Prompt: Individual blog post #1: How can teachers effectively build relationships by encouraging safe communication and interactions in K-12 online & open learning spaces? What did you already know, what do you know now based on the course readings and activities, what do you hope to learn?
As a future educator, it is key to set up the platform in a meaningful way, especially when you are building an online learning environment. This is important because in order to create a safe, collaborative, and inclusive space for all students guidelines must be well communicated to students. The purpose of an online learning space is to have students interact, collaborate, and share ideas with their peers in a positive manner. To set up an online platform with students, the teacher would need to set up guidelines with students to foster good etiquette online. This would include a class discussion about positive comments, supportive and constructive feedback, and showing respect to peers. Alongside this discussion, the teacher would also have to go over privacy concerns online. In this course, I found going over FIPPA, as well as reading the article by Regan and Jesse (2019) it was a great introduction and was needed for all students to fully understand the gravity of being in an online platform. After discussing those essential topics before jumping into an online space with students, one would also have to encourage students to connect with each other. By doing this the teacher would create assignments for students to work through, and they would focus directly on creating and building those relationships with their peers. Lastly, a teacher would model what good etiquette online would look like, to show students what the expectations are in that space. I found this blog regarding online blogs to be very informative for teachers to set up with students, and it takes the guess work out of it!
The Community of Inquiry Framework isn’t a new concept for me, but having it laid out so clearly with the ideas illustrated made it easy for me to comprehend more deeply. I never realized that it was a concept, I just kind of had the same ideas regarding online learning. I believe that this is a great resource for all educators to explore, because it really gets across what makes a safe learning space functional for all learners. Another point I have with online learning spaces is that they are never as fluid as in person learning. I believe that online learning is a great tool to enhance and promote learning in a different space, but it should be used alongside in class instruction. After reading the article, Regan and Jesse (2019), it solidified the importance of parental concerns when it comes to learning in an online space. The safety of each and every student is always at the forefront of each educator. However, this article highlighted why parental concerns are always valid and need to be answered fully to ease any stress the parents might have about an online learning space. I am excited to jump into this course alongside my peers to learn more about what makes an open learning space optimal for all learners involved.
References:
CoI Framework | CoI. (2020). Retrieved 9 July 2020, from https://coi.athabascau.ca/coi-model/
Regan, P., & Jesse, J. (2019). Ethical challenges of edtech, big data and personalized learning: Twenty-first century student sorting and tracking. Ethics and Information Technology, 21(3), 167-179. DOI: 10.1007/s10676-018-9492-2
(2020). Retrieved 9 July 2020, from https://www.wix.com/blog/2020/05/teaching-online-ideas
Blog by Alyssa Lloyd 