CRJ : Week 10

CRJ – What have I learnt?

Reading at the beginning of week 10, Diana notified me of further features of Padlet, which I was now previously aware of. She said that I should be able to have quiz features and a forum aspect which I can use for free and integrate it into my website. Padlet offers 3 free padlets, and more can be made useable once I have finished using one within a course, I can delete it and use another one. This is something which I am going to research further and certainly feel that I can bring it into my online blended course.

By reading Evgeni’s response to week 10’s forum post, it has made me question how I can increase the percentage of my collaboration and discussion learning activities to enable students to learn from each other. Evgeni had a very large percentage in this section, so it interested me to bring this into my teaching practice. In Evgeni’s very large cohorts he have small group discussions which are then shared and bought into main cohort groups. Within the ceramics community there is a real tendency to keep research or findings secret and exclusive. This therefore makes collaborative teaching difficult to break this pattern. I feel that safe sharing through small group discussion can support this change, and allow students to see the value in learning through each other.

When discussing Clare’s response in the forum I commented on the 'Enquiry' section, after she had discussed with Evgeni. I questioned whether you could provide students with an optional 'mini quiz' after each subject of pre-class learning resources? I wonder if students see a section which gives them a sense of achievement and self-regulated assessment, if could motivate them extrinsically to carry out the task. I wonder if this could improve the utilisation of the learning materials? By imbedding assessment into the learning students may see more value overall in taking part? (Struyven et al., 2002: 4– 5)

In week 10 it has allowed me to look closely at the pedagogical model which is used at Falmouth – through Falmouth Online ‘Five Steps Pedagogic Framework’. By applying questions, considering the scope of learning during stage 1, deciding the learning outcomes at stage 2, Generate learning activities and match to Learning Types at stage 3, Allocate learning activities to The Five Steps at stage 4 and finally Evaluate the learning design at stage 5. By following these 5 steps it can easily break down the huge task in designing a course and enable a structured and considered model.

This week I have been catching up with reading and also doing my Learning Conversation Form in time for the assessment.

A continued conversation with Nabila, following on from last weeks post, she mentioned that Littlejohn & Pegler (2017) mentions using social media as a learning conversation tool. I have requested the full reference so that I can read further about this matter.

I have found it useful to use Laurillard’s (2012) Five Step model to guide me to allocate the class activities throughout weeks in my Colouring Clays Course. I found that I needed to keep referring back to the PGCHE example, but see with practice this guide will prove very useful to balance students learning and development. The 70:20:10 balance between enquiry + practice + production, and discussion + collaboration, and finally acquisition provides diverse learning opportunities through different pedagogical approaches. This student centred approach allows students to engage with material in ways that best suit their individual needs and learning styles.

Rizwan, R (2025) reflected on my forum post stating that that the combination of practice (20%) and production (35%) intertwine through Kolb’s (1984) experiential cycle. Further to this, she wrote that: “The emphasis on physical artifacts—with the kiln-firing process acting as a powerful metaphor for transformative learning—resonates with Laurillard’s (2012) view of production as “embodied reflection”. “Your 35% production weighting is compelling—the delayed kiln outcome mirrors Salmon’s (2013) “distributed reflection”.”

Have you considered documenting the firing process as a timelapse video? This could reinforce Gunawardena et al.’s (2009) metacognitive loop when students collect their pieces. Instead of a timelapse, which is not possible within the process. I could create a range of before and after photos to share in the forum as a student starting point to ‘spark’ (Salmon's, 2013) and ‘hook’ students attention.

• Learn and develop through experience (Enquiry, Practice, Production – 70%) 

• Learn and develop through others (Discussion, Collaboration – 20%) 

• Learn and develop through structured courses and programmes (Acquisition – 10%) 

Reading Rennie, F; Morrison, T; Mason, R.  (2013)  and quoting specifically from Young (2002):

“A number of universities that introduced online courses as a way of attracting new learners, have found to their dismay that their campus students also opt for these courses, often creating their blend by taking one online course plus several face-to-face courses (Young, 2002)” page 34 – This could be a supportive argument to my personal future practice development. Could I develop this course independently, then offer this as a part time course alongside students opted studies at various institutions worldwide?

Distributed learning bridges face-to-face learning with distance learning. This sums up my practice currently (Lea & Nicoll 2002)

According to constructivists theories – student centred learning will give students the chance to discover learning material and understand theories critically through reflection, often with peer collaboration.

I love this quote from Rennie, F; Morrison, T; Mason, R.  (2013) “The role of the teacher or tutor is to generate an infrastructure for constructive interaction and to help students individually and collectively to negotiate their own meaning.” Page 35

(Rennie, F; Morrison, T; Mason, R.  (2013) To attempt to create an online community of online like-minded students to enhance peer-to-peer connections institutions are encouraging their students to create online personal spaces. (woods and Ebersole 2003) describe it as communal scaffolding to bridge gaps between cognitive and intellectual tasks.

To have a successful online community with social learning there has to be a certain amount of student-to-student trust. There has to be good trust in place to enable high level sharing and open ended thinking – this is easier if students already know each other and have met before, or if they have an initial face-to-face meeting.

Vovides, Sanchez-Alonson, Mitropoulou and Nickmans (2007, p. 5) Although  they argue that CMS should be completely customisable to allow students to dictate how they learn and what they learn, at this stage in my practice I will continue to trial lesson plans created during this PGCHE, and attempt to experiment with course design. Working outside of an institution with small groups of students this would overcomplicate planning at this stage.

“Lamb (2007) concluded that: Educators and higher education decision-makers have an obligation to carefully and critically assess new technologies before making radical changes.” Page 47

References:

Rennie, F; Morrison, T; Mason, R.  (2013) conclude in chapter 2 that our perspectives are to adapt from “From teacher to facilitator of learning”

Gibson, C (2025). Week 10: Forum – Learning types [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/discussion_topics/30019?module_item_id=85570  (accessed 28.07.25)

Hayes, D (2025). Week 9: Forum – Share Your Online Tool Evaluation [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/discussion_topics/30020 (accessed 28.07.25)

Lamb, B. (2007, July/August). Dr Mashup; or, why educators should learn to stop worrying and love the remix. Educause Review, 42(4), 12–25. Retrieved December 12, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm07/erm0740.asp

Laurillard (2012), Teaching as a Design Science, Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and Technology. Routledge New York, Accessed 23^rd July 2025

Lea, M., & Nicoll, K. (2002). Distributed learning. Social and cultural approaches to practice. London: Routledge.

Petkov, e (2025). Week 10: Forum – Learning types [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/discussion_topics/30019?module_item_id=85570  (accessed 28.07.25)

Struyven, K., Dochy, F. and Janssens, S. (2002) Students’ perceptions about assessment in higher education: a review. Paper presented at the Joint Northumbria/EARLI SIG Assessment and Evaluation Conference: Learning Communities and Assessment cultures, University of Northumbria, 28– 30

Falmouth University. Week 10: Using the Framework - Five Stages (2025) [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/pages/week-10-using-the-framework-five-stages?module_item_id=85572 (accessed 28.07.25)

Hanga, N (2025). Week 8: Forum – Share Your Draft Design Ideas for an Online Course [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/discussion_topics/30022 (accessed 29.07.25)

Rennie, F; Morrison, T; Mason, R.  (2013) ‘Chapter 2: Designing for a distributed environment’ E-learning and Social Networking Handbook: Resources for Higher Education. New York:

Routledge. Page 25 – 42

Rizwan, R (2025). Week 10: Forum- Learning Types [Online] available at: https://learn.falmouth.ac.uk/courses/1334/discussion_topics/30019 (accessed 29.07.25)

Vovides, Y., Sanchez-Alonso, S., Mitropoulou, V., & Nickmans, G. (2007). The use of e-learning course management systems to support learning strategies and to improve self-regulated learning. Educational Research Review, 2(1), 64–74.

Woods, R., & Ebersole, S. (2003), Social networking in the online classroom_ Foundations of effective online learning. eJournal, 12– 13(1). Retrieved December 12, 2007, from http://www.ucalgary.ca/ejournal/archive/v1213/v12-13n1Woods-browse.html

Young, J. (2002). “Hybrid” teaching seeks to end the divide between traditional and online instruction. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 48(28). Retrieved December 12, 2007, from http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i28/28a03301.htm