I am fascinated by one of the readings, the community of inquiry framework, as it breaks down the education experience. These tough times require such approaches whereby learners get the most through social presence, teaching presence, cognitive presence. Therefore, the interdependence of the mentioned elements can potentially improve the learning experience during the pandemic (Garrison 88).
Secondly, the reading on teaching in blended learning environments still applied to the community of inquiry framework. However, it is interesting to find out that it highlights online and technology approaches. However, I don’t entirely believe that online and technology strategies can achieve deep and meaningful learning, as claimed by the author. In other words, higher education is much more engaging and demands as much contact as possible between the educator and the learner (Vaughan 83). Instead, the approach highlighted in the reading can only be used temporarily to keep the students busy.
The third reading, and the muddiest, is Learning is not a Mechanism by Jesse Stommel. At first, the author criticizes the use of digital tools by educators to cultivate knowledge. Later in the article, the author gives so many details on their lack of support for exclusive digital learning tools (Stommel). In other words, learners and educators need to do much more before they participate in the actual process. In part, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to tough times when the option of physical learning, or instead of learning the best way to exploit digital tools, is sabotaged.
Companies like TurnItIn benefit from such digital engagements; the site takes advantage of the challenges of digital learning. In that regard, I find that Stommel is more engaging as he talks about objective metrics and students’ patterns of behavior. Lastly, I want to learn more about the solutions to challenges of digital learning, which might improve online approaches.
Reference
Garrison, D. Randy, Terry Anderson, and Walter Archer. “Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education.” The internet and higher education 2.2-3 (1999): 87-105.
Stommel, Jesse. “Learning Is Not A Mechanism.” Criticaldigitalpedagogy.Pressbooks.Com, 2020, https://criticaldigitalpedagogy.pressbooks.com/chapter/learning-is-not-a-mechanism/.
Vaughan, Norman D., Martha Cleveland-Innes, and D. Randy Garrison. Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry. Athabasca University Press, 2013.
