In October of 2017, sitting in a breakout session at a conference of educators looking to "disrupt" their educational system, I ran full-speed into a wall. Luckily it was a metaphorical wall that gave me pause to realize, I had a lot to learn. Surround by a table of online instructional design professionals who were light-years ahead of me in terms of at least pedagogy and training, if not also experience, I realized that I needed change.
In seeking out resources to fuel this change - a better understanding for methods, theories, and practices in effective online instructional design - I landed myself in a graduate program for individuals with a similar learning goal. One hundred pages into the course text and my newly educated self paused to reflect on how my efforts line up with best practices.
This is what I saw in my work:
(Brooks, 2017)
Have faith, I reflect in jest and with the strong sense of humor that keeps me moving toward solutions.
All humor aside, as I digest the information I am gathering on this journey in my EDU 654.7 Methods for Online Teaching & Learning, I am glad that so early in the class I already have cause for reflection; that I already have growing pains. I am glad that I can see a path for change.
As an educator, I hope to remember that learning and challenging paradigms is uncomfortable for students too. And I close with the hope that I remember this pain and fear and desire for change with every interaction with students. May my empathy provide the support they need to grow.
Good luck to all you educators out there. May your personal growing pains be a gentle reminder of the vulnerability of our students.
"If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change." Mahatma Gandhi
Brooks, Gary. 2017, January 21. Growth vs. Proficiency and all that stuff....Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-e9jHtw-HA
