading assignments)‚ the week 2 material on privacy‚ surveillance‚ cybersecurity and data breaches got me thinking about online education as a social contract․ As a student‚ you’re expected to use online tools‚ but you don’t really know where your information goes‚ who controls it and what would happen if the service is hacked․ I don’t think the intent was to take a side for or against a specific piece of legislation like Bill C-22‚ but to see privacy and security as part of online citizenship․ I learned that open education is also knowing copyright and what Creative Commons licensing means and how to ensure that you can make use of others’ materials in a proper way․
To meet Learning Outcome 3‚ I used a variety of software and tools for effective teaching and learning across face-to-face‚ blended and/or online contexts‚ including WordPress‚ Trello‚ and PowerPoint as well as online research databases and other relevant applications in course work‚ throughout the course․ These tools assisted me to document my learning‚ communicate my learning in a variety of ways‚ and organize my inquiry․ Learning how to do the slide presentation and voice-over on my presentation for Assignment 2 was useful in developing these skills․ I also learnt from this experience that digital technology can ease learning‚ but that it can also prevent learning from taking place if students do not know how to use it or do not have access to the right technology․ In my assignment I wrote that those with better devices‚ faster internet‚ and more digital expertise have further advantages to being online students․ The assignment got me thinking about how technology can be simple‚ accessible‚ and useful‚ not just using technology because it is there․
Learning Outcome 4 Focuses on the key theories and concepts associated with online and open education․ I learned about key concepts such as self-directed learning․ It was closely related to my Free Inquiry Project‚ where I had to come up with my own question‚ do research‚ collect the data‚ and think about what I was learning․ How can time-poor students use nutrition to increase their energy levels, concentration and performance at school, work and sports? Personally‚ it was a big issue‚ because I am a full-time construction worker right now trying to get through school at the same time․ I was also thinking about sports and staying healthy‚ but I didn’t want to choose something that was only hypothetical‚ I wanted to choose something that would actually change the way I live․
My Free Inquiry Project was the most personal part of the course․ I knew that nutrition was really important but I did not know how much it affected the way I felt throughout the day․ One of my biggest learnings was just that I felt so much better eating more healthily and not eating so many fast food meals or missing out on good meals․ It might have been easier at that moment‚ especially if I was working all day‚ but then later in the afternoon I felt slow‚ sleepy and unfocused․ If I was better with my meals or had healthy options available‚ I felt a lot more stable․
Then I also thought that I was not the only one: I spoke to my colleagues at work and learned nutrition also had an impact on them․ All of this made it feel more real because it’s not just academic learning in an article․ It was also real people‚ people I saw every day‚ putting in long days‚ dealing with energy‚ focus‚ and fatigue․ For example‚ some of my coworkers would notice how they felt differently based on whether they ate breakfast or brought their lunch to work or went to a fast food restaurant․ Nutrition is not just a personal health issue but an issue for productivity‚ mood‚ energy‚ and safety when working with heavy machinery and tools and in physically demanding jobs․
Hydration has also been something I’ve learned a lot about․ Actually before this project‚ I had no idea how little I would be drinking during the day or in the mornings․ I didn’t really think about drinking water at all․ I’d usually have a cup of coffee for breakfast․ Then I became aware of hydration and how it impacted my concentration and energy levels․ I ended up getting electrolytes on Amazon to see if that would help me drink water before bed and feel better in the morning․ I noticed that when I drank a glass of electrolytes in the morning instead of only having coffee‚ I had much less brain fog and felt much more awake․ It is one of the clearest examples of my inquiry changing my real habits․
This relates back to Learning Outcome 5․ I had to have the conceptual understandings and skills to critique the designs being used at the modality and pedagogy intersection‚ and I was not going to write a customary essay about nutrition․ I had a testing‚ reflecting‚ and modifying process‚ recorded in blog posts and noted on a Trello board and‚ through each cycle of test‚ practice‚ and reflection‚ I began to see that learning design matters․ The assignment format pushed me to learn through reflection and real-life application instead of just memorizing information․ I think that made the learning more meaningful because I could see the results in my own life․
Learning Outcome 6‚ appreciate learner needs in the digital era‚ design for inclusive learning environments‚ was integrated into multiple course elements‚ especially reading materials covering flexible learning and the digital divide․ I learned that all learners do not share the same schedule‚ access to technology or the internet‚ health‚ geographical location‚ responsibilities‚ or support․ Since I was taking the course while working full-time‚ being able to make flexible use of time was crucial for me․ I understand the need for students to have online‚ hybrid‚ or multi-access options‚ though I still think‚ flexibility only works if it is accessible (which this course was outstanding at)․ Also if classes require high-speed internet‚ expensive tools‚ or too many complicated platforms‚ classes can still be inaccessible․
Assignment 2 also tied in directly to my presentation․ I researched the question of whether online learning tends to privilege learners with better devices‚ better connectivity‚ and better digital competencies․ I learned that while online learning can create more access‚ it doesn’t create equity․ Schools and teachers will need to consider lending devices‚ low-bandwidth alternatives‚ clear instructions‚ tech support‚ extra time on assignments and training in digital literacy․ This relates to my free inquiry because both projects showed me that learning has to fit real life․ Students are not just students․ They are also workers‚ athletes‚ family members‚ commuters‚ and those with different needs and responsibilities outside the classroom․
Learning Outcome 7 was about looking into online and open education and what is being said in the research‚ and then trying to compare it to my practice or what’s going on where I’m working․ I think that’s probably one of my biggest skills․ Although research may seem far removed from practice‚ this course helped me to tackle the readings and think about how to apply what was being discussed to my own context․ I gained wider perspective of online learning through reading about digital learning‚ feedback‚ privacy‚ digital literacy‚ accessibility‚ and technology-improved assessment․ At the same time‚ my nutrition inquiry offered me the chance to pull research through the lens of my worksite‚ my habits‚ and my goals․
One of the more interesting parts of the unit was assessment and feedback‚ which I would have thought was just about giving a mark without thinking about feedback․ In the classes‚ I learned feedback is supposed to show learners where they are‚ where they need to go‚ and how to get there․ My nutrition project became its own feedback loop․ When I didn’t eat well‚ drank no water‚ and only drank coffee‚ I could see how I felt․ When I was hydrating better‚ using electrolytes‚ planning my meals better I could feel the difference․ That made me improve as well because I was learning from my own experience․
It has taught me that online and open learning is not simply about technology‚ but about access‚ design‚ flexibility‚ privacy‚ feedback‚ digital literacy‚ and real learner needs and desires․ The free inquiry project taught me the value of learning to learn‚ when I am interested․ It showed me how directly nutrition and hydration affect energy‚ focus‚ and performance‚ and how important this is when balancing school‚ a full-time job‚ and competitive sport․ I’ve also learned the little things like drinking water in the morning or taking electrolytes and eating the right foods make a difference․
The course has changed how I think about online learning․ It’s convinced me that good online learning is about people and not just about the platform․ It should consider who has access‚ who needs flexibility‚ who needs support‚ how privacy is protected‚ and how students can actually use what they learn in their own lives․ That is probably my biggest takeaway from the course: meaningful learning happens when design‚ technology‚ and real life connect․
William Denman
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