Module 6 Reflection

This week gave us an opportunity to connect with fellow learners and professor with the offering of two web conferences in DimDim to help answer remaining questions about our final project. Jennifer Jenkins moderated and did a wonderful job.

In this module’s introduction, Professor Datta Kaur explained how the instructor’s role is changing from one of “sage on the stage” to “online facilitator”. One of the functions of the online facilitator is to personalize learning for students. A great way to do this is to design a precourse learning survey and we each had a chance to design a survey instrument.

We also discussed a formative assessment strategy to assess student learning by implementing elements of cybercoaching. Cybercoaching is based on a constructivist model. We compared two cases studies in our discussion board, the Casey Journalism class and the Khalsa journalism class. The differences were striking with the Khalsa class having a high level of interactivity by use of cybercoaching strategies.

In the Khalsa class, the assessments were very interactive and included a precourse survey, authentic conversations, personal reflections, and building knowledge in a community of learners.

I would like to remember the following highlights and quotes from various readings this week:

- The practice in cyber coaching of “putting student learning first”

- Khalsa’s reference to “A Place for Everyone in an Online Community”

- Spector’s reference to a “Collective Energy “

- The phrase “Cherished Relatedness” used in relationship to building online connections (Fuller, 1999)

-“Coaching is like having someone else on your side, making sure that you are focused on what's most important in your life. Coaching is not giving advice, and it does not involve your coach telling you what to do. Instead, your coach asks you questions that prompt you to consider alternatives you haven't considered, and encourages you to take new perspectives.”

Reference:http://www.coachingasperger.com/explained.htm