Final reflections
Journey. Ride. Rollercoaster. These are the words that keep being used when we discuss this course in my PBL group. There is no doubt about it. ONL221 provided me with a course experience like nothing I have ever experienced before. Learning by doing. For real.
One thing I have certainly learned is how much is out there. There are resources, ideas, research, collaborations, and communities that discuss the same issues that I think and wonder about. The only one that stops me from engaging and learning more is me. I think a great way to continue on this journey that this course has started, is to find and listen to some good education podcasts. I found “Teaching in Higher Ed” that had many interesting topics in an easily accessible format. Because it is important to be realistic.
As inspiring and interesting things are, we all have limited time and resources to spend. It takes time and effort to become a master blogger, plan champion open education, or research best learning practices online. Continuing with small but realistic steps is likely the best strategy. Because I really want to hold on to what this course has introduced me to. It has certainly proven that a functioning group is more than its separate members. We have a lot to learn by cooperating and getting inspiration and feedback from each other. Our different experience and personalities really push the quality of the group work to a higher level than could have been accomplished by one person spending the same amount of total time on our scenarios.
Another very valuable learning experience is the “learning by doing”. How can we teach in a problem based manner online if we have not experienced it ourselves? Or expect our students to work effectively in groups if we as teachers have not experienced the joy and challenges that well-planned group work entails?
I particularly found the “getting to know”-week very mind opening. Of course group work must have a solid foundation. And also the reflection time. In teaching, why do we miss out the introduction and reflection to such an extent? That is something that this course taught me in a totally new way.
What I wish I had spent more time on was interacting with other ONL participants. We were provided perfect opportunity to learn from and connect with a great mix of people from around the world. Unfortunately, I never felt I could spare the time/energy to do so.
It leaves an empty space. It was intense and constantly ongoing, unlike any other course I have taken before, but I enjoyed the ride. The name of this course is Opened Networked Learning. A suitable alternative name would have been And now, for something completely different.