Conclusion: This is not the end of my journey!

While contemplating my MDDE journey, I examined what I learned and how I have improved to determine if I did or did not meet my learning goals and how I did this or why I did not. Did I modify them along the way? I ask myself ‘should I have modified them?’

I think that I was too specific in what I wanted to accomplish. I wrote them more like objectives rather than big picture goals, so they seem quite similar now that I try to differentiate one from the other. If I was to redo my learning goals, they would be general goals such as:

• to become more knowledgeable about online facilitation
• to conduct educational research
• to complete my MDDE

These three broad goals are really what my six learning goals boil down to.

Explore teaching activities and facilitation methods to improve the teaching and learning experience.

With each MDDE course I completed, I expanded my knowledge in some aspect related to education. I had the opportunity to experience the student’s side of being an online learner. I also enjoyed many unique learning and collaborative experiences.  I feel that I consistently draw this foundation of knowledge and share my experiences with others, especially in my role as an instructor and mentor. I feel that the courses that played the biggest role in helping me meet this learning goal are MDDE 604 Instructional Design in Distance Education, MDDE 620 Technology in Education and Training, MDDE 621 Online Teaching in Distance Education and Training, and MDDE 631 Inclusive Leadership and Practice in Education. These courses helped by digging deeper into how to use best practices to design an online course, how to incorporate the technologies to the learners’ advantage, the benefit of incorporating collaboration and case studies into teaching, and promoting an inclusive educational environment. 

Broaden my experience and ability to use technology to the benefit of the learner. 

Throughout this journey, I have had many wonderful opportunities to experience new technologies in a supported environment. I used collaborative technologies for team sharing and communication, such as Goggle Docs and Skype. I have created videos of narrated Prezi and PowerPoint presentations, as well as created an animated video in PowToon.  My professor suggested that I should try a new learning platform, Canvas, to create an interactive course. This exposure to such technologies has helped me gain a better sense of what I can do as an instructor to make my courses more engaging for the learner.

One of the most memorable experiences I have though, is in a course in which Dr. Susan Bainbridge encouraged us to determine what we wanted to share in a discussion forum. Prior to that, most discussion forums had seemed very prescriptive and it did not feel like we, the learners, had any autonomy. Once I realised how broad the discussion could go, this freedom was very rewarding. I found that rather than all students making similar comments in the forum, there were some very diverse posts.

These experiences have provided me with a rich introduction on how to use technology for the benefit of the learner and not for the sake of using technology. While this learning goal will continue well into the future as new technologies and programs are made available, I feel that I met this learning goal as I have redesigned some activities to incorporate technology into my teaching. As an example: I have my learners create a video of them performing a task, rather than the high stakes of having to perform it while I watch. The learner can redo the video if they mess up; I am still able to assess them on the ability to perform the task, but there is less pressure on the learner.

Expand my knowledge on blended learning to be better able to incorporate blended learning into my instruction.

While I have become more comfortable in teaching overall, I do not feel that I fully met this learning goal as I do not feel very comfortable incorporating blended learning practices. I feel that while I have expanded my knowledge and have a stronger foundation than before my MDDE journey began, I still have a lot of room to grow to be better able to incorporate blended learning into my instruction. Some courses offered me experience in adopting technology to help me in the facilitation of a course, while another provided knowledge on instructional design. I currently teach mostly face-to-face with the odd self-study module thrown in.

Gain new instructional skills and facilitation methods to better prepare me to coach others.

This was not a goal when I first started on my path to get my MDDE. While I was expected to educate students and help preceptors educate students, this goal came into existence after I moved into the role of program chair. It is an expectation for me, as program chair, to coach and mentor my instructors. I then became focused on gaining new skills to help me fulfill those duties.

My experiences throughout the MDDE program have provided me with a rich foundation that I continually draw from and build on. One of my duties as Program Chair is to coach and mentor my instructors. We have a process in which the instructors invite the Chair twice a year to observe their teaching and provide feedback on their facilitation. I have accessed the resources, course notes, assignments, and the AU library many times while preparing my feedback for an instructor. I want to ensure I am promoting best practices, sound pedagogy, and current facilitation methods when advising my team on tactics and strategies they could implement. I feel that the readings, research, and assignments I completed in the MDDE courses, and especially the interaction and collaboration that I have had with other MDDE candidates, have all contributed to my success of meeting this learning goal.

Review current literature related to online course delivery to be better able to champion blended learning.

I feel this is a poorly designed learning goal; on one hand, I could potentially advocate blended learning after reading just one article. But on the other hand, to feel really able to properly promote blended learning with a credible and knowledgeable position, it would take much more time to research. Throughout my degree, I have read copious amounts of literature related to online learning and educational research and I am better informed regarding online delivery and facilitation. However, that alone is not enough to be able to champion blended learning. That being said, I would say that I did not meet this learning goal.

Contribute to educational research. 

I feel that I did not accomplish this goal during any of my MDDE courses. Due to a lack of desire and motivation to move forward with my thesis, I switched tracks from the thesis-based to the course-based program.

I feel that I missed out on accomplishing something and realising my goal to make a difference in online education, to help initiate change. However, I do feel fortunate to have had some other research-related opportunities, as I have participated in some educational projects of other researchers. Last year I helped assess student learning for a study that a doctoral student was researching and this spring I accepted a position with Athabasca University as a facilitator in a Blended Learning Practice MOOC. As a MOOC facilitator, I recorded my reflections which will contribute to the data research on MOOCs. While I did not accomplish the educational research myself, I am happy to have been able to give a small contribution toward the work of others.