Author: alistairj

Peer Review

I reviewed a blog post on an Orientation to Electronic Health Records (https://pod3patienteducationportal.opened.ca/). Overall, this is a fantastic piece of work. I found it educational and engaging. I have a few thoughts on what makes it so great:

 

  1. The overview tells me everything I need to know for the resource, and nothing more. I appreciate the clutter-free simplicity of the beginning. It does not overwhelm me. 
  2. Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction are laid out in visually appealing boxes.
  3. There is a clear rationale behind the target audience.
  4. Module links and learning outcomes were bolded. That made them stand out. 
  5. The forums seemed engaging and I liked the specific questions.
  6. I appreciated the optional resources. It keeps the workload manageable, but gives keen students an opportunity to take on more if they want to do so. 

 

What could be improved:

 

  1. The design for inclusion section felt brief. There could be more steps taken to support ELL learners, such as providing a link to a translation service or explicitly stating educators will be available to clarify concepts and meanings if necessary. 
  2. There are some big chunks of text that are hard to read, in the assessment section for example. Text could be broken up into smaller paragraphs for easier reading. 
  3. I personally find bulleted or numbered lists visually appealing and they help me learn as well. Lists could possibly be present to make large chunks of text easier to read. 
  4. Some of the images in the descriptions and rationale section felt too basic and only loosely related to the text.

It is hard to criticize such an amazing piece of work. I am looking forward to seeing the final product!

Learning Interaction

This Blog is about a TED Talk on Happiness by Robert Waldinger. Waldinger reports that an almost century-long study on thousands of people allowed scientists to narrow down the predictors of happiness to one key aspect: relationships. He has three main points. First, social connections are amazing for our health, and loneliness can literally kill. Then, quality close relationships are the most important kind and should be treasured and preserved above all others. Finally, great relationships are important for our physical health, and brain health, specifically in relation to memory. 

 

Students will interact with clips of this video (learning material) through user-generated interaction. There is no quiz at the end of the video or a checkpoint they must pass to complete the lesson. However, students will automatically reflect on the important relationships in their life. Students will ponder what specific relationships mean to them, and how they can improve them. 

 

As previously mentioned, on their own, students will think about the relationships in their life. They might realize how much they appreciate certain relationships, and how happy those interactions can make them. Secondly, they might think about what relationships in their life are not making them happier, and what they can do about that. 

 

An easy activity learners could do is reflect on their relationship. They could write down a few reasons why a particular relationship makes them happy. To take it a step further, learners could be encouraged to reach out to a friend to see how they are or arrange a date to see each other. This activity would require little effort from teachers and could easily be scaled to work with larger groups. Unfortunately though, even though the student is in control for this activity, it would be challenging to give feedback. 

 

The video ends with the speaker encouraging listeners to lean into relationships as “the good life is built with good relationships”. That advice is not specific. The speaker could have suggested listeners do some of the activities mentioned above, to give them actionable steps to improve their relationships, and therefore, their lives. Otherwise, this video was great and inclusive, as it had a full transcript for those unable to listen or watch the video. The transcript is available in multiple languages which is a fantastic step towards completely inclusive learning. 

 

References

 

Waldinger, R. (2015, November). Transcript of “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness”. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness/transcript

 

William, A. (2019, October 10). 9.6 interaction – Teaching in a digital age – Second edition. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/chapter/pedagogical-roles-for-text-audio-and-video/

Universal Design

Introduction to Universal Design

Universal design is an essential concept for inclusive learning. Universal design is the design and structure of an environment so it can be used by the greatest number of people, to the fullest extent of all their abilities (Hansen Foundation, 2017). This is to give learners of all ages and abilities the best possible opportunities to succeed. Another goal is for learners to have to make as little adaptations to their environment as possible, so they can be independent (National Disability Authority, 2020). 

 

Principles of Universal Design

There are seven basic principles of universal design: 

  1. Equitable Use
  2. Flexibility in Use
  3. Simple and Intuitive Use
  4. Perceptible Information
  5. Tolerance for Error
  6. Low Physical Effort
  7. Size and Space for Approach and Use

 

Universal Design in Engineering 

Some examples of universal design engineering are curb cuts (so wheelchair users can easily cross the street), simple signs, entrance ramps (for anyone who may have difficulty climbing stairs), level door handles (for those who do not have full motor control in their hands), and automatic doors. These inventions all include multiple principles of universal design, and we can use that as inspiration for designing learning. 

 

Universal Design in Learning

For example, signs that are designed with universal use in mind will have at least one language on them, as well as simple pictures. This would be the perceptible information principle. To adapt this to learning, the information could be delivered in multiple mediums. To explain a concept, a teacher could use writing, their spoken word, and diagrams to facilitate various learning styles. An entrance ramp satisfies the multiple principles: low physical effort, simple and intuitive use, flexibility in use, and equitable use. If the ramp was designed with railings on either side, to protect users, that would be following the tolerance for error principle. Signs warning that the ramp could be slippery would also be under the tolerance for error principle. A teacher could follow these guidelines, and warn students that an upcoming exam will be challenging. If students fail the exam, the teacher could offer a re-test, as they tolerate error. Finally, a teacher could be inspired by the flexibility in use principle. In engineering, this could manifest as inventions that people can use with either hand, whatever one is their preferred. A teacher could allow students to submit their assignments in their preferred medium, whether that be written, spoken, or presented and recorded. A teacher should always strive to be as inclusive as possible. 

 

References

 

National Disability Authority. (2020). The 7 principles of Universal Design. The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design | Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. https://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/The-7-Principles/

 

Rick Hansen Foundation. (2017, February 6). Universal design 101. https://www.rickhansen.com/news-stories/blog/universal-design-101

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

 

Experiential learning is a tactic that gives the learner the opportunity to engage in what they are learning and then reflect on that experience (Carleton, 2017). The idea is to connect academic learning, to real-life experiences, to show learners how to apply their education. Learners need to have an active role and high engagement in their learning for this method to be successful. Because the learning is so active, students will often rely on prior learning to build on if they have knowledge in their repertoire that has a similar “feel”. To make experiential learning effective, the learner must reflect on their experience. 

 

Why is experiential learning important? (Carleton, 2017)

  • It makes learning relatable, as students make connections between their old and new knowledge
  • It links taught theory to applied practice
  • Increases student engagement and encourages collaboration
  • Assists in memory retention, as learners link thought processes and feelings
  • Increases effectiveness of learning
  • Leads to development of learning skills

 

Learning cycle

A popular method of experiential learning is Kolb’s model (Carleton, 2017). 

  1. Concrete Experience: The learner tries a new experience, or takes part in an activity similar to a previous experience they have had. 
  2. Reflective observation: The learner reflects on their learning experience. They should be looking for any inconsistencies between their understanding of the theory and the experience.
  3. Abstract Conceptualisation: The learner creates a new concept, or reforms a previous experience to positively alter it.
  4. Active Experimentation: The learner then applies their learning to new, different experiences. Then the cycle repeats. 

Necessary components (McGill, 2017)

To consider an experience effective experiential learning, there must be a few elements present:

  • A thorough reflection of what they learned
  • Emotional investment to facilitate a higher engagement
  • Absence of excessive judgment for safe, self-discovery
  • Engagement in purposeful endeavours
  • A mixture of theory/content and process
  • High learner responsibility 

 

My project

 

My project will include elements of experiential learning. One of the major themes throughout the lesson will be on how much control one has over their happiness levels. If one changes their internal perspective, they can become happier, without changing their external circumstances. A gratitude practice can enhance one’s levels of happiness in a few moments. To incorporate experiential learning into our lesson, we will begin by teaching the theory behind gratitude’s impact on happiness. Then, we will give students an opportunity to practice gratitude. Following that, we will ask them to reflect on how that made them feel, and if their happiness changed. They could then use this experience as a reference to use when trying other happiness changing tactics.

 

References

 

Carleton University. (2017, March 24). What is experiential education? Carleton University – Canada’s Capital University. https://carleton.ca/experientialeducation/what-is-experiential-education/

 

Carleton University. (2017, May 18). Experiential learning cycle model. Carleton University – Canada’s Capital University. https://carleton.ca/experientialeducation/what-is-experiential-education/experiential-learning-cycle-model/

 

Carleton University. (2017, May 23). Why experiential learning is important. Carleton University – Canada’s Capital University. https://carleton.ca/experientialeducation/why-experiential-learning-is-important/

 

McGill University. (2015). Best Practices in Experiential Learning. https://www.mcgill.ca/eln/files/eln/doc_ryerson_bestpracticesryerson.pdf

Entry #1

Share a story about your best learning experience (could be a formal course or something more personal). Why did you enjoy it?

One of my best learning experiences was in the fall of 2018 in the Outdoor Education class at UVic. It is my best experience because I learned lots, as well as thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and that is why I still remember it over a year later. We went for a walk through Mystic Vale, just off UVic campus, with the goal of learning about the basic geography of the area, and then how a student would teach that knowledge to a class to a class they were leading. I enjoyed this learning experience because everything was tangible. We were outside, in the environment we were learning about. We could touch whatever we wanted, and use physical objects for examples. From what I understand, this could be classified as a constructive learning environment, as I had lots of control over how I learned through experiencing the real world (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Another aspect that made this learning experience positive is that I had an opportunity to practice what I had just learned. We split up into smaller groups, and pretended our classmates were elementary or high-school students that we were taking on a nature walk. We taught our peers about the geography of the area, with visuals to aid our verbal teaching. We also answered questions. The whole time, the professor was observing us. Despite that being stressful, it had its benefit: I was able to get immediate feedback. That was amazing as I could tweak my teaching for my next teaching session. I felt like that prevented me from developing bad habits. To summarize, my best learning experience was interactive and interesting, I had an opportunity to put what I learned to use shortly after, and I received immediate and personal feedback that I could implement.


References

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.

Introduction

Hey Everyone,

My name is Alistair Jensen. I am in my fourth and final year of the Recreation and Health Education program. I currently live in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver. I’m looking forward to talking to everyone this semester.

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