"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
If I could sum up my first course-related web conference experience in one sentence, it would be with this oft-used quotation. Initially, the task seemed clear cut and well delineated: find a resource that discusses roles of adult educators and one that discusses trends. Then, with a learning partner, share your resources with one another via web conference. What I found interesting is how current roles of adult educators merge with many of the current trends and new ideas. This overlap was underscored when Bob and I had our web conference.
The resources I selected focused on the role and imperative of instructors to meet the needs of all students - a concept that has been around for as long as the notion of education. Upon further investigation and discussion, Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning seem to be necessary precursors to broader trends such as personalization now unfolding. Those broader trends are deeply enmeshed in the web of technology. During our web conference we seemed to spend more time discussing emerging trends in education and in doing so, Bob and I seemed to encounter the realization that 'all these roles and trends are connected'. It was quite energizing.
The 'roles' resource I selected showed how approaching education from the point of view of meeting the needs of each learner from course design to assessment to feedback and reflection can be integral not just to the success of students with disabilities, but all students. The 'trends' resource I selected showed how the pedagogical approach of meeting the needs of each learner, when matched with empowering and highly customizable technology can enable students to construct ability, identity and effectively produce their own meaning and interpretation of their learning.
Bob's resources reinforced the idea that technology can unlock the door to extreme personalization in education. One of the specific trends he focused on was the use of data analytics in education - similar to how Google and Facebook use 'big data' to customize our web or social networking experience. The MOOC may be a forum for further evolution of this trend. However, Bob's experience with assessment helped him articulate to me how significant the role of data analytics will be for that area in particular. Another medium range trend that Bob noted, that of students transitioning from 'consumers to creators' bodes well for what Hughes, Herrington, McDonald and Rhodes (2011) hope will come to pass for students with dyslexia and other disabilities: that students use technology to "construct ability".
Our web conference discussion revealed how consistent and mutually reinforcing our respective resources were. Part of the reason for this may be that we conducted our web conference in two parts. I discussed my resources one week and Bob shared his the next and he mentioned that when looking for resources he was trying to go in a similar direction. However, I feel strongly that no matter what direction Bob and I chose to go in our search for resources on trends and roles, we would have identified the related and reinforcing aspects of our respective resources.
Therein lies the power of the web conference. In sharing and discussing our own individual resources and ideas, we were naturally drawn to try to identify consistent themes or topics shared between these resources and how the concepts we were discussing built upon one another. In doing so, together we created meaning that was relevant for each of us in our individual circumstances. Many of the trends we were actually discussing in the web conference, were being fully realized right then and there. The process and the content were mutually reinforcing one another.
If I could sum up my first course-related web conference experience in one sentence, it would be with this oft-used quotation. Initially, the task seemed clear cut and well delineated: find a resource that discusses roles of adult educators and one that discusses trends. Then, with a learning partner, share your resources with one another via web conference. What I found interesting is how current roles of adult educators merge with many of the current trends and new ideas. This overlap was underscored when Bob and I had our web conference.
The resources I selected focused on the role and imperative of instructors to meet the needs of all students - a concept that has been around for as long as the notion of education. Upon further investigation and discussion, Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning seem to be necessary precursors to broader trends such as personalization now unfolding. Those broader trends are deeply enmeshed in the web of technology. During our web conference we seemed to spend more time discussing emerging trends in education and in doing so, Bob and I seemed to encounter the realization that 'all these roles and trends are connected'. It was quite energizing.
The 'roles' resource I selected showed how approaching education from the point of view of meeting the needs of each learner from course design to assessment to feedback and reflection can be integral not just to the success of students with disabilities, but all students. The 'trends' resource I selected showed how the pedagogical approach of meeting the needs of each learner, when matched with empowering and highly customizable technology can enable students to construct ability, identity and effectively produce their own meaning and interpretation of their learning.
Bob's resources reinforced the idea that technology can unlock the door to extreme personalization in education. One of the specific trends he focused on was the use of data analytics in education - similar to how Google and Facebook use 'big data' to customize our web or social networking experience. The MOOC may be a forum for further evolution of this trend. However, Bob's experience with assessment helped him articulate to me how significant the role of data analytics will be for that area in particular. Another medium range trend that Bob noted, that of students transitioning from 'consumers to creators' bodes well for what Hughes, Herrington, McDonald and Rhodes (2011) hope will come to pass for students with dyslexia and other disabilities: that students use technology to "construct ability".
Our web conference discussion revealed how consistent and mutually reinforcing our respective resources were. Part of the reason for this may be that we conducted our web conference in two parts. I discussed my resources one week and Bob shared his the next and he mentioned that when looking for resources he was trying to go in a similar direction. However, I feel strongly that no matter what direction Bob and I chose to go in our search for resources on trends and roles, we would have identified the related and reinforcing aspects of our respective resources.
Therein lies the power of the web conference. In sharing and discussing our own individual resources and ideas, we were naturally drawn to try to identify consistent themes or topics shared between these resources and how the concepts we were discussing built upon one another. In doing so, together we created meaning that was relevant for each of us in our individual circumstances. Many of the trends we were actually discussing in the web conference, were being fully realized right then and there. The process and the content were mutually reinforcing one another.