Although there are differing definitions of Social Presence (see Lowenthal & Snelson, 2017), I found Garrison and Arbaugh’s definition of Social Presence within the Community of Inquiry framework to be a useful starting point; they define social presence as the ability of members of a community to establish themselves as ‘real’ people; but they expand…
Tag: constructivism
Reflecting on Constructivism and Online Learning
What does the constructivist perspective mean to me and my thinking about teaching and learning in an online context, now? How has my thinking changed and why? The readings and discussions in this course have allowed me to reflect further on constructivism and its implications for designing learning experiences and assessments. In Week 2, Sawyer’s…
Digital Learning – Ersatz?
Week 10 – Other Perspectives / Influencers Summary: This week we discussed the concepts of situated cognition and legitimate peripheral participation. In reviewing the readings this week, I took the opportunity to reflect on the value of cases and digital simulation in Medical Education. My learning activity for this course focuses on the use of…
Accountability and Interdependence
Week 9 : Asynchronous Discussions Summary: The focus this week was on reflecting on how the structure and design of asynchronous discussions in an online learning environment can impact the resulting learning experience. This week was really interesting because it highlighted the importance of careful design when creating cooperative or collaborative learning activities. The activity…
Constructivist Learning Environments
Week 8 – Instructional Design – Theory/Applied Summary: This week we discussed the epistemological assumptions implicit in the design of learning environments and the characteristics of constructivist learning environments. “Aside from a few notable exceptions, the design of most online learning environments is structured around the traditional instructional delivery model…” Quinton, 2010, p. 327 The…
Silent Learners
Week 7 Theme: Inclusion & Universal Design Summary: This week we explored accessibility and accommodation for different types of learning and learners. The idea from this week that I was most intrigued with was lurking and how participation in learning could be invisible yet still successful. This topic actually touched upon all three of the…
Assessment & Enculturation
Week 6 Theme: Assessment, Reflection, Participation The focus of this week was on assessment, but in thinking of assessment, I revisited some of my key assumptions regarding knowledge. Understanding knowledge as something that occurs between people, makes me think that in some ways it is an act of perpetually attempting to reach consensus (notes 1447,…
A Brief Look at Learning Theories
Week 3 – Historical Influencers and Looking More Deeply at the Various Aspects of Online Learning The resounding idea for me this week is Bruner’s statement that “Knowledge is a process, not a product” (1966; qtd in Smith, 2002). I was unfamiliar with Bruner and his concept of a spiral curriculum until the readings this…
Constructivism & Articulation
Week 2 – Intro to Constructivism and Online Learning Discussion I think my biggest revelation this week note was understanding that before instructional techniques can change, the goals of education need to change, and that these goals are ultimately defined via our assessment tools. If we don’t change the definition of success, than Sawyer’s argument…
Reflecting on Constructivism in CTL1608
Week 1 What does the constructivist perspective mean to me and my thinking about teaching and learning in an online context? [include references] I understand constructivism to mean that knowledge and identity are continually reconstructed through social interaction. I particularly like the way that Neil Mercer frames it as ‘interthinking’, or the process through which…