REFLECTION

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍REFLECTION ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

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**11. Reflection on the development of the intervention and e-portfolio**
‍‍ Drawing on Abrami et al (2008), electronic portfolios enable students to get actively engaged and think meaningfully about learning. In the context of online learning design reflection is therefore a way of encouraging the instructional designer to think critically about the learning process. The design of this prototype online learning activity has been a learning path to me, where I stumbled here and there as online learning design is not an easy process.‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍As per ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ Jonassen (2000) in Dabbagh and Bannan-Ritland, "the design process is one of the most difficult kinds of problem solving because in most situations no clear, predetermined solution or goal and no direct solution path exist, and information from multiple sources must be integrated" (Jonassen, 2000, cited in Dabbagh and Bannan-Ritland, 2005:110).

The first dose of problems started while formatting Wikispaces pages to organize headings in logical order. It is a simple task, but it was a struggle for me initially and I wasted plenty of time on this task as a result. Creating new pages is not an obstacle, but arranging them in suitable order could be problematic. I learned through the process that even the font size disturbs the intended order of the headings. I finally found out through trial and error how to go about it, and it is not a complicated task at all. This is something worth exploring during a face-to-face contact session when students are developing Wikispaces pages.

Another major obstacle I encountered was blockage of the google docs website by my institution. It delayed the trial of my online learning activity, as well as evaluation of the activity by my colleague and the student. It was only after I approached the manager for the Bureau of Computer Services at my institution that the site was then “permanently” accessible to both students and staff members.

On the list of stumbling blocks is the problem I experienced regarding student institutional e-mail addresses. Students did not receive the google docs survey forms and later invitations to the google docs lesson I sent to their institutional e-mail addresses; only one student did. I had no option but to request students to provide me with their personal e-mail addresses so that I re-send the survey forms and invitations to the google docs lesson.

An incidence that nearly wrecked my nerves was realization of the fact that my Wikispaces e-portfolio was accessible to anyone on the Internet when I accidentally “bumped” into it while searching for some other resources. It gave me the impression that I probably made a mistake when I created my Wiki. I thought it was only my Wiki that was accessible to anyone on the globe. I therefore panicked and cleared everything I had on that Wiki by first copying everything and save it on a word document, while waiting to find out how to deal with such a “shocking” incident. It was then a burden to transfer everything back to Wikispaces later when I found out that I did nothing wrong and the Wiki should be accessible to anyone. When I first selected a colleague to join our google docs activities to enable her to evaluate the online learning activity at a later stage, I did not consider that individual’s inexperience with online learning design. It was therefore an inconvenience later as I had to unexpectedly ask this colleague to swap the evaluation duty with another colleague who is knowledgeable about online learning design.

Another disappointment was realization that google docs questionnaires are not “everlasting”. One staff member teaching the same course delayed responding to the google docs survey for educators. When she tried after a couple of weeks, there was an error message that the form was no longer accessible.

These are some of the obstructions I encountered in the process of developing my e-portfolio, but I would rather look at them as a learning path. I have learned a lot from these experiences, and some of these experiences are life lessons that I will never forget.

The feedback I got from all those who formatively assessed my portfolio activities, whether negative or positive, is also highly important. It gave me assurance that I was not completely lost and motivated me to work harder in order to reach my goal. I therefore appreciate all the support and guidance that was given to me during my learning path -THANK YOU. Now that I am competent in using google docs, the next step is to implement my prototype online learning activity on a large scale basis, involving my colleagues who deliver the same course. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">References ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Abrami, P.C., Wade, C.A., Pillay, V., Aslan, O., Bures, E.M., and Bently, C. (2008). Encouraging self-regulated learning through electronic portfolios. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 34 (3). Accessed on 21/05/2010. Available online at: [].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Dabbagh, N. and Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Integrative learning design framework for online learning environments. In N. Dabbagh and B. Bannan Ritland (Eds). Online learning: Concepts, strategies and application, 108-160. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey.