Marc makes some very interesting points regarding the importance of the Universal Design for Learning. Marc really seems to understand why designing a framework that makes good on the needs of learners is important for the long term benefits of the learner. I like how Marc looks at both the in-person and online aspects when considering how the teacher would look at implementing it in their classroom setting.
Lorenzo provides a lot of important information regarding the UDL, and beyond that he provides images that are simple yet effective in their messaging. Lorenzo also found ways to include multiple media sources which helped me learn more about the UDL beyond what we read in class. I specifically noted the Removing Barriers to Online Learning Through a Teaching and Learning Lens source was a very interesting read to include at the end of the blog.
Percy made some very interesting notes on pedagogy and how they related to their personal learning experience, by emphasizing the need for adaptability and connections to real life. I really liked how Percy also presented some potential challenges to the role of digital learning, and provided ways to introduce different solutions. If I were to add onto Percy’s ideas, I would not only emphasize meaningful engagement, but also prioritizing the wishes of the student in order to find that meaningful engagement would be just as important.
Justin made some good points in his post regarding pedagogy and it’s role for the instructor, and I would like to focus on his specific notion that the difference in pedagogy is related to the type of course he is taking, rather than the type of student taking the course. Without overanalyzing a single claim, Justin’s perspective of wanting a professor to teach a mathematics course in a straightforward manner, as opposed to for example, a sociology course, in a more discussion and open learning is logical, however I would argue that the consideration should be put more on the student itself rather than the course material. Every student learns in a different way, and while a statistics class might be easier for one person to learn with the teacher simply relaying all the information word for word, another student might learn just as effectively if the teacher were to have a group discussion or workshop.
While Marc’s first post might not have had much in terms of substance, there are some very important thoughts relating to education and accessibility that Marc expresses. Marc believes that education should be free and accessible to all, the traditional school model overemphasizes the need for tests as a form of assessment, and to find a way to provide new services for learners to be able to have these amenities. These are all great ideologies, therefore I am going to brainstorm some solutions to be able to put these thoughts into practice.
In order to provide free and accessible education you could create a website that allows people to submit lectures and writings that are easily organized for people to view. Similar to Youtube or Wikipedia, ads would allow the site to run at no costs, however instead of using part of the ad revenue to pay shareholders, this non-profit site could instead focus that money in areas that would engage in fact checking and other resources. This does however present the issue where someone might have limited or zero access to the internet, so in that case part of the money could go towards creating more infrastructure that benefits people who live in rural areas.
The other topic Marc brings up is how public and private schools are rooted in using tests as the main form of assessment. This can be beneficial to some students who are skilled at retaining information, however it can be just as detrimental to others who are not similarly capable to memorize information just to regurgitate it on a piece of paper and then immediately forget about it. In this case, I would suggest introducing non-standard forms of assessments into the education system that can both benefit the student and the teacher. These are usually more practical assessments that test a students capability to fulfill a task.
Lorenzo’s first post was very interesting as he showed a clear interest in the idea of Open and Distributed learning. I could tell from the description of his experience through his first year of university that while he had a difficult time staying prioritized and on schedule with the work, he clearly learned from that experience and was able to make the best of a poor situation. I also experienced my first year of university in 2020, which was the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I shared a lot of the same negative and positive experiences that Lorenzo did during that time.
Video by ABC News
While there were a lot of issues that came from COVID-19, I would argue the majority of them were based on the lack of preparedness teachers had when switching over to online based learning. This is because instead of attempting to create new ways for students to engage with the learning, a number of schools mandated attendance over zoom and the use of breakout rooms as discussion groups, and expected all the issues to go away. This was a reactionary decision, which resolved the issues for schools, however it took zero consideration for the student.
Lorenzo’s preference of a live teaching environment makes sense, and for someone who is privileged enough to be able to afford that luxury, I would agree. I personally believe while both synchronous and asynchronous forms of teaching have their advantages, a blended asynchronous format provides more accessibility for people who have a lot going on in their lives. I can resonate with the need for group discussion and feedback being important to learning, however in my opinion the fundamentals of accessibility and flexibility is what takes priority. Once those needs are met, then the extra amenities of ensuring collaboration in a classroom environment come next.
Mike’s Blog Post #1
Mike’s blog post was very informative, however he did not include much of his own critical thoughts on the subject. The modes of learning section showed a glimpse of Mike’s perspective on the subject, as he stated he prefers a blended form of learning, which I can certainly agree with. Mike mentions how a blended learning format allows him to adjust his school schedule to his needs, and I would also add that it allows for a more expansive range of content, as well as the capability to form group projects and collaborate with people across the world, who you may have never met without the same resources.
