Thinking Deeply About My Intentions, Opinions, and Objectives as an Online Educator
My Current Thoughts About the Educational Landscape?
The educational landscape of today necessarily requires teachers to develop and grow their familiarity with online learning. As I approached my fourth year of teaching, in a self-contained kindergarten classroom setting, I discovered my true relationship with technology and digital learning. Surprisingly, it was not as developed as I thought. I considered myself to be pretty comfortable with technology in the classroom. My current teaching situation is in a traditional classroom, the culture of our school makes technology welcomed and more of a choice than a requirement for teachers and lower elementary learners. I am motivated to look for opportunities to use technology in more ways than simply digitizing the lessons. I want my young learners to discover their “voice” in academics through familiarizing them with teaching and learning online.
Specifically Speaking and My Synthesis
An item of research, during the creation of my first manifesto, was explored through the Digital Learning Collaborative (DLC). In a nutshell, this group regularly collects and disseminates data that focuses on best practices in k-12 digital learning. I read through the 2022 annual report completed by the DLC. At the completion of my reading, one question came to mind and I captured it in a short video. I also wondered where learning takes place. I thought about traditional classrooms and campuses. These places have been associated with education in its most formal sense. However, teaching and learning is not limited to this. In fact, with the onslaught of technology we can now explore blending online learning with traditional learning.
I have explored some of the modes in which teaching and learning can be blended. In my original manifesto, I discussed my views on online learning and the freedom to learn. I have been able to expand that section with researched information from my Teaching Online Course (CEP820). There are hybrid (flexible) classrooms which are a combination of face to face and online classrooms. There are hi-flex (highly flexible) classrooms which focus on flexibility and asynchronous organization of learning. Flipped modes of learning are ways to change how the learner accesses and interacts with learning materials. For example, instead of listening to a lecture then connecting with specific tasks and assignments, the learner explores the material first then comes prepared to listen to the teacher’s lecture or participate in class discussions. These are just some of the modes of learning that I explored.
At the start of my Teaching and Learning Online Class, I looked forward to achieving a certain skill set as an educator that would enable me to understand the foundations of an online teaching platform. The reading material was fascinating. Having access to them gave me great direction toward completing assignments. One of the significant factors was that some were selected as required readings while others were added as an optional piece. I took full advantage of most options after completing the required readings. Now that the class has ended, I can reflect on three key learning points that align with my teaching. With this, I will revisit my online teaching manifesto.
My Recent Epiphany on Young Learners and Online Learning
When I created my original manifesto, I wanted to explore ways that I could broaden the learning experience for all my young learners and their families/ communities. A significant part of doing this required me to explore factors that influence learners. I thought deeply about this topic and found pertinent information that centered on the “Commitment to Students and Student Learning,” Hagerman and Kellam (2020). This research had bullet points that outlined topics such as: equity, inclusion and accessibility, and acknowledging the importance of students’ choice when it comes to showing their learning over time. As I reflect on the creation of my manifesto, it brings to mind a young learner in my class. My manifesto allowed me to focus on how this busy little learner chose to display his learning over time. Here is a brief overview for greater clarity:
As of the date that I published this document, I live and work in Detroit Michigan. I am at the end of my third year as a kindergarten teacher in a self-contained classroom of twenty-two students. The majority of my students are little boys. There is one little male learner who finds it challenging to sit still for long periods of time (even with our brain breaks). For him this means if we don’t move enough (as a class), he will create his own movement. This same student has a very curious nature. When combined, these two characteristics motivate this little learner to get up and move around during Read- Aloud, and whole-group instruction time. As I observed this young learner and how he processed the skills I taught, I wondered how might this translate to teaching online to a student with this type of energy. What type of learning management system (LMS) technology would be necessary and how effective would it be for this type of learner.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) Can Serve Teachers and Learners in better ways
I was prompted to complete a little research on the Buzz Platform for a class assignment in graduate school. In addition to the various question and critical Perspective that the assignment required, I also thought deeply about the young learners that I work with daily. I wondered how much things have changed since that fateful day in Detroit, MI when the EAA’s Buzz program was introduced to the public school system.
My online learning manifesto necessarily relies on the utilization of a learning management system. As I look back over the materials I studied during my Teaching and Learning Online course, I find myself remembering the Buzz Platform. Was it practical or possibly harmful? I shared my critical perspective on the Buzz Platform through information I researched using Detroit Web Quest.
The most significant position of my online manifesto deals with Morris and Stommel’s Critical Digital Pedagogy and counteranthropomorphism, which is the tendency we have to remove the humanity of people we can’t see. As I researched the topic revolving around An Urgency of Teachers, I recall a piece I created as a result of my readings.
Pitfalls and How I Avoid Duplicating Mistakes
There are some aspects of online learning that have fallen short and can stand to be improved. With this, there is a need to pay attention to these shortcomings so as not to duplicate their mistakes.
Online learning does not seem to favor lower elementary classes and young learners. The structure of the information delivery system greatly depends on the learner’s ability to read fluently and access areas of the internet that may require setting up an account or user name/ password. The learners of k-2 grade levels require assistance with this and therefore, are at a disadvantage in online teaching and learning. As of the date of this document, there are extremely limited ways to accomplish this. However, there are adjustments and restructuring of information delivery that can assist. I found this to be true of the Pacansky-Brock research on How to humanize your online class, version 2.0. While this information does not specifically deal with the aspect of efficient access and usage of online learning systems (operational challenges), it does explore the importance of making the learner feel like a person instead of a “screen-name” or image on a monitor.
Sources
Bayne, S., Evans, P., Ewins, R., Knox, J., Lamb, J., Macleod, H., O’Shea, C., Ross, J., Sheail, P., & Sinclair, C. (2020). The manifesto for teaching online. MIT Press.
Digital Learning Collaborative (DLC). (2022). DLC digital learning snapshot 2022: An inflection point for digital learning?
Heintz, A. (n.d.). Who understands this flipping learning business anyway? [Video]. Kaltura Media Space.
Lo, C. K. & Hew, K. F. (2017). A critical review of flipped classroom challenges in K-12 education: Possible solutions and recommendations for future research. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 12(4), 1–22.
Morris, S. M., & Stommel, J. (2018). An urgency of teachers: The work of critical digital pedagogy. Pressbooks.
Pacansky-Brock, M. (2020). How to humanize your online class, version 2.0 opens [Infographic].