This topic about CoI has been informative to learn about as I finish my last semester. I am able to reflect on the classes I have taken at UAS and other schools to compare the different experiences. Some courses had me captivated and eager to learn the entire time. Other courses felt like I was talking to myself on a screen.
The community of inquiry (CoI) model has helped me identify why some courses were beneficial and others were not. I am able to look at them from a teacher and student perspective to see how the CoI model influenced each course. A CoI modeled classroom highlights the social, cognitive, and teaching presence within a virtual learning experience (Bryans-Bongey, 2016). Each one dictates the success of a course and how students will respond. The dynamic model supports a holistic approach to online teacher. This style is more applicable to meeting the needs of all learners. These concepts are held of high importance in the traditional classroom. This model provides ample opportunity for the instructor to carry these philosophies into an online course. The research behind this came out in 2000-- nearly 18 years ago (Bryans-Bongey, 2016). I find this fascinating considering I have taken many classes online in the past two years that clearly did not follow the CoI model. This clearly shows that the research and theory has not quite reached all online instructors. How do we make this just as important to know as we do with traditional classrooms? What tools and resources are out there for instructors to refer to as they begin an online classroom? And with evolving times, does the CoI model need to evolve as well? These are some questions I will continue to look at through this course as I undertake more techniques as an online instructor and learner. works cited: Bryans-Bongey, S., & Graziano, K. J. (2016). Online Teaching in K-12 : Models, Methods, and Best Practices for Teachers and Administrators. Medford, New Jersey: Information Today, Inc. Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher educationmodel. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105.
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Before this week I thought of virtual learning from a very matter-of-fact view. Someone is on one side of the screen and another person, from any distance, is behind a different screen. Yet, answering the question, "what is virtual learning?" made me take a step back and analyze its depth. It's far more similar to traditional classroom settings than I may have previously thought.
These types of questions allow us to see our biases and areas that we still aren't knowledgeable in. Even taking an entire Master's course through a virtual learning setting wasn't enough to get me thinking about the intricacies behind virtual learning. A few things that caught my attention was that virtual teaching does need to happen in a variety of forms to reach all learners. It needs to be even more engaging and relevant in order to hold the learners attention. The material covered should be discovered and not digested. Students learning in a virtual setting learn a great deal more when they follow the SAMR model and create or develop projects. This ties into my own teaching practices as I begin to teach English online. Before I dive into this part-time job, answering this question prepares me for what I need to do as an online teacher. It also helps imagine what I'd like my students to do and how I want them to learn English through an online format. After this week, I'll be more inclined do to projects and deliver the content in a variety of ways. As for my own personal experience with virtual learning, this weeks topic has allowed me to see why I was so successful in some courses and not in others. I truly depend on variety and relevancy to keep myself engaged in an online course. The amount of self-discipline and motivation relies heavily on meaningful content. |