Reflecting on Module 3

         Module 3 provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges of digital learning to support reflective practices. The module is broken down in three topics.

The first topic is: Digital Technologies and Reflective-Reflexive Practices. This topic provides an overview of teaching and learning ideas that investigated ways in which digital technologies can be used by teaching staff to facilitate reflection practices. The second topic looks at: Principles and concepts for using digital technologies. This topic provides an overview of theoretical concepts that are used, as the mirror for analyzing conditions and outcomes of technology-enhanced learning. The third topic which is: Reflecting ‘In’ and ‘On’ Practice gives an overview of the research behind reflective "in" and”on" practice.

How reflection assignments help to construct an understanding of the issues discussed in the readings.

Cook-Sather, (2017) indicated that digital media have the potential to amplify student voice in both high school teacher preparation and academic development. As I reflect on my own teaching I realize that I may need to use digital media some more to amplify my students voice. Each semester at the start of my courses I administer a VARK questionnaire to determine the learning styles of my students. Every semester there are students who are shy and some who are not willing to utilize voice in a synchronous or asynchronous session. I find myself having to use several media to pull content from my students. I use blogs a lot in my teaching. I create class blogs for students to post their reflective comments on. I also allow students to create their own online portfolios using Google sites. My students have to be taught how to reflect, and I have found that several students do not like reflecting because many of them do not understand how to do it. The educational institution that I work with suggested that students use Gibbs Model of reflection to complete reflections given as assignments from their facilitators.

Karunanayaka, Naidu, Rajendra, & Ratnayake, (2017) suggested that reflection allows professionals including teachers to monitor and self-regulate their practices by thoughtfully considering their own actions and experiences. The authors further indicate that a reflection allows professionals to see the link between theory and practice and applying such knowledge to practice. I engage in reflection after every lesson that I teach. Sometimes I reflect with my colleagues who are teaching the same subject.

I supervise student teachers on their teaching practicum and in that supervision I have to review their portfolio. The portfolio has a series of reflections from each lesson. The reflections serve as basis for improvement in practice. Carl, and Strydom, (2017) are of the view that students in the twenty-first century are surrounded by direct access to mass communication and information and rapidly developing technologies. With this in mind practice teachers are encouraged to reflect on how they can use the available tools to make students that they teach constructors of information. This means being able to create new knowledge from existing information.

Impact of reflection assignments on understanding of the real world

As I reflect on my experiences in the classroom I realize that one of my major challenges is lack of resources. As I look at the readings and review the available technologies I realize that my classroom is woefully lacking. I could provide my students with a much richer experience if I had the requisite tools. Some of my students do not have access to the internet at home; hence they have to use the labs at school.

How preconceptions of issues are challenged through reflections

My major preconception was that not all topics and subjects can be taught online. Having reviewed the readings I was made aware that my preconception may be a fallacy. When I started working with the online school at the institution at which I work. I was made aware that all subjects could be taught online. The institution constantly holds works shops on online teaching and learning. I was made aware of teacher presence and the community of learning through these workshops. As I result I can now appreciate that just about any subject can be taught online. The teacher just has to find the right tools to teach the students. It was not until I read the article by Challinor, Marín, and, Tur, (2017) that I digital storytelling can be used to support the development of reflection and digital skills in professional education. The authors suggested that storytelling artifact introduces students to the philosophy of openness and collaboration, which has the potential to promote the habit and the skills of lifelong learning.

References

Carl, A., & Strydom, S. (2017). e-Portfolio as reflection tool during teaching practice: The interplay between contextual and dispositional variables. South African Journal of Education, 37(1). Retrieved from: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/viewFile/152713/142303

Challinor, J., Marín, V. I., Tur, G.  (2017) The development of the reflective practitioner through digital storytelling. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 9(2/3), 186-203. Retrieved from: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/30977/1/8588_Challinor.pdf

Cook-Sather, A. (2017). "Virtual forms, actual effects: how amplifying student voice through digital media promotes reflective practice and positions students as pedagogical partners to prospective high school and practicing college teachers." British Journal of

Educational Technology 48.5: 1143–1152. 48, 5

Karunanayaka, S. P., Naidu, S., Rajendra, J. C. N., & Ratnayake, H. U. W. (2017). Designing reflective practice in the context of OER-based e-learning. Retrieved from:  https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1149180.pdf