Reflective Journal

This is my reflective journal for E-Learning for Educators. The edited version linked below reflects my journey of learning and describes my experiences with e-learning as well as my interactions with other students in the discussion forums.

This E-portfolio has allowed me to reflect on questions that arose throughout the course and revisit some of those learning experiences. The reflective journal became a place to process and synthesize some of the ideas and resources shown to me as we moved through the 8 modules of e-learning. It gave me the space to thinking critically about what I learned, go a little deeper into some of the more complex issues, and focus on technology and tools that might transfer well to my writing classes. 

Reflective Journal for E-Learning for Educators (pdf)


An excerpt from Module 1:

One of the optional readings caught my interest: "What It Means to be a Critically Reflective Teacher" from Developing Critical Thinkers by Stephen Brookfield. I enjoyed thinking about what makes a critically reflective teacher and I want to explore this class from a critically reflective point of view. Everything we discuss for E-learning can be transferred to the traditional classroom setting, but I want to make sure I am being critically reflective of the process to make sure every tool I introduce is meaningful. For example, what happens when we assume that all students benefit from participating in the discussion forums? We discussed in the forums that online learning is the great equalizer because all students must participate with some level of brevity due to the nature of written communication; no one can dominate the conversation as sometimes happens in a f2f setting. But then I started to think: what if the forced interaction with others removes the focus from the content, forcing it into a secondary purpose for the class? The students who struggle or are less confident with their writing skills might spend so much time crafting posts and responses that very little time will be spent on exploring the content. How would a student with mild dyslexia perform online compared to a f2f classroom when there are more signals to point them in the right direction?

This first reflective journal entry in part sets my intentions for the class. Now as I revisit and reflect, I question if and how I maintained my critically reflective stance. I think at times I have been overly-excited by new tools; I may not have spent the time to examine my assumptions on how those tools would work in the classroom. It is indeed a challenge to remain critically reflective on a daily basis. However, as I complete the course E-learning for Educators and allow myself more time to reflect on the new resources and tools available to me, I hope to use this period of critical reflection to blend some of the tools into my classroom practice to enhance the learning experience for the students.

Sources:
Brookfield, Stephen, "What It Means to be a Critically Reflective Teacher," Developing Critical Thinkers, Jossey-Bass Higher Education Series, 1991.