Online and blended learning have transformed the way we approach education. With this course of EC&I 834, I have been able to make sense of the depth that the course has. The pandemic era has introduced the knowledge community to a magic approach towards learning which happens with a keystroke. With online learning, we can access a vast array of courses and resources from the comfort of our homes, making education more accessible and flexible than ever before. It has helped us to set our own pace, adapt to various learning styles, and balance other commitments alongside our studies. On the other hand, blended learning combines the best of both worlds, offering the benefits of face-to-face interactions in physical classrooms and the convenience of digital tools for assignments and discussions. This hybrid approach enhances the learning experience, encouraging collaboration with peers and instructors while leveraging technology for enhanced engagement. Whether we’re pursuing new skills, advancing our careers, or simply expanding our knowledge, online and blended learning have opened up exciting opportunities for lifelong learning and personal growth.

So right on the day 1, we had a discord community as a platform for communication with the classmates, instructor announcement, resource sharing and which proved incredibly useful. That is how I actually got to know about alternate tools for content creation.

The first task of the course was to create a WordPress Blog and write the first blog post on online and blended learning and our own introduction.
Blogging proved to be fantastic way to create a close-knit learners’ community with many benefits. When learners write and share blogs, they can exchange knowledge, experiences, and expertise, enriching everyone’s learning journey. Engaging in blog discussions encourages interaction among community members and builds strong connections, providing support and inspiration. And it was mandatory for all students to read and comment on the posts. This was one good step towards creating inclusive community.

Next assignment was the ADDIE as an instructional design tool. My first ADDIE template was about a module ASAP- Adroit’s soft skills and accent reduction program. The second one was about communication dynamics in Relationships 101 – I built a course profile based on the latter template.

The next step was – creating audio/visual content through Lumi platform is an outstanding tool for online education! It is a user-friendly and interactive platform that enables educators to create engaging content for their students. With Lumi H5P, educators are able to create interactive assessments, presentations, games, and other multimedia activities that make learning enjoyable and efficient. Students can actively participate and learn through hands-on activities, which helps them retain information better. The platform also supports various content types, ensuring versatility in creating lessons that suit different learning styles. What’s even better is that Lumi H5P seamlessly integrates with various Learning Management Systems (LMS), making it easy for educators to share their content with students on existing online learning platforms.

The final assignment was a walkthrough of the entire course prototype. The students had a choice to select the LMS and I chose Google Classroom.
The course prototype is based on a module called The ABC of Image. The full form of ABC is the Attitude, behavior and communication of Image.

The prototype is a reflection of the enormous amount of work that can be done to create flawless classrooms for students regardless of age, place and subject

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/TRk7a1N2ONPTsG8DeNaT

References:

Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age – Second Edition. Vancouver, B.C.: Tony Bates Associates Ltd. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/

Hicks, Cat, Emeline Brulé, and Roberta Dombrowski. 2020. “You Have to Put Your Class Online: Simple Things to Think About.” Online resource.

Hamraie, Aimi. 2020. “Accessible Teaching in the Time of COVID-19.” Mapping Access.

https://www.niu.edu/flexteaching/resources/inclusion-equity-and-access-while-teaching-remotely.shtml

Online and blended learning have transformed the way we approach education. With this course of EC&I 834, I have been able to make sense of the depth that the course has. The pandemic era has introduced the knowledge community to a magic approach towards learning which happens with a keystroke. With online learning, we can access a vast array of courses and resources from the comfort of our homes, making education more accessible and flexible than ever before. It has helped us to set our own pace, adapt to various learning styles, and balance other commitments alongside our studies. On the other hand, blended learning combines the best of both worlds, offering the benefits of face-to-face interactions in physical classrooms and the convenience of digital tools for assignments and discussions. This hybrid approach enhances the learning experience, encouraging collaboration with peers and instructors while leveraging technology for enhanced engagement. Whether we’re pursuing new skills, advancing our careers, or simply expanding our knowledge, online and blended learning have opened up exciting opportunities for lifelong learning and personal growth.

So right on the day 1, we had a discord community as a platform for communication with the classmates, instructor announcement, resource sharing and which proved incredibly useful. That is how I actually got to know about alternate tools for content creation.

The first task of the course was to create a WordPress Blog and write the first blog post on online and blended learning and our own introduction.
Blogging proved to be fantastic way to create a close-knit learners’ community with many benefits. When learners write and share blogs, they can exchange knowledge, experiences, and expertise, enriching everyone’s learning journey. Engaging in blog discussions encourages interaction among community members and builds strong connections, providing support and inspiration. And it was mandatory for all students to read and comment on the posts. This was one good step towards creating inclusive community.

Next assignment was the ADDIE as an instructional design tool. My first ADDIE template was about a module ASAP- Adroit’s soft skills and accent reduction program. The second one was about communication dynamics in Relationships 101 – I built a course profile based on the latter template.

The next step was – creating audio/visual content through Lumi platform is an outstanding tool for online education! It is a user-friendly and interactive platform that enables educators to create engaging content for their students. With Lumi H5P, educators are able to create interactive assessments, presentations, games, and other multimedia activities that make learning enjoyable and efficient. Students can actively participate and learn through hands-on activities, which helps them retain information better. The platform also supports various content types, ensuring versatility in creating lessons that suit different learning styles. What’s even better is that Lumi H5P seamlessly integrates with various Learning Management Systems (LMS), making it easy for educators to share their content with students on existing online learning platforms.

The final assignment was a walkthrough of the entire course prototype. The students had a choice to select the LMS and I chose Google Classroom.
The course prototype is based on a module called The ABC of Image. The full form of ABC is the Attitude, behavior and communication of Image.

The prototype is a reflection of the enormous amount of work that can be done to create flawless classrooms for students regardless of age, place and subject

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/TRk7a1N2ONPTsG8DeNaT

References:

Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age – Second Edition. Vancouver, B.C.: Tony Bates Associates Ltd. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/

Hicks, Cat, Emeline Brulé, and Roberta Dombrowski. 2020. “You Have to Put Your Class Online: Simple Things to Think About.” Online resource.

Hamraie, Aimi. 2020. “Accessible Teaching in the Time of COVID-19.” Mapping Access.

https://www.niu.edu/flexteaching/resources/inclusion-equity-and-access-while-teaching-remotely.shtml

So that concludes another course, Thank you to everyone who helped me learn throughout this short semester, Here is a recap of everything I learned during the course of the semester! Let’s go on a journey to investigate the transforming influence of these learning approaches, powered by various LMS systems, and the myriad of benefits they provide to learners all over the world. Studying in online and blended learning has been a rewarding experience, providing me with a variety of valuable skills and perspectives. Through these classes, I improved my digital literacy, becoming skilled at navigating numerous online platforms and successfully utilizing digital technologies. Because of the adaptability of these learning environments, I’ve developed exceptional time management skills, allowing me to balance my education with other commitments. Furthermore, the emphasis on self-directed learning has enabled me to take responsibility for my education, set clear goals, and independently examine course materials, building critical thinking abilities. Collaborating with peers from various backgrounds has broadened my perspective and enhanced my virtual communication abilities. Overall, the combination of technology-driven education and face-to-face contact has given me a well-rounded education.

As we near the end of our semester in online and blended learning courses via various LMS systems, it becomes clear that these digital tools have revolutionized education in unprecedented ways. In this technologically advanced era, online and blended learning, complemented by a variety of LMS platforms, have allowed learners all over the world to take care of their education, encouraging self-directed learning and developing critical skills for the future. Thank you for teaching this course, Katia! You taught me so much

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Here is the link to the video of my summary of learning

For my summary of learning I have chosen to create a map of my mind & journey through this course. I have created a reading/poem that contains all my thoughts & feelings through each assignment, topic, and learning curve. I then reflected this onto paper. I debated perfecting it or changing it, but decided to keep it the way it was because I feel if your summary of learning is honestly reflecting your journey, there will be many imperfections along the way. Please click on the video below to watch my map come to life!

Link to my Summary of Learning video.

Another big thank you to each & everyone of you, this class has been great! Enjoy the rest of your summer & best of luck with the rest of your studies.

Hello everyone

I’d want to start by stating that I thoroughly enjoyed the course’s material and feel like I learned a lot of skills, resources, and knowledge. The course module development process was both fascinating and hard, and I intend to continue improving and implementing it in the future. I loved all of the comments and feedback, as well as Katia’s encouragement and push to stretch myself; I felt like my ability to build a usable, accessible blended unit had significantly improved. My main takeaways were the use of video to assure accessibility, involvement, community, and instructor-student connection. It was an exciting and educational journey. It was difficult for me at the outset of this course to build an online course for EC&I 834. I had to decide on a target student demographic, a course style and toolbox, course content and objectives, course evaluation needs, and how the course prototype would be organized overall.

Summary of the course

Grade -4 , Social Studies -Origins of the Cultural Diversity and Impact of the Land on the Lifestyles and Settlement Patterns in Saskatchewan communities.DR 4.1 & 4.2

DR4.1 -(Dynamic Relationships DR 4.1)Impact of the land on the lifestyles and settlement patterns of the people of Saskatchewan

DR 4.2-(Dynamic Relationships DR 4.2 )Relationship of First Nations and Métis peoples with the land.

Targeted Population( Age, Grade, Gender) The audience for this subject is students in grade 4, who are the target group for this learning. They range in age from 6 to 12. At this age, kids start examining their environment and beginning to wonder about the various shapes of the items.

Accessibility features include the ability to expand fonts, buttons, and videos, as well as films that read courses aloud, alternate text, open-form assignment submissions, and an evaluation and needs form. 

Integrations with technology: Jam Board Screencastify (interactive films and videos), Lumi (videos, dragging and dropping, and filling in the blanks), Google Docs, Slides, and Forms

Demographics- All of the students taking this course nowadays have access to modern technologies like laptops and computers. The population of Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, is very diversified, which greatly diversifies the audience that is being targeted. The population is more diverse since not everyone has access to technology equally

Here is the link of my course walkthrough video

To summarize my learning for EC&I 834, I decided to create a video presentation with Canva! Although I have started using Canva frequently (thanks to EC&I 832), I have not yet made a video presentation using the platform. Overall, I found Canva to be very user friendly, and I was easily able to convert my presentation to a video. I do wish that I was able to do voice recording directly on Canva without recording the entire presentation at once! I decided to record my audio on an app and upload it to Canva after so I could edit the audio as needed.

I appreciate all the knowledge that has been shared by my professor, Katia, and all my classmates. The skills and tools I have developed throughout this course will help to create more valuable learning experiences for my students.

Click on the link below to watch my summary of learning project for EC&I 834! The final course for my degree!

Summary of Learning Project Link

Thank-you for take the time to watch my Summary of Learning Video! What was your biggest take-away from this class?

I’ve personally enjoyed learning about the Online/Blended course creation, the tactics, and tools for producing quality and interesting instructional content etc. The curriculum was organized into a timeline that led us through different phases of course development and promoted group learning activities.

The course began with the basics of online and blended learning over the first few weeks of the course. then all that happened through 4 weeks was a highly intensive course and I wished it was longer. The technology aspect was great and really useful which was interspersed with the instructional design.

This class has been so beneficial in so many ways. I have thoroughly enjoyed creating a class prototype & look forward to implementing it into my future classroom. The ADDIE template really helped to guide me & get me started on the right foot. I know I will use all of these strategies & tools in the future as I continue to embrace & incorporate a blended learning approach for my students.

As much as this class seemed to fly by & we only had 4 online classes together, I appreciated that time together. I always looked forward to seeing my peer’s faces & having class discussions on such important topics. The breakout rooms filled with conversations & feedback was very much appreciated & enjoyed on my end.

In regards to our last classes breakout room sharing, there was feedback in the form of ensuring we were all on a similar track, yet appreciating each other’s differences in creations. We all seemed to have a unique approach, but supported the process & individual journey we all went on to get to where we got. I am thankful to my group for providing a safe & welcoming atmosphere when sharing my course prototype.

Here is the link to my Course Prototype Walk Through. Enjoy!

Course Prototype

Although you will find this information in the video at the end, I just wanted to remind everyone of the course, target audience, and goals of the course prototype I have created.

Course Prototype Reflection

I have always enjoyed exploring new educational tools and planning lessons for students. I guess that’s why I am a teacher! I really enjoyed making this course prototype and can see me using it next school year. The content creation was very time consuming, so I would have to build up the content for this course over the next few years. Hopefully, I can find some teachers who would like to collaborate in making this course (HINT, HINT)! I also am mindful that this is a blended course and therefore there is flexibility in completing online and offline work. With this blended course, students will be completing all work, online and offline, in the classroom.

Selecting an Idea

When presented with the project, I immediately knew that I wanted to develop a resource for my grade 9 math students. After completing the analysis portion of the ADDIE model, I could see that the need for the course was better suited for other students in the class. That is what led me to the final course idea!

Choosing an LMS

Choosing an LMS was the most difficult part of the process. The school division where I teach uses Google Classroom which should make that platform the obvious choice.

Aside from wanting a challenge and to explore a new platform, I found that integrating the content I wanted to create into the same Google Classroom as the rest of the students would be a logistical nightmare (for me). Additionally, students often become confused about which content is for them in the Google Classroom. Therefore, I had the idea of creating a link, for identified students, in the Google Classroom that would take them to the Canvas course. I think the use of a different, more user friendly platform will allow for more positive experiences for students.

Experiences with Canvas

Overall, I have to say that I have really enjoyed using Canvas. The interface appears to be very user friendly, and the pages of content are easy to create. I will be interested to use the grading and feedback tools once students have completed the work. Additionally, I have embedded several webpages and Google Apps that may or may not integrate well with Canvas. Although it was easy to embed the pages, I would like to see if the students can easily access the pages and if I can view progress through Canvas.

Lastly, I created two concept checks (using the quiz feature) on Canvas. Although I like the feature of adding a range to numerical answers, I was disappointed in the quiz tool. I found that creating the quiz was tedious, and the question types did not always display nicely. Even though creating math assignments through Google Forms is not ideal, I did not find that Canvas offered many more features.

New Tools

I really enjoyed the opportunity to experiment and explore new tools in this course. The discovery of Lumi led me to also try EdPuzzle, Screencastify, formative, and Quizziz. Classmates have also shared many other tools that I hope to explore in the future. In the course prototype, I was able to try out and utilize several new (to me) tools like Lumi, EdPuzzle, SplashLearn, and Jamboard.

Application of Learning

Through reading the blogs of my classmates, and engaging with EC&I 834 course content, I was able to make several improvements to my course prototype. The following is a list of upgrades I made to the course based on my interactions with this course:

• Checked and updated accessibility features on Canvas and embedded platforms
• Integrated interactive videos and content using Lumi and H5P

• Differentiated learning opportunities for a more equitable experience.
• Created and shared goals with students through Canvas
• Created a poster for expectations around interactions
• Purposely integrated peer engagement opportunities through the discussion feature on Canvas, Jamboards, and Desmos

Content Creation

I found the content creation for the course prototype to be the most overwhelming part of the experience. I found that I was often changing what I made as I gained new knowledge. Additionally, not only did I challenge myself to try a new LMS, but I also strived to try new tech tools while creating content. Although I am very proud of the content that I have created, I most likely will search for some pre-made resources in the future. Once my course is established, I will continue to develop my own content in the future.

End Product

I am extrememly proud with the end result of my course prototype. I feel like my choices for set-up, content, and assessment were extremely strategic and intentional. In the past, I have been disappointed with the educational experiences that I have been providing for students who will receive alternative programming in Grade 10. Although I have always differentiated, these students did not have the same opportunities for engagement as the rest of their class. I believe that the resource I have created is a step in the right direction to creating a more equitable learning experience. The blended design will allow for flexibility for both me and students. Additionally, this resource may be valuable to other students who just need some additional practice to help boost their confidence and understanding in math!

Peer Feedback Reflection

I was extremely appreciative to have the opportunity to share my course prototype with my classmates. Who better to provide feedback than other educators?! I also enjoyed listening and viewing my classmates’ courses, especially given such a diverse group of people. Listening to others gave me other ideas of how I might utilize other tech tools and course formats in the future!

Overall, my classmates were extremely kind and provided several pieces of positive feedback. They seemed to think the progression and layout of the content was well planned, and the diversity of activities would aide in the learning of my target audience. One question that was asked was about the navigation of activities from day-to-day.

With varying attendance, independence, and abilities of learners, would they be able to find the place that they ended the previous class? This was a good question that I thought about before problem solving. The original home page that I designed had the list of modules and announcements. It was not very visually appealing to students, and navigation could pose a problem. Since the module’s content is designed for easy funtionality and navigation during work time, viewing the overall module is less user friendly. As a teacher, the strategic indents and labels are all very satisfying, but may be hard for the target demographic to navigate. To fix this, I added modules as a tab that students could access in the navigation bar along the side and I redesigned the home page. The new and improved home page contains buttons that allow students to choose their destination. This creates more work for me since I will have to adjust the destination for the “Current Work” button, but with a small population of students using this course I do not feel this will be an issue. The homepage also now contains a poster of shared expectations, and some math prompts for math discussions. Below you will find a comparison of the old vs. new homepage!

Course Prototype Walkthrough

Please follow the link to my Course Prototype Walkthrough. Let me know if you are interesting in collaborating on this course, or if you have any suggestions!

Well that is a wrap on another course! Thank you to all that contributed to my learning over this short semester and good luck on the rest of your education!

Below is my summary of learning of what I learned over the course of the semester!