Midterm Reflection

A significant takeaway from the research this summer is the importance of communication in online education. Creating and maintaining lines of communication across the Internet is a challenge. Cleary (2021) highlighted how online learning can create a disconnect between distance learning students and in-person students. Her program which required students to attend an in-person orientation helped to develop relationships between students and faculty. The annual meeting that my department requires is similar to the meeting Cleary (2021) organized. My online master's program had three required meetings, but it was a very different dynamic from the annual meetings I attended while working on my doctorate. I have built relationships with members of my cohort and my cadre, as well as my department's faculty in a way I did not while working on my master's degree. From personal experience, I would say that requiring in-person meetings helps to create a firm foundation to build connections in an online learning environment.

A connection I found interesting was drawn between communities of inquiry (CoI) and connectivism. Connectivism is founded on the concept that knowledge is developed through network connections, and is ideal in a technology-driven environment (Hendricks, 2019). Similarly, CoI prioritizes learner participatory experiences with three “presences” that are necessary for deep learning to occur: teaching, social, and cognitive (Cleary, 2021). Through technology advances, students can connect and share ideas, collaborate, and build new knowledge across the globe, courtesy of the internet. In this way, they can engage in connectivism and build CoI without being restricted by geography or language.

Miller (2014) discusses online learning extensively. A shocking bit of knowledge I gleaned from the early chapters of the book is that online learning is not inherently a cost savings phenomenon. The development of courses, including content and training, can severely impact available budgets (Warren & Churchill, 2022). Additionally, the various forms that online learning can take from entirely online, hybrid, and MOOCs allow variability in costs for online learning.

Cleary, Y. (2021). Fostering communities of inquiry and connectivism in online technical communication programs and courses. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 51(1), 11-30.

Hendricks, G. P. (2019). Connectivism as a learning theory and Its relation to open distance education. Progressio, 41(1), 1-13.

Miller, M. D. (2014). Minds online: Teaching effectively with technology. Harvard University Press.

Warren, S. J., & Churchill, C. (2022). Strategic, operations, and evaluation planning for higher education distance education. Distance Education, 43(2), 239-270.