Wednesday 5 December 2012

Retrospection with introspection

Hello, 



During this week # 10, I read the LoTi framework and took the LoTi survey. They helped me immensely to assess the level of technology integration into my online teaching and learning expertise.

It helped me to retrospect and introspect the whole process of my online learning and teaching so far: Where I stand exactly on the scale of using technology in my online and hybrid courses, and how much is yet to be active in the ensuing voyage of enhancing my web skills.

I assume that I am operating at the level 4b – Integration: Routine.

Level 4b includes integration of technology as a routine in learning and teaching. In my class, students are fully engaged in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources. I am within my comfort level with promoting an inquiry-based model of teaching that involves students applying their learning to the real world. I promote inquiry-based model of teaching through group work, project completion, assignments preparation (individual and group or pair based). I always emphasize learner-centered strategies. In my class room teaching, I always strike a balance between student centered and teachers centered interactions and collaborations. Maximum weightage is on student centered activities. The ratio of my facilitation and student contribution in my class is generally 60:40, or some time even 70:30 depending upon activities and project. Higher level of student contribution, normally, promotes personal goal setting, self-monitoring, and student action. More focus on student participation and balanced amount of my facilitation increases higher levels of student cognitive processing and in-depth examination of the content.

I try my level best to encourage my students to use digital tools and resources meaningfully and productively because these tools are inherent in my hybrid courses as well as completely online courses. I try both automated feedback and my own feedback to motivate the student enquiries; it effectively answers student-generated questions that dictate the content, process, and products embedded in the learning experience either in my hybrid or online courses.

As I summarized above, I am operating regularly on Level 4b – Integration: Routine. Although I cannot claim that I have been operating at Level 5 – Expansion, I feel that I often use the features which have been mentioned in this category.
Sometimes, my students opt for collaborations extending beyond the classroom employed for authentic student problem-solving and issues resolution. Here, they themselves take the initiatives, so these activities are learner-centered strategies that promote personal goal setting and self-monitoring, student action, and collaborations with other diverse groups using the available digital assets. For example, they prefer to go for peer tutoring. This option might generate some revenue for them (not always). If not, then it cultivates a sense of belonging and fulfillment among them. In addition, I inspire them to do some volunteering work as well.

When they go for peer tutoring, they use digital tools and resources to teach their peers. They answer peer-generated questions that dictate the content, process, and products embedded in the learning experience.
I think the complexity and sophistication of the digital resources and collaboration tools used in such collaborative activities are now commensurate with the diversity, inventiveness, and spontaneity of the teacher and student's experiential-based approach to teaching and learning. Such initiatives also enhance students' level of complex thinking (e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation) and in-depth understanding of the content experienced in the classroom.

However, my ultimate goal is to reach at Level 6 – Refinement. When I was doing the final project to be submitted to Robert, I encountered this possibility. My project was to make my online course more interactive and collaborative. As a part of my project, at one step I started two way feedback systems. Here, I had to comment on the learner’s performance so far, and they were expected to give me feedback regarding what they liked and what they did not like in the course, and also how to make the whole course more interactive and collaborative. The whole process was based upon collaborations promoting authentic student problem-solving and issues resolution as a norm. My entire instructional curriculum is learner-based. I modified the course and the content based on the needs of the learners as reflected in their feedbacks including their interests, needs, and/or aspirations. Whole feedback system ans the entire course was supported by unlimited access to the most current digital applications and infrastructure available.

The pervasive use of and access to advanced digital tools and resources provided a medium for information queries, creative problem-solving, student reflection, and/or product development. Students had ready access to and a complete understanding of a vast array of collaboration tools and related resources embedded in the online course itself which were sufficient to accomplish language learning particular task.


7 comments:

  1. Hi Jit,

    You are right in saying that digital tools hold the key for teaching and learning. I think pervasive and organized use of these tools will help us democratize learning and push learners to be autonomous and responsible learners. As educators we must accept the challenge of using the available digital tools to optimize learning for our learners.

    Best regards,
    Rajinder

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Rajinder ! Please read the post which I have posted on your blog!

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  2. Hello Jit,

    Great is your intrapersonal intelligence!

    How wonderful it is that you and your students promote "HOTS". I'll make use of your project because I need to maximize students' learning and creativity.

    Thanks a lot for these splendid ideas!

    Safaa

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    Replies
    1. Saffa,shukaran!

      Buddy, you are an asset to have in my life as an academic friend. I have taught in King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA.

      Please, be in touch!

      Ahlan va Sahalan!
      it
      J

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  3. Hello Jit,

    Yes, all of us enhanced our web skills and we are all ready to use them as many as we can.

    Thanks for collaborating.

    Good luck!

    P.S. I'm not sure if you celebrate it but I'd like to give you some greetings as we do.

    Merry Christmas and s Happy New Year!

    Egle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eagle,

      Would not you wish me Christmas and happy New Year on the actual days? Does it mean that we all are departing? No, let us keep in touch.

      Thanks,

      Jit

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  4. Hi Jit,

    Sure, we will keep in touch.

    Egle

    ReplyDelete