Julia Da Silva Beharry Using E-Portfolio to Enhance, Assess and Showcase Student Learning

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Learning Journal OMDE 601

Overview

This page consist of information on my reflections and responses of Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (OMDE 601 9040) course. This information includes:

Julia's Wealth of Knowledge~Biographical Information

My name is Julia Da Silva-Beharry and I reside in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States of America. I am an International Development and Program Analyst with a wealth of experience managing innovative social services programs, building institutional systems and strengthening private/ public services and non-government organizations across the Caribbean and United States of America. I am currently pursuing a MASTER OF EDUCATION in Distance Education and E-Learning from UMUC. I hold a MASTER OF EDUCATION in Instructional Technology from the UMUC, in the year 2012, and a BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE degree in Economics from the University of Guyana, in the year 2000.

Over the past sixteen years I have displayed unique marketing-research skills and innovative strategies as I engaged in several state of the art technologies, which required my skills in networking with international and local organizations, soliciting business entities, corporations and individuals as volunteers. I have also conducted training and teaching sessions in areas such as information technology, excellent customer care among other areas to equip corporations and companies to remain as organization and market leaders. Highlights of my experience are broad and varied since it fosters a culture that values and promotes diversity, teamwork, flexibility, and innovation. I worked in various capacities, where I was required to teach and train in an individual and group setting. My professional skills were utilized in building national statistics through onsite technical assistance in entrepreneurial, marketing-research, and training programs, enabling evidence- based policy and planning of marketing and sophisticated information technology strategies. My work ethic displays my penchant for thinking outside of the box beyond Technology in Distance Education and E-Learning. Communication is constantly related to real life experiences and where this does not exist, I use my creative and interpersonal skills to make abstract concepts come to life. I am always looking for new opportunities to improve my professional skills and I am constantly seeking various ways to remain relevant with marketing research, education instruction and technology. As an Executive Director and Owner of JULIA’S GLOBAL ENTERPRISE INC. (JGE), I am taking the OMDE 601 class because my motto is to be committed to excellence towards developing excellent minds for the future. You are welcome to visit my informational website . In addition, I am an Executive Director and founder of a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. In our organization, we work together to make our cause known, to reach out to other groups who share our vision. You are welcome to click here to visit Women Networking with Children Youth Empowerment Services Inc. (WNWC-YES), a 501 (c) (3) Public Charity Foundation. Additionally, I am looking forward to acquire and share a wealth of knowledge in this course, which will be further utilized to inspire student learning and connect with the community as well as other stakeholders.

I love to travel to different countries and my favorite vacation spot is to visit Disney World Resort in Florida, USA. My family and I enjoy the magical memories of activities that await us away from home. I am also elated to let you know that I enjoy cooking healthy delectable cuisine, creating unique interior décor, special event planning, as well as traveling around to visit any interesting scenery. My aim is to acquire knowledge from the course which will be further utilized to reinforce my pedagogical and administrative skills to inspire student learning and connect with the community as well as other stakeholders. As a result my prior knowledge and skills will be applied to this course, and create an opportunity for me to learn how to use and apply technologies efficiently and effectively in Distance Education and E-Learning programs.  Additionally, my expectations are to learn how Distance Education (DE) technologies can be selected and readapted to DE programs in limited-resource settings. Nevertheless, my desire is to experience significant moments with my classmates and instructors towards accomplishing the objectives of the completion of the course. As a result my instructors and my classmates are potential pages of my wealth of knowledge within the chapters of Julia’s Distance Education and E-Learning Pathway.

Definition of Distance Education

Distance Education is a broad term that is frequently used synchronously with other terminologies. DE includes a two-way interaction between instructor and student, instructor and instructor, and students and students. This pedagogy personalizes the communication of teaching and planned learning through a selection of educational tools conducted by a special institutional organization.

References

Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.) (pp. 143-165).

Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books

Berge, Z., & Clark, T. (2009). Virtual school. Distance learning, 6(2), 1-9, 9. Retrieved

from Education Research Complete Database

Cleveland-Innes, M. F., & Garrison, D. R. (2010). An introduction to distance education:

Understanding teaching and learning in the new era. New York, NY: Routledge.

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). The theory and scholarship of distance education.

In Distance education: A systems view of online learning, (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth-Cengage

Learning.

Simonson, M., Samldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Definitions, history, and

theories of distance education. In teaching and learning at a distance. Boston,

MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.

Pullen, J., & Snow, C. (2007). Integrating synchronous and asynchronous internet

distributed education for maximum effectiveness. Education and Information Technologies, 12(3), 137-148.

Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Julia's Reflection on Foundation of Distance Education & E-Learning

         During week 1 reviewed the OMDE 601 Library Guide, which guided me in my assignments. However, I am very familiar with the Library Module feature. I completed the Introduction to Library skills (USCP 611) course in 2009, as well as a Master of Education in Instructional Technology graduate program. The home page is user friendly, because it provides a description of the guide to help you search for information on your topic of interest, and other resourceful information in the library database. This is definitely an excellent library module and refresher from taking USCP 611 course and the Master of Education in Instructional Technology graduate program at UMUC. I will continue to use this module whenever I am required to retrieve learning resources to complete my assignment.

          Additionally, I was introduced to a variety of learning resources, knowledge and skills during the past weeks of my OMDE 601 9040 Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (2152) course. As an online learner, I have displayed self-confidence towards completing my tasks in a timely manner. I participated in group discussions, conference sessions, and other collaborative classroom activities in a successful way over the past weeks. The E-Learning expert/instructors integrated, and recommend appropriate learning materials in the classroom curriculum. The education resources were used effectively and efficiently to enhance pedagogical skills and inspire student learning.

          It is imperative to highlight that the progression of Distance Education (DE) Wave 1 has been advanced by changes in technology and educational theory. Distance education is used as a medium to facilitate a need-by-need basis for the convenience of educators as well as learners to explore and achieve a higher level of education. This is certainly an ideal scenario of our current Master of Distance Education and E-Learning Program at University of Maryland University College (UMUC). Based on this scenario technology is a fundamental element to Distance Education. The basic idea about DE is that teachers and students are in different places for all or most of the time where the instructors teach and the students learn from an organized established institution.

However as a future Distance Education and E-Learning Educator, I have acquired additional knowledge to enhance my pedagogical skills for teaching students and training teachers to meet the required content level for the 21^st century E-Learning programs. With this in mind, it is also very important for me to highlight that my classmates have shared a variety of professional skills that have further prepared me to embrace with my current and future career path. 

          In addition, I have learned how to promote and develop team spirit among my group members. This multifaceted approach assisted me in coordinating collaborative projects with my group members. Therefore I have particularly appreciated how my group members and I (Group 1 Wave 1 Skill Builder 5) have demonstrated an excellent team spirit that sustained a successful completion of Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 project.

It is also imperative for me to re-emphasize that I am thankful for our Instructor (Lisa Blaschke), Teaching Assistant (Brenda Ledford), Guest Lecturer (Ulrich Bernath), and Fellow Classmates, who have discharged an excellent academic quality of E-Learning skills that empowered the OMDE 601 class to move forward to a next level of E-Learning. I will continue to obtain the required training to upgrade my E-Learning professional skills in classroom and other related project areas that sustains the 21st century E-Learning program. Therefore I am extending sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the support and encouragement towards my next level of Distance Education and E-Learning career pathway.

GROUP # 1 SELF ASSESSMENT FORM FOR JULIA DA SILVA-BEHARRY

COURSE: OMDE 601 DATE: OCTOBER 5, 2014

1.    The table below is illustrating a rank order indicating from strongly disagree to strongly agree with an equal (25%) as the maximum points for each assigned task for the member of the group. The total points for the group add up to 100.

10 = Strongly Disagree     15 = Disagree      20 = Agree        25 = Strongly Agree 

Name of Learning Team Member: Julia Da Silva Beharry

A REFLECTION OF GROUP # 1 GRID

GROUP # 1: Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 Reflection  and Participation

2.    What was the best aspect of the project outcome where the group was most successful?  

The best aspect of the project outcome was for my group members and I create and record information in our Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 Group 1 Grid . We have successfully sustained the purpose of the project in a timely manner. During this project I explore for my critically thinking skills, along with my interpersonal relation towards communicating appropriately with my team members for us to submit a successful project within its timeline.

3.    What was the weakest aspect of the project outcome where the group was least successful?

The weakest aspect of our project outcome was to ensure that all group members contribute a high quality of academic information in our Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 Group 1 Grid that would support the purpose of the project.

4.    What do you feel was your most important contribution to this project? What were your partners' most important contributions? Was there anyone who really didn't participate?

As the group editor and content manager of Group # 1 project, my most important contribution to this project was organizing our group members to get started and after I initiated our planning and discussion. This was imperative towards completing our project in a timely manner despite it encompasses independent tasks for each member. The purpose of creating the document for group members’ roles and required tasks was for each group member to contribute their opinion on the particular roles and at the end of the discussion all group members will have a clear understanding of what each role entails on one page. Additionally if a need is required for a particular skill, the group member contributed their skills. Subsequently, my partners’ contributed very critical issues in their feedback in our study group conference and collaborative document areas. The feedback from our group helps to guide our team members towards accomplishing the completion of our project in a successful and timely manner.

5.    What would you do differently next time to improve the outcome? What would you want your partners to do differently?

As the editor and content manager of Group #1: The Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 Project, I will ensure that we design a project document that disseminates information on the purpose, objective, methodology, findings and limitations of the project. Then each of my partners, including myself will develop a section with visual images illustrating the components of the project and post it in our study group area before we post any information to our Skill Builder 5 Wave 1 Group 1 Grid .

6.    What tools did your group use to communicate and what was the most effective way for you to communicate?

Our group use the e-mail, private messaging, study group conference and collaborative document areas to communicate. Nevertheless, the most effective way for me to communicate was through the study group conference and collaborative document areas. I do believe it was essential for us to communicate through our study group area since it was a classroom group project. However, I had no objection with communicating with my team members through e-mails and private messaging. Despite my email inbox is always overloaded with several other mails.

Submitted by Group # 1 Editor and Content Manager: Julia Da Silva Beharry

 Julia's  E-Portfolio Task - Questions for Reflection - Wave 2

In your e-portfolio (learning journal), please respond to the questions for reflection for Wave 2:

1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What aspects of Wave 2 did you find to be the most interesting? Why? What was the least interesting?

·         The most interesting aspect of the project outcome was for my group members and I to record our information in our Skill Builder 5 Wave 2 Group 1 Grid  (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HOt7N iS6KM1nkNHaBPNEnzVbO51Y683ubFaHo5rB-A/edit#gid=0).

·         This aspect of the project was very important for us, because we were required to work as a team and successfully submit the project in a timely manner.

·         The weakest aspect of our project outcome was to ensure that all group members contribute relevant information with correct references in our Skill Builder 5 Wave 2 Group 1 Grid .

2. What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments and how did they influence your understanding of DE?

As the group editor and content manager of Group # 1 Wave 2 project, my moment during the second wave of this project was very challenging. One of my team member and I diligently organize our group members to contribute and communicate efficiently and effectively to accomplish the goals and objectives of the project. Nevertheless, as a committed and dedicated team member, I always volunteer and inspire my team members for us to work together to complete our tasks in a timely manner. Then I had a deeper understanding of DE because, my instructor, fellow team members and I use asynchronous technologies and web based tools to communicate collaboratively in our study group discussion area and Google Docs collaborative document area. We also used e-mail to communicate whenever it is necessary for us to connect with all group members and our instructor.

3. After what you have read, learned, or experienced in studying this second wave, how might you revise your original definition of DE? What specific readings/experiences have influenced your understanding of DE?

Nevertheless, based on my experiences on this project, I have acknowledged that based on my original DE definition, the real meaning of DE is really a broad term, that is used beyond a two-way interaction between instructor and student, instructor and instructor, and students and students. This DE pedagogy personalizes the communication of teaching and planned learning, with a diverse group of students and instructors through a selection of educational tools conducted by a special institutional organization.

The specific experiences that influence my understanding of DE are when my group members, my instructor and I interacted through a selection of educational tools to accomplish our tasks. Then I have confirmed that Distance Education is a broad term that is frequently used synchronously with other terminologies.

4. Consider the seminar with our visiting scholar Alan and the expert video from Tony Bates. What left a lasting impression on you? Tell us about your impression and how it affected your views about DE.

I will also emphasize that I am impressed that during our group project, my fellow class members, my instructor, and I were very privileged to have an opportunity to communicate with Professor Alan Tait, as our guest lecturer. I interacted with Professor Tait on topical issues pertaining to DE. I highlighted to Professor Tait that, “there is a digital divided with regards to easy access to technology resources, particularly in the rural remote areas of the developing countries.” I also asked, “How can we find inspiring ways to incorporate social media in the classroom for students of both developing and developed countries?” Then I was really touched by the words of Professor Tait when he replied, “Students in every society are expected to enjoy the resources and opportunities for communication.” Therefore, I will not accept or take any of my distance education and E-learning courses for granted, because there is a digital divide with regards to easy access to DE resources, tools, and technologies. In addition, Professor Tait said, “Digital divide is real.” However, based on this epidemic, “course designers are expected to consider the digital availability to meet the needs of a larger diverse population when designing strategies for learning and teaching in both DE and Face to Face (FtF) environments.”

5. Go back to the course objectives listed in the Syllabus. Do you feel the objectives are being fulfilled and if so, how and to what degree? Are there objectives that are not being met? If so, which ones?

Based on my reflection of this course objective from the OMDE 601 Section 9040 Syllabus, I will emphasize and acknowledge that the objectives of this course is fulfilled, because my Instructor (Lisa Blaschke), Teaching Assistant (Brenda Ledford), implemented the objectives of this course with a high quality of DE resources, tools, and technologies. In this view, I explored the history and evolution of DE. In addition, I critically examined the social and political/economic factors, theories, learning and teaching models, technology and media innovations, institutions and systems, and major writers that have shaped the development of the field of DE. In concluding, I will re-emphasize that a variety of technologies are used to support the development of foundational skills that are integral to current practice in DE. Please visit Julia’s E-Portfolio or copy and paste the URL: http://juliadasilvabeharry-e-portfolio.yolasite.com in a new window for additional information.

Julia's  E-Portfolio Task - Questions for Reflection - Wave 3

In your e-portfolio (learning journal), please respond to the questions for reflection for Wave 3:

1. Did you experience any "a-ha!" moments during this wave? Tell us more about them and what specifically made them "a-ha!" moments.

2. Go back to your original definition and consider again how it has changed (and if it has). What specific readings, interactions, and/or discussions influenced the change?

Based on my original distance education (DE) definition and experiences on this project, I have accepted that  the true meaning of DE is indeed a broad terminology that is used beyond a two-way interaction between instructor and student, instructor and instructor, and students and students. This DE methodological approach personalizes the communication of teaching and planned learning, through OMDE601 foundations in Twitter. I was able to further develop my online classroom skills with one of the latest social media, known as Twitter. I used twitter to interact and emphasize on the latest research findings. In this view, the specific experiences that influence my understanding of DE are when my fellow students, instructor, DE scholars and I used Twitter and Diigo as a tool to tweet and research interesting articles. In addition, I was able to interact through the Twitter channel to accomplish my classroom assignment. Based on my reflection on Wave 1 and 2 versions, with regards to Wave 3 reflection, I have confirmed that DE is indeed a broad term that is frequently used synchronously with other terminologies.

3. Think of a real-world situation, perhaps your current work environment, where you could apply something that you have learned in this module. Describe this situation in your journal.

 In your e-portfolio (learning journal), please respond to the questions for reflection for current trends:

My group members and I belong to Group # 1, which consists of five group members. My Group members and I contributed ideas and recorded specific information in our Skill Builder 10 Current trend Group 1 Grid  (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HOt7N iS6KM1nkNHaBPNEnzVbO51Y683ubFaHo5rB-A/edit#gid=0). Unfortunately, it is assumed that 1 group member withdrew from the course because of work related issues. Nevertheless, contributing to our grid as a group member was a remarkable occurrence, because I utilize my prior knowledge and skills in a team-spirited manner. In this view, I took the leadership role and I recorded information in our grid, and then other group members recorded their information. During the process, I worked collaboratively with my group members to complete our project in a timely manner, as a content manager and group editor. I also remain very committed towards demonstrating leadership role in several tasks to post the initial outline for our group projects in more than one occasion. In addition, I also continue to participate and assign responsibilities throughout the project, as well as posting information each week to our study group section and Google docs area. During the final phase of our project I executed duties towards the final completion of our project current trends and future wave.

With the continuous guidance from our professor, Lisa Blaschke, my group members and I completed our project in a timely and successful manner. Based on earlier reflections, I will therefore re-emphasize that my team members and I will continue to work on our final group project, with the continuous support of our instructor Lisa. The support from our instructor will continue beyond classroom sessions. Professor Lisa and my fellow students have inspired and channel my learning skills to sustain Julia’s Wealth of Knowledge for the workplace and connecting with the global face-to-face and Distance Education and e-Learning environments. My group members and I used conference call, Google docs, emails, and our study group discussion areas to communicate about our project. We recorded our information in both Google doc and study group, and email areas to proceed with our project. Ninety-eight percent of our communication was done in our study group area. All challenging issues were solved very timely, by student-to-student and instructor-to-student communication.

It is therefore imperative for me to acknowledge that I am very pleased with my working progress learning experience about our Skill Builder 10 Current trend Group 1 Grid  . My team members and I are working diligently towards a successful completion of the submission of our final grid.

   2. Go back to your original definition of DE. What aspects of the course have influenced your understanding of DE? Based on what you have learned in the course, revise your original definition accordingly---and explain why you have changed (or not changed) your definition in the way you have.

It is important to emphasize that, based on my original distance education (DE) definition and experiences on this project, I have realized that DE is a comprehensive terminology that is used beyond a two-way communication between instructor-student, instructor-instructor, and students-students. Distance education has developed through emerging technologies in a tremendous way. In addition, DE has been recognized through its historical wave of technological innovations and learning experiences of emerging technologies. In this view, DE is responding to specific historical, sociological, economical, technological, political, and environmental factors of an era that impact on the accessibility to education for students. This concern includes students who were or are participating in a DE program, and are separated from the institution, instructors, and fellow students. Based on my classroom discussions, feedback from assignments, and research findings, I have also learned that DE emerging technologies continue to rely on a range traditional text-based, correspondence, and online learning materials to meet the needs of learners and educators in both developed and developing countries, because of  their geographic locations in rural remote areas. Therefore the methodology approach of DE requires improved organizational structure in a more holistic approach, and not only on course materials. With this view, I will revise my definition of DE in order to meet the needs of a more diverse population of students and educators in a widespread DE environment.

 
Based on what I have learned in the OMDE 601 9040 Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (2152) course, I have revised my distance education (DE) definition as follows:

The history of DE was always a broad term, but it was based on a humanitarian approach to meet the needs of DE learners. Therefore DE definition should be revised and designed as a two-way communication to meet a widespread of diverse academic-professionals and learners-educators needs, with reference to specific historical, sociological, political, technological and environmental factors in its adopting era. Consequently, everyone should have easy access to appropriate and adequate education resources and technology tools that are user-friendly and re-useable for students-students, instructors-students, and instructors-instructors interaction or communication anywhere, at a convenient place or time in the global spectrum of the DE environment. This revised definition is based on my reflection on Wave 1, 2, 3 and current trends versions’, with regards to the Future Wave reflections from my group contributions, classroom conference discussions, and instructors’ feedback from assignments. In this view, I do believe that DE is certainly a comprehensive term that is frequently used synchronously with other terminologies by an extensive perception in reality of humanitarian and emerging technologies’ approaches.

          3. Consider the overall course objectives (see the Course Syllabus). Were all or most of these objectives achieved? If so, in what ways and to what degree?

Based on the Course Syllabus, the course objectives were as follows:

Knowledge:

1.     Identify the unique characteristics of distance education: Achieved

2.     Describe the major influences - social, economical, and political - in the evolution of distance education from its early beginnings to the current IT-based practices: Achieved

3.     Identify the key authors and theorists in distance education and analyze their contribution to the field: Achieved

4.     Describe how distance education methodologies have changed over time, in particular how the roles of teacher and learner have evolved: Achieved

5.     Describe various types of distance education institutions and the relevance of a systems approach to teaching and learning: Achieved

6.     Analyze the impact of technological changes on the nature of teaching and learning in distance education: Achieved

Specific Skills:  

7.     Navigate and use an online learning environment, shared virtual spaces, and social media for the purpose of learning, documenting learning, and creating content (e.g., learning management system, maps, charts, wikis, Google docs, Weebly, Twitter, blogs, Diigo, Vimeo): Achieved

8.     Master and apply research and writing skills for the purpose of critically analyzing issues and topics discussed in relevant literature, synthesizing findings, and communicating ideas and arguments with supporting evidence: Achieved

9.     Learn collaboratively by using social media and other shared virtual spaces to create content and successfully complete assigned team projects: Achieved

10.  Reflect on learning and articulate changes in thinking, feeling, and behavior: Achieved

I encountered different learning experiences with my group members, because it was necessary for us to sharpen our team-spirited skills to create and complete our group grid during our group discussions. We communicated through conference call, email, Google docs area, and study group section in order to be more efficient and effective with our online collaboration tasks. In my opinion, we did our best to successfully complete our Current Trends, despite we experienced a few ha and challenging moments.

Wow! The reflection of 12 weeks is certainly a chapter of Julia’s Wealth of Knowledge . Based on this reflection, I will always remember, “This is real!” L- Look, I –I, S-See A-an awesome professor with diverse academic and interpersonal skills. I am elated that our professor LISA unselfishly disseminated timely education instructional information among my group members and I.

 This project has certainly widen my knowledge on OMDE 601 9040 Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (2152) course, because I particularly benefited from the classroom conference, group discussions, and other assignments, which achieved the overall course objectives in the course syllabus.  Based on my reflections on Group 1 experiences, I will re-emphasize that I am looking forward to work with my group members towards the completion of our final project. Please visit Julia’s E-Portfolio or copy and paste the URL: http://juliadasilvabeharry-e-portfolio.yolasite.com in a new window for additional information.

Post reflections on current developments in DE and final reflections of your understanding DE in your e-portfolio.

Reflect Upon and Discuss the Process of Creating the Grid

Currently there is a tremendous increase of distance education and online learning courses and program. A variety of technologies are emerging over the years, and we need to sharpen our knowledge and skills to sustain 21^st century teaching and learning. Over the past 12 weeks, I participated in Group # 1, which consists of five group members. Four of our group members work together at the beginning of our group project. Evidently, 1 group member withdrew from our group, because of work related issues. Based on my current development of DE, I have learned how to promote and further develop my team spirit among my group members. My versatile DE approach assisted me in coordinating collaborative projects with my group members. I am therefore appreciated about how my group members and I (Group 1 Wave 1 Skill Builder 5 to our Skill Builder 10 and 11, current trends and future wave final grid) have demonstrated an excellent team spirit that sustained a successful completion of Skill Builder 11 final project. It is also imperative for me to emphasize that I am thankful for our Professor (Lisa Blaschke), Teaching Assistant (Brenda Ledford), Guest Lecturer (Ulrich Bernath), and Fellow Classmates, who have discharged an excellent academic quality of E-Learning information in a timely manner.

All of our challenge issues were solved prior to the final completion of our Skills Builder 11 Group 1 Final Grid. This project has certainly expand my knowledge and awareness on my OMDE 601 9040 Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (2152) course, which sustain the course objectives in the syllabus. I must therefore acknowledge that I am elated to emphasize how privileged and honored I feel to work with everyone towards the successful completion of our final project. Based on my previous, current, and future reflections, I will re-emphasize that the support from our instructor/professor will continue beyond classroom sessions. Professor Lisa and my fellow students have inspired and channel my learning skills to sustain Julia’s Wealth of Knowledge for the workplace and connecting with the global face-to-face and Distance Education and e-Learning environments.

Take a moment to reflect upon the grid and how building it has influenced your understanding of DE. Did the process of creating the grid expand upon your knowledge of DE? If so, in what ways?

Building Group 1 grid has certainly influence my understanding of DE, because instructor-student and students-students communicated with asynchronous and synchronous DE technologies without the physical presence of my instructor, fellow students and I. The process of creating the grid expand my knowledge because, our professor Lisa Blaschke provided feedback on our Wave 1 to our Current Trends and Future Wave Final project, in order for us to complete the final version of our grid. Immediately after we receive the feedback about our group grid, we set up conference call, in order to perform our various individual and group tasks. If anyone was absent from any group discussion, a group member always send updated information by email and through the study group section. As a self-starter online learner I started 95% of the thread for our projects in our Study Group Area. Then my group members and I recorded our contributions in the study group section for our Wave 1 to our Current Trend Future Wave Final grid. It was very incredible that, our Skill Builder 11 Group 1 Final Grid (this project) outcome was completed successfully through the guidance of our Professor.

This is our URL: (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HOt7NiS6KM1nkNHaBPNEnzVbO51Y683ubFaHo5rB-A/edit#gid=0) for our Group 1 Grid. We have used conference call, Google docs, emails and our study group discussion areas to communicate on our project. Ninety-eight percentage of our information was recorded in our Study Group area. Nevertheless, based on my experiences on this project, I have acknowledged that DE is a two-way interaction. Based on the DE environment approach, my group members, my instructor and I interacted through a selection of educational tools to accomplish of final project in a successful and timely manner.

Which dimensions of the grid—driving factors for change, theories, institutional/organizational developments, teaching/learning methodologies, predominant technologies—were most interesting for you and why?

Teaching and learning methodologies have changed because of the emerging technologies from wave 1 to current trend and future wave in DE. Distance education has developed through emerging technologies in a tremendous way. In addition, based on my wave 1 to current trend and future wave final reflection, I will re-emphasize that DE has been recognized through its historical wave of technological innovations and learning experiences of emerging technologies. In this view, DE is responding to specific historical, sociological, economical, technological, political, and environmental factors of an era that impact on the accessibility to education for students. Based the factors of emerging technologies, a change occur in all the dimensions of the evolutional grid.

 How did working with a group support you (or not!) in constructing new knowledge? You can share your reflections here and/or in your reflective learning journal in your e-portfolio

         The DE learning environment is with my group members and I was very lively. I was able to soar like an eagle and sharpen my team-spirited skills in a blessing manner. All challenging issues were solved and I revised my DE definition, because the history of DE was always a broad term, based on a human approach to meet the needs of DE learners. My revised definition stated that, DE is a two-way communication to meet a wide range of diverse academic-professionals and learners-educators needs, with reference to specific historical, sociological, political, technological and environmental factors in its adopting era.

In addition based on my previous reflection in our current trend future wave self-assessment, we are indeed wrapping up our course, completing unfinished tasks towards the final week of this course. Oh yes! This is real! L- Look, I –I, S-See A-an awesome professor with diverse academic and interpersonal skills. I am elated because our professor LISA unselfishly disseminated timely education instructional information among my group members and I. My group members and I worked collaboratively to complete our group project in a successful and timely manner. In my opinion, we did our best to successfully complete our Current Trends, despite we experienced a few ha and challenging moments.

Wow! The reflection of 12 weeks is certainly a chapter of Julia’s Wealth of Knowledge . Based on this reflection, I will always remember, “This is real!” L- Look, I –I, S-See A-an awesome professor with diverse academic and interpersonal skills. I am elated that our professor LISA unselfishly disseminated timely education instructional information among my group members and I.

 This project has certainly widen my knowledge on OMDE 601 9040 Foundations of Distance Education & E-learning (2152) course, because I particularly benefited from the classroom conference, group discussions, and other assignments, which achieved the overall course objectives in the course syllabus.  Based on my reflections on Group 1 experiences, I will re-emphasize my group members and I worked diligently towards the completion of our final project. Please visit Julia’s E-Portfolio or copy and paste the URL: http://juliadasilvabeharry-e-portfolio.yolasite.com in a new window for additional information.