Reflection on Column 1-4

Reflection on Column 1-4 of CDD

Good Practice Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students (Chickering, 1997). While working with others may enhance learning, getting students to share information in discussion forums is difficult develop a culture of collaboration may be difficult. It highlights the need for a competent e-moderator together with a framework of delivery including building on exiting competence and reflective practice. The idea of scaffolding ie gradually building on a learner’s previous experience is introduced by the 5-step model enables purposeful e learning and the gradual building of action and interaction online. (Salmon, 2000). Each stage requires participants to master certain technical skills and engages a developmental approach to teaching.

Each module within the course needs to acknowledge the existing knowledge on students both in competence and interaction and build on this. The key to changing those structures lies in a combination of two skills: (a) effective questioning that challenges learners to move from relatively simple to more complex forms of thinking, and (b) ‘bridging knowledge’ which provides examples that are meaningful to the learner. (Pratt, 2001)

While my dominant teaching perspective appears to be apprenticeship largely due to the nature of teaching I have done to date (labs & workshops), after re-reading some of the material, I now appreciate Pratts comment that while most educators hold one or perhaps two perspectives as their dominant view of teaching and may only marginally identify with one or two others. These perspectives may appear in a course even though the educator doesn’t have that perspective as a dominant one due to other influences including the identity of the institution and the team the course is developed with.

Completing the first four columns of the Course Development Documents begs review of the emotions of the student. Above all, how we feel about working online and our integration with our learning groups that are more important than the technology itself (Salmon 2002). Therefore, while previously, I felt that the motivation stemmed from having a great delivery mechanism, perhaps having focus and good structure was more important.


Chickering, A.W & Ehrmann, S.C. (1996-97). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever AAHE Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6.

Pratt, D.D., Arseneau, R., Collins, J.B. (2001). Reconsidering "good teaching" across the continuum of medical education. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions 21(2), 70-81.

Salmon, G. (2002, April 3-5). Hearts, minds and screens: Taming the future. Paper presented at the EduCAT Summit Innovation in e-Education, Hamilton , New Zealand. Retrieved September 6, 2006 from http://www.atimod.com/research/presentations/Hearts3.htm