Synthesis statement
As noted in my synthesis for learning outcome #1 I have developed a strong affinity for postmodern educational theory. One reason why postmodernism is an especially useful theory for me is that, as a distance librarian, I tend to work with students in many different contexts, often including virtual ones. That is why I have chosen to use the rationale I submitted with the hybrid learning course I designed for the Teaching in E-Learning and Blended Environments class. It describes my development of workshop series for training students, faculty, and staff at Western in the use of the Mendeley research management software. Ideally I would have been able to include the actual BlackBoard class itself as my artifact, but that is no longer a supported learning management system at Western. Despite that, I believe that the rationale helps to show how the theoretical concepts are applied in this example of a blended learning course.
One of the things I found most interesting about this assignment was how challenging it was to follow the directions to the letter. We were asked to design a hybrid course with both face-to-face and virtual learning components, but as I examined the needs of the target population it became clear that the approaches to the course content needed to be multimodal in either the virtual and face-to-face sense to increase accessibility of course content based on learner preference. Meaning that a participant in the course could engage with course content entirely face-to-face, entirely online, or with a mix of both modes. The materials also needed to be designed in such as way that learners could engage with the content on a level that is relevant to them. Ultimately, I think that my open approach to the assignment is supported Bonk and Graham’s (2005) description of the convergence of face-to-face and distributed learning environments where they describe how in the future the majority of learning environments are blended. In my view, the future is here, and most learning is taking place in either environment, often allowing for increased flexibility for the learner and educator alike.
As it stands now, the Mendeley workshop series I developed has evolved over time to the current set of Zotero workshops and materials now offered by Western Libraries. Zotero and Mendeley are similar applications and the Libraries has decided to support Zotero over Mendeley, however many of the approaches to the workshops remain the same while some other aspects are awaiting other developments at Western. For example, the rationale discusses a badging system to allow participants to demonstrate their mastery. That part of the project is awaiting the possible implementation of a university-wide badging system through Canvas.
I hope that my approach to this project is reflective of my efforts to try and use Brookfield’s sense of critical action in my educational work (Merriam & Bierma, 2014). Following the steps of taking informed action, followed by monitoring and correcting ourselves, then justifying our actions makes sense as a way to be mindful in educational practice. Using approaches to curriculum design and educational technology that allow for greater access to course content makes sense, but it has to be accompanied by critical reflection to ensure relevancy to the learners, quality in content, and equity to learners from a variety of backgrounds.
Examining librarian teaching and learning practices through the lens of educational theory allows for new ways of thinking about issues and can lead to incremental improvement in those practices. For example, reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action (Polkinghorne, 1992) are important components of reference interviews, where we support students in finding and using sources. Engaging with these theoretical models in the CCE/AHE program has shown me connections to other disciplines, such as psychology, and has opened my mind to new possibilities for practice.
One of the things I found most interesting about this assignment was how challenging it was to follow the directions to the letter. We were asked to design a hybrid course with both face-to-face and virtual learning components, but as I examined the needs of the target population it became clear that the approaches to the course content needed to be multimodal in either the virtual and face-to-face sense to increase accessibility of course content based on learner preference. Meaning that a participant in the course could engage with course content entirely face-to-face, entirely online, or with a mix of both modes. The materials also needed to be designed in such as way that learners could engage with the content on a level that is relevant to them. Ultimately, I think that my open approach to the assignment is supported Bonk and Graham’s (2005) description of the convergence of face-to-face and distributed learning environments where they describe how in the future the majority of learning environments are blended. In my view, the future is here, and most learning is taking place in either environment, often allowing for increased flexibility for the learner and educator alike.
As it stands now, the Mendeley workshop series I developed has evolved over time to the current set of Zotero workshops and materials now offered by Western Libraries. Zotero and Mendeley are similar applications and the Libraries has decided to support Zotero over Mendeley, however many of the approaches to the workshops remain the same while some other aspects are awaiting other developments at Western. For example, the rationale discusses a badging system to allow participants to demonstrate their mastery. That part of the project is awaiting the possible implementation of a university-wide badging system through Canvas.
I hope that my approach to this project is reflective of my efforts to try and use Brookfield’s sense of critical action in my educational work (Merriam & Bierma, 2014). Following the steps of taking informed action, followed by monitoring and correcting ourselves, then justifying our actions makes sense as a way to be mindful in educational practice. Using approaches to curriculum design and educational technology that allow for greater access to course content makes sense, but it has to be accompanied by critical reflection to ensure relevancy to the learners, quality in content, and equity to learners from a variety of backgrounds.
Examining librarian teaching and learning practices through the lens of educational theory allows for new ways of thinking about issues and can lead to incremental improvement in those practices. For example, reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action (Polkinghorne, 1992) are important components of reference interviews, where we support students in finding and using sources. Engaging with these theoretical models in the CCE/AHE program has shown me connections to other disciplines, such as psychology, and has opened my mind to new possibilities for practice.
Artifact
References
Bonk, C. J., & Graham, C. R. (2005). The handbook of blended learning global perspectives, local designs. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Donald E. Polkinghorne. (1992). Postmodern epistemology of practice. In Psychology and postmodernism (pp. 146–165). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice [ebook edition]. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Donald E. Polkinghorne. (1992). Postmodern epistemology of practice. In Psychology and postmodernism (pp. 146–165). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice [ebook edition]. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.