Reflection
This project had its highlights and lowlights. Throughout it all, I found the that greatest challenge was navigating the tension between what I had hoped to achieve with the technology and what I was actually able to do – the latter being governed by a combination of the what the technology allowed, and knowledge of how to use the technology (and my ability to independently learn what I needed to learn).
The Digital Story
My digital story (DS) was an appropriate project to include in my Moodle. It connects to two of the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPL) that the Moodle course is designed around, for first being the understanding that “learning is embedded in memory, history, and story”. I connected the “story” concept to the FPPL “learning requires exploration of one’s identity” by creating a brief story of who I am. Both of these principles are explored in the specific module in which I embedded the DS. It is intended to be used as an example for the Moodle course participants as they think about how they would describe who they are – what “story” they tell of themselves, a first step before then thinking about how who they are informs both their own learning, and their teaching practice.
Since the digital story is connected to identity, I wanted to use a format that was able to incorporate photographs that represented what was important to me in life. Also, because my digital story is an example that the Moodle participants could potentially use, I needed a format that was not difficult to learn to use. I originally wanted to integrate audio in my digital story along with the visual images. As Siemens (2003) indicates, each type of media has its strengths and weaknesses and integration of various media is able to enrich learning, and Bates (2014) refers to the fact that the use of audio is “particularly ‘potent” (237) in media.
However, the actual process of creating the DS took me on an unexpected journey. I first used a tool that I have used before, but upon completing it, found out that it was not a format that could be uploaded to the blog (or later to the Moodle). Consequently, I decided to choose a different online DS tool that I had never used before. I spent some time creating and editing a product I was satisfied with (and that incorporated both visual and audio) but when the story was finally finished (with all photos uploaded, and audio commentary provided) and ready to be published on the DS site that helped create it, I encountered a “glitch” that prevented the final step (which had to be completed on the tool’s website) form being completed. I did some quick research about that DS tool and found that this “glitch” had existed for the last three years and had never been resolved (as far as I could find out).
So I created yet another DS with a third tool – PhotoPeach – which does not allow for my recorded audio commentary; instead it allows for captioning of the visuals and a choice of music from the site, or the uploading of music. I decided to forgo finding another tool that allowed for the personal audio commentary for the sake of at least working though to a finished product that I could take through all the steps to finally have it embedded in my Moodle. I also decided against adding the “canned” music as it did not add quality to the DS, and did not uploading music, as I had none that was free to use.
At this point I came to think about the consideration of “speed” that needs to be taken into account in the selection of media. Boyes, Dowie and Rumzan (2005) referring to a version of the SECTIONS framework, indicate that the speed with which technology can be updated is a consideration that one needs to take into account when choosing technology. This became real for me in an unexpected way. As I indicated, with the 2nd DS tool I used, I had completed the DS (almost) and had spent considerable time editing versions before I was satisfied with it. All of this was before I knew that it would not ultimately work. So for the DS I created with PhotoPeach, I was more concerned with completing a draft of the DS and taking it through all the steps it needed to go through to ensure it could be embedded in my Moodle. The only problem is that then editing the DS required a new DS to be created and then downloaded (before then uploading). This experiences underscored the importance of choosing media that is relatively easy to adapt or revise in a timely and inexpensive way.
Bates (2014) indicates that the ideal learning tool is not available. I imagine that this is because what is the ideal tool for one person or context is not necessarily the ideal tool for another person or context. In the case of my DS I wanted a particular type of product, but the tools I could independently learn to use in the time I had available lead me to make some compromises. The tool I finally used satisfied the purpose of DS. Although, originally I wanted to have an audio narration accompany the visuals, I was able to share a story of who I am through the combination of photographs and text.
The Moodle
As I worked on specific contents of the module for this assignment, I realized that I would have to make some slight adjustments to introductory modules to provide some additional clarity. I came to realize that like any other course, there is an iterative process to course development for online courses just as there is for a f2f course. I can imagine that as I would work to further develop later modules, I might want to make adjustments to this early assignment as well.
So what have I learned through this process? The answer is mostly a reinforcement of something I already know as an educator – be clear about the goal(s) of an assigned activity. In developing my Moodle activities, I kept having to touch back on the learning objectives to ensure that every decision I was making was with them in mind (as much as possible). This is what led me to create a course where the assessment is based on self and peer assessment and facilitator feedback, and a course where students can have a choice of activities (where all the choices can still meet the same learning outcomes). As Bates (2014) indicates, “The form assessment takes, as well as the purpose, will be influenced by the instructor’s…underlying epistemology” (p. 466). There was no need for an external assessment structure (grades) for my Moodle because one of foundations of the FPPL was to help reinforce the learner’s responsibility for his or her own learning (with strategic and structured assistance and feedback, but not an external measurement). The summative assessment in this case was whether or not an educator could comfortably integrate the FPPL into the content and structure of his or her classrooms – it is the ability to apply what was learned in an authentic context.
Overall, I am again reminded of Bates’ (2014) assertion that trying to make decisions about educational technology, even when using a model such as SECTIONS is not something that could be coded and automated. There are so many variables at play, and decisions made about one aspect of course development will invariable affect decisions about other aspects.
Last, on a slightly related note, I was reminded of one other aspect of my own learning processes through this project. I tend to want to work though things and experience them first hand in order to understand them. Sometimes, I forget to ask for assistance when it would benefit me. On one particular day I had spent over 6 hours trying to figure out how to complete one of the tasks for Assignment 3. I did some research on-line, read the documents I had gathered about creating a Moodle, did some trial and error, and had just finally figured out how to the task when minutes later another student asked the same question I had been working on to our Connect discussion site. Within minutes another classmate responded. If I had just reached out and done the same, I would have saved myself hours of time. A lesson worth remembering in the future as I continue on my tech in education learning journey.
Bates, T. (2014). Teaching in digital age http://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/
Boyes, J., Dowie, S., & Rumzan, I. (2005). Using the SECTIONS framework to evaluate flash media. Using the SECTIONS framework to evaluate flash media, 2(1). Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.186.6505&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Siemens, G. (2003). Evaluating media characteristics: Using multimedia to achieve learning outcomes. Elearnspace. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/mediacharacteristics.html