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What does Pedagogy mean to you?
Being a swim instructor for the past 6 years has taught me a lot about the value of learning different approaches to teaching so you can tailor all your lessons to students with various learning styles. I have done this for many some many years not knowing that there was a name for this art. I have always strived to make my lessons fun and engaging for all the kids and adults in my swimming lessons and would learn their different learning styles. As a student have always learned from doing. You could tell me something and how to do it but that would not do any good. I always learned from watching and practicing. Even though I learnt this way I knew not everyone did learn this way. So when I introduce a new swimming stroke or skill into one of my lessons, I would first say what the skill was, then show what the skill was, then explain why we do the skill, and then do heavy practice with the skill while I would re-explain and show as necessary or give extra practice to the students who needed it. I would like to say I was good at the art of pedagogy before I even knew its name.
Networked Pedagogy in Action
In the modern world of multimedia learning, I think it is easier to learn something now than ever before. I have found that ever since the start of my university career I have been able to learn so much by speaking to other classmates and strangers in the UVic discord to better understand concepts. I have made a few friends through these class discord servers that I still work with today. These connections that I made through online learning in 2020 have become immensely valuable and have thoroughly enhanced my learning through friendship and collaboration. For technology, I have used YouTube and combed Reddit for tips and knowledge for my assignments. And recently the amount of time I have saved too with using Chat GPT to further my understanding of concepts has then allowed me to study more effectively for final exams. I think Network Pedagogy has become something you need to search for yourself. Once you know your learning style the tools are out there for you to learn. I think modern technology for learning is amazing and with the future of AI, I am excited to see how the classroom changes.
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Learning Theories in Practice
Both Constructivism and Social Learning Theory resonate with me deeply but if I had to reflect on one I would say constructivism is the one that resonates with me more. Constructivism feels like a natural fit for online learning because it emphasizes hands-on experiences and active learning which is how I learn best. In a virtual setting, I have learned best this way by being given a coding project and having to learn how to solve it through actively working with the code. This style of hands-on project learning has taught me so many valuable skills. If I were to teach in an online setting I could see this approach shaping my teaching by encouraging active participation and reflection by creating an environment where learners build their own understanding through exploration and discussion of the material. It aligns with how I learn best. By doing and connecting ideas to practical outcomes.
The Role of the Instructor
The role of the instructor in a digital space is to send the students down the path of success. I think for an online instructor to be effective they must be willing to be flexible and have detailed qualitative grading while also being available to student questions and feedback. I think the hardest part about an online course is gauging the understanding of your students since everyone learns differently and being not open to new ideas and interesting ways of expressing accomplishment will be the downfall of an online Instructor. For me, effective online instructors have made it very clear what they wanted so that you could present your understanding in an effective way to them but they have also been able to listen and understand alternative submissions of understanding.
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Exploring Digital Spaces
I’ve found that learning in digital spaces can be both effective and challenging. When you have a clear goal it’s often easy to find the resources you need to deepen your understanding and achieve that goal. However, I’ve noticed that while in-person communication can sometimes be more effective for discussing and clarifying concepts it’s not always the best option especially when everyone’s knowledge is at a similar level. In those cases learning online can be more productive. To contribute positively to digital learning spaces I believe it’s important to only provide input when you’re confident in your answers and when the information is genuinely helpful. Unfortunately, platforms like Reddit have become increasingly negative, with people mocking those who are simply trying to learn. This kind of behaviour is destructive and adds to the challenges of learning online. I think knowledge should only be shared in spaces where it’s requested and where your input adds real value. False information is another major issue in digital spaces. While misinformation exists both online and offline, it’s much harder to filter out bad information online, making it more challenging to navigate. This is why being mindful and intentional in digital learning environments is so important.