EDCI 339 Blog Post 2

What Does Pedagogy Mean to You?

There were many interesting concepts and ideas from the module. Pedagogy is a broad term that can be interpreted from different perspectives. For me, pedagogy means the approach to teaching and the methodologies that are used. I used to think that pedagogy was about techniques, such as classroom management and finding ways to get students to assimilate knowledge, but now my views are more layered and complex than that. A lot of the influence on pedagogy is based on Dewey’s approach to education being a way of building community (Barnes, 2016). However, this assumes that education is something outside of ideology, while I think that pedagogy should include critical approaches to education that confront structures of injustice. As an educator, I plan to take this approach.

Networked Pedagogy in Action

Networked pedagogy is the concept that teaching emphasizes the connections between people, resources, and ideas through the digital networks (Hotchin, 2024). I think it can enhance my learning experience by creating nodes of support that I can depend on. For example, in an online course I took last year, we had to use different platforms; wordpress, Microsoft Teams, and Whatsapp. All of these were with different groups. It helped me develop different skills, which is a part of digital literacy in getting people prepared for lifelong learning (Blue, 2022). 

Learning Theories in Practice

A learning theory that resonates with me is Social Learning Theory. This is that approach of how social interactions and learning from others are important ways to learn (Hotchin, 2024). Growing up and learning English, I learned best by watching my teacher model the language we were going to learn, and then practicing it together with my classmates. In an online setting, it would involve having a diverse set of interactions (Bates, 2014). For example, I could learn through YouTube videos, online tutoring, tutorials, and interactions with others online.

The Role of the Instructor

I think that the most important role of the instructor in an online course is to help guide the learners and to offer support. Instructor presence can be defined in different ways, even though traditionally it has been during in-person interactions (Barnes, 2016). In my past experiences, I appreciated that the instructor was available, but I had the positive experience of working mostly with the material and my classmates. This made me motivated and forced me to schedule my time more effectively on my own. 

Exploring Digital Spaces

Digital spaces are the online environments where interactions and collaboration can take place (Hotchin, 2024). Most of my courses have been online and the benefits to this is that I can go at my own pace. One of the challenges though is that it is important to plan things in advance and to make a schedule, which can be difficult as the semester progresses. I think that I can contribute positively to the digital communities that I am part of by following the etiquette guidelines and by being proactive in engaging with others.  

References

Barnes, C. (2016). “Where’s the Teacher? Defining the Role of Instructor Presence in Social Presence and Cognition in Online Learning.” In Whitney Kilgore (ed) Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning. PB Pressbooks.  

Bates, T. (2014). “Learning theories and online learning.” Online Learning and Distance Education Resources. https://www.tonybates.ca/2014/07/29/learning-theories-and-online-learning/

Blue, J. (2022). “More than just using computers: understanding and developing Digital Literacy with our new guide.” World of Better Learning.  https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2022/04/07/understanding-developing-digital-literacy/

Hotchin, J. (2024). “Module 2: Pedagogy and Instructional Design in Digital Spaces.” EDCI 339.  https://connectedlearningpathways.ca/category/edci-339-a01-module-2/