Artefact # 1: MDDE 614 International Issues in Distance Education

Course Summary

MDDE 614 offers students the opportunity to discover what distance education has come to mean across borders, not bound by time or place. As students we were able to put our theoretical practices to great use and explore solutions to issues that confront Distance Education and Educators presently and anticipate what is coming. As we remove the borders we are able to see what limitations educators and learners are faced with internationally.

My Artefact Summary:

The first artefact that I have chosen is one that continues to stand out to me, as I wish I had gone further with the idea. I wish I had known what I know now. I currently provide curricular content to a mobile learning tool. This product binds informal and formal learning by using cutting edge technology in a mobile gaming platform. This assignment truly is always in the back of my mind as I work on my work goals. We are providing a fun learning platform for students, and ensuring it is curricularly aligned for educators (2.5). We are engaging students in what they like to do already (gaming).  In my assignment I brought students, tutors, parents and educators together in a Virtual World knowing students were already playing with this platform (3.2). What I do every day is an expanded version of this assignment.

Our assignment was to explore the limitations of distance education in some areas of the globe and offer a solution to this problem ( 6.1).  The problems I choose to highlight in my proposed solution were Audience (distribution, variety), Culture (religion, theories, and politics) and Technology. More specifically I wanted to deliver a tutoring aid centre that provided instantaneous answers to distant learners via a virtual world online, one that defied the bounds of time and place (1.7).

Reflection: 

My idea was an online tutoring agency that incorporated gaming, technology and distance learning (3.2). I did this through an online virtual world called SecondLife (which was popular at the time). This tutoring agency would provide grade delineation services to students from grades K-9. The specialty subjects that would be addressed were; reading, math, social studies, French and writing skills (1.1). Only students and tutors would be able to access the tutoring island in SecondLife through their own created avatar. Tutors would enhance distance learners experience by providing their support in workshops, aid to assignments, administering practice tests and being available for instant answers. This solution allowed for students who lived in remote areas to participate with other students their own age. Students would have the opportunity to not only communicate with their tutor, but with their peers as well (5.8).

This artefact allows me to reflect on where I was as a learner and where I am now. It reminds me how technology and education are limited to several students not only abroad but also here in North America (5.2) . This artefact exemplifies my journey by focusing primarily on the Problem Solving, Analysis, and Decision Making section of outlined competencies. This artefact also displays learning competencies as outlined in; Instructional Design and Development section, the Communication and Interpersonal Skills section, the Research section, and the Management Organization and Leadership section. To the left I have listed all specific competencies within their appropriate section.

As an educator it is important for me to understand whom my audience is, and more importantly what their limitations are (1.2). This specific course outlined key areas educators should explore and research prior to undertaking a new contract or workload (5.8). It’s important to know the audience, but also what limits them. I learnt very early on that you can have the best content out there but if your audience cannot receive or attain this content it won’t matter (6.1). Research is paramount to educators. Staying ahead of trends and knowing what students are passionate about are real issues presented to educators.

This artefact outlines the first time as a learner and educator I researched the limitations of learners internationally. I uncovered several limitations abroad but choose to work on issues related to my home, my community – North America. I wanted to enhance the distance education experience with issues that I myself have had (2.4).

I used a technological platform that was already available online. It was accessible through the internet. The majority of students (especially distant learners) have access to the internet, and through research knew SecondLife was using platform relevant to students (6.1). I presented my findings using my research to highlight key points, and ensured my delivery (and technology) was accessible to students, parents and tutors (2.4). Looking back I wish I had researched cutting edge technology, researched what was on the horizon. Through my experience I have found students are drawn to new technologies. I also realize now that technology can easily be created for me, I didn’t have to use SecondLife and pay them a nominal fee (hypothetically), I could have hired programmers to create exactly what I wanted. Today this has taught me to research not only what is out there now, but what is on the horizon, what’s the next big thing (3.2).

While this artefact is symbolic of my current career path, it is also symbolic of failure. I was passionate about my solution, I felt I was creating a product to solve a problem, a solution that would engage learners thus enabling them to learn. I quite honestly didn’t understand why I had to re-write it. During the re-write, I considered my audience and tailored my presentation in a more academic yet investor friendly manner, I researched my topics more thoroughly, and I made my desired audience of my solution more specific. I re-worked things from several angles, and created a program using my desired technology that created a tutoring service that was not bound by time nor place.  I reviewed the notes made, and realized my dominant suggestion was to dig deeper, make it more specific. Upon re-reading this assignment (three years later) I realize I was onto something big here, engaging students with technology. I should have dug deeper, I should have branched out. At the time I wonder if I wasn’t looking in the right places, perhaps the information I have now wasn’t available then. I now can honestly look at criticism in a new light, I wasn’t being told what I had done wasn’t satisfactory, I was being told to look deeper – there is more there, and you’re really on to something. I think this is an important lesson I hope I hang onto. Constructive criticism is part of growing as a learner and most importantly as a person.

Application:

Moving forward in my career I use this artefact as the foundation building blocks of my passion – delivering quality education to all students in engaging, hands-on lessons. I strive to deliver STEM content to all students all while incorporating new technologies, such as gaming. This artefact also provides me with an important lesson on constructive criticism. Mentors and peers will always have a different outlook than my own, and I need to be aware of what others are saying, and how I can incorporate it into my work, and life. In the past three years I have really come a long way as far as technology is concerned which I will be explaining further in upcoming artefacts.