Saying goodbye to ONL201

This post marks the end of another successful iteration of the Open Networked Learning course offered by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The course lasted 12 weeks, included 80 hours of guided study, and spanned five topics relevant to online and distance education. In this post, we consider major revelations, and how these will impact our practice in courses to come.

This iteration of ONL began on the brink of what is sure to be one of the most paradigm shifting events of the 2020s (millennium?), but on February 24th when the course started, none of us had any idea what we were in for. The course commenced with a face-to-face kickoff meeting, where we all enthusiastically shook hands before discussing the course materials, which at the time only felt tangentially relevant to our professional careers. Little did we know that in just a few short weeks, a pandemic would wash over the globe, and in its wake it would leave educators everywhere with the daunting task of rapidly transitioning to a distance education format. However, since the remainder of ONL201 was always intended to take place exclusively over the internet, the course was able to proceed as it always has.

While the impact of COVID-19 has been immeasurably devastating, it has brought the topics from ONL201 into sharp focus. With all of us teaching from home, we were primed to apply the theories being discussed in ONL to our practice, and to bring our practice into our bi-weekly discussions surrounding the course materials. Now, with the fall semester winding down and a likely quiet summer at home, there is plenty of space to reflect and consider major revelations. While there are many areas to explore, major insights gained include a newfound empathy for my learners, refreshed motivation for integrating synchronous and collaborative activities in future online courses, and a shift in perspective on the role of a teacher in an online course.

Newfound empathy for my learners

As discussed in this blog post, while growing up as a digital native allows today’s youth to approach digital tools with more ease and flexibility, it doesn’t guarantee that they will be proficient at doing this in a professional or academic setting. Utilizing online spaces for social purposes is not the same as building a professional network and presence online, and the two cannot be conflated. Many teachers wrongly assume that since their students have grown up with the internet, they will have no problem managing the digital tools required for their course. Actually, teachers need to exercise patience when introducing tools and online tasks to their students, and they need to help their students to occupy a move towards occupying a more professional space on the internet.

Motivation for integrating synchronous and collaborative activities online

Evidence is mounting that collaboration, be in a face-to-face environment or online, leads to increased intrinsic motivation and higher learning. Student-centred approaches to face-to-face teaching are expected in many disciplines, yet this interaction subsides when it comes to online study. In my face-to-face classroom, leveraging the insights and development derived from social dynamics has become a staple of my practice, so why shouldn’t this be the same online? With a will, there are plenty of tools available to make distance education just as dynamic and interactive as the classroom. A community of learning can exist no matter what the learning format is.

Shifting role of the teacher in an online course

If the classroom and the course text book or syllabus are no longer the only source of information, what role does the modern teacher have in the classroom? How is their rendition of the area of study any more significant than what can be found on YouTube or other platforms? If delivering content is no longer our primary function, what is our role in education? Firstly, there have been countless changes to countless industries thanks to technology, and these changes have always been positive. If course content is delivered in an online format, either through self-developed videos, audio, or guided lessons, or through third party materials, then scheduled class time can be reserved for what teachers have always done best. More space is available to arouse interest, motivate, provide feedback, spark critical thought, and guide our learners to greater insights. There is more space for creativity, interaction, and dare I say, fun. Rather than filling limited class time with the dispensing of information, lessons can be utilized for collaboration, peer exchange, and fielding questions. In this sense, the role of the teacher hasn’t changed much at all. It’s simply been refocused on what matters, and in the aftermath of COVID-19, it is likely that the quality of education will be drastically better than before.