2.5 Assignment: Critical Reflection Journal/Blog

What is new to my thinking or learning this past week? 

             I grew up in a time when students went to school in-person in a physical building with actual textbooks.  We did research in a library using something called a card catalog to find books and periodicals and used something called an encyclopedia. We either wrote our papers by hand with a pen or pencil and sometimes a typewriter.  When I went to college, again I went to class in a physical classroom in-person.  We had physical textbooks that we purchased in the college bookstore with the help of Marie Noggle, a sweet older lady who was always willing to help students find their textbooks.  The internet was in its infancy, but most students didn’t have access to it.  In fact, most didn’t even have a personal computer.

            Fast-forward 17 ½ years later I went back to college to pursue my 1st Master’s degree.  I still went to a physical classroom, though some classes were offered online via the internet.  My textbooks were purchased online from Amazon.  Most students had laptops, iPads, and Smartphones.  We turned in most of our work electronically via e-mail or via an online drop box in a LMS (Learning Management System) called Sakai.  This was the first time I was introduced to an LMS with minimal exposure.

            In 2013, I enrolled in my 2nd Master’s which was 100% Online and instruction was delivered via an LMS called Blackboard.  I communicated with my classmates via email, submitted typewritten assignments via the LMS called Blackboard on discussion boards and other assignments via a drop box.  I never met any of my classmates or instructors in person and only went to campus for graduation at the end of my program almost a year later.  I went on to complete a Doctorate in a 100% online format via Blackboard as well.  I learned to navigate Blackboard well and found it easy to use.

            During my time working in enrollment, I also taught classes online via an LMS called eCompanion.  While it was like Blackboard in its most basic functions, it was laid out differently and I had different access than the students with other functions as the instructor, but I was still expected to understand its operation and functions at the student level so I could assist my students as they navigated the LMS.  This program is my first exposure to Brightspace, and I have learned to navigate it during the previous course as well as this one. 

            This week has introduced new terminology and concepts regarding LMS’s.  As I said, I have used a few different LMS’s since being first introduced to them twelve years ago, but I have gained new knowledge this week that will be beneficial as I hope to teach online again at some point soon.  Perhaps, I will even be one a team where I am in a position to evaluate different LMS’s and decided which one to implement.  No matter what the case might be, LMS’s will continue to be the backbone of online education at all levels whether it be in K-12 settings or the college or university level.       

How has this new information challenged me?

             While I consider myself technologically savvy, I realized this week I have much to learn about all the options available in the world of Learning Management Systems.  Though most LMS’s have the same basic functions, I think what sets them apart is User Experience or as my wife calls it UX.  As a student myself the User Experience is a very important part of any type of software I am using.  I don’t think it should take a master’s degree in computers to be able to navigate a software program, especially an LMS.  When I am in a position of evaluating LMS’s User Experience (UX) will be a priority.  Retention is an issue for colleges of all sizes and locations, one of the reasons students give up and leave schools is their experience with the LMS the school uses.  This is even more crucial when the school is 100% online. Ensuring the student has a positive experience, including with their LMS is crucial to retention.      

How has this stretched my professional growth and development? What are the implications of this week’s learning on my professional practice?

            As I previously mentioned, I am somewhere between a tech novice and a tech intermediate.  I use technology and I know how to use it effectively most of the time.  I do, however, still have much to learn.  I grew up in a time and educated when technology was not used in education the way that it is today.  Learning about new technology and how to use it has not only stretched my thinking personally, but also professionally.  It is vital that I explore new technology especially when it comes to technology for the classroom.  It is important that I continue to learn about how to implement that technology in classroom.  Learning more about LMS’s is an area that will be beneficial in a variety of roles that I may hold within the field of education.

How can these new learnings be used to impact my personal faith journey and my impact for the Kingdom?

  One of the things that I appreciate the most about LMS’s that I have worked with is the integration of faith in the workshop each week. My favorite part of each week’s workshop is the virtual salt devotional. Though I have faith integration in my own daily walk, having this additional component integrated into my education helps develop my personal faith journey further. It helps me to interact and engage with my classmates to strengthen my walk with the Lord. When evaluating LMS’s I want to make sure that this component can be added. When I have the opportunity to design a course, implementing a faith component in each weeks workshop that relates to the content for the workshop will give me the opportunity to incorporate my own faith into the course which will give me the opportunity to impact the Kingdom and help students grow in their own walk with the Lord.