3-Module+Two

I found the __three constitutive concepts__ (dialog, structure, autonomy) originated by Michael Moore and presented by Otto Peters to give me some thought. In particular the concept of using dialog to move learners from basic memorization (or recall and comprehension) to more reflective and introspective thinking made a lot of sense, however, for all three, a few considerations stuck with me:

- these concepts will only work when there is onus on the student __and__ teacher to make it happen. - there has to be consideration of these concepts starting with the course design and, to that end, it is important that the right people are included in that design (not just SMEs or designers, but a joint effort by both). - there is almost a circular refernce for these three concepts especially when you consider how much greater the level of autonomy is in DE. That is, because DE students operate with such a high degree of autonomy, it is that much more important to engage in dialog (verbal and/or written) to allow the deepest development of thoughts and ideas.

__Otto Peters speech (autonomous learning) ...an "aha" moment...__ I took a DE class last year that I did not care for very much because the structure did not work well for me (or several others in class). In listening to Otto Peters speech on autonomous learning, I started to get a better understanding of what the professor was looking to accomplish and why it did not go as well as it could have. In his speech, Professor Peters shares a definition of autonomous learning by Malcolm Knowles (1988) which defines autonomous learning as when, //students learn how to diagnose their own needs...formulate own objectives...identify resources and plan strategies to use those resources...etc.// This class I referred to was run primarily by the students as each week had a pre-determined topic and small groups of students then researched that topic, identified readings, and created assignments for their week. It was a good example of autonomous learning. The part where it lost effectiveness for many was the lack of structure from week to week and the limited involvement on the part of the professor in the threaded discussions that took place. It was not clear that our reflective thought processes were on target or not. I knew the class did not work for me and I had reasons why, but Professor Peters speech and readings have helped me better state those reasons in pedagogical terms (aha!).

There was a great deal of reading for this module and I did not get through every page (though I will). I found myself re-reading some chapters or portions of chapters before moving on to others to ensure I got what seemed to be core concepts (e.g., the three constitutive concepts) down. I am very intrigued by the concepts of dialog, structure, and autonomy and have been considering how to apply these at work.
 * __Additional reflections from module 2__**

It seems in some ways, these concepts, effectively applied, actually move traditional classroom teaching closer to training in a business environment. They both include expository teaching, but the application and reflection components have, in my experience, occurred more in training classes (business) than in classroom college courses I have taken (more lecture then study at home).

I am identifying how dialog, structure, and autonomy are taking place in this class (OMDE 601). I get why they have pedagogical value, but I would struggle in building a course today that effectively incorporated all three effectively.

The readings included some detail on course design that I will go back and read (only skimmed so far) so perhaps that will help.

While preparing to write my essay, I found myself questioning the future of DE given some attributes of our next college-bound generation, "Generation Next". Here is an article characterizing common Gen Next traits. http://people-press.org/report/300/a-portrait-of-generation-next
 * __Future of DE__**

This generation has been shaped by the growth in technology which makes them strong candiates for online learning, but they are also a generation focused on "fast, easy, grab, go". Teachers in traditional classroom environments have struggled in capturing and keeping their attention. How well will they do as autonomous learners and taking the time to read as much as we have in a course like this? Will course design need to shift to keep them more engaged and feed the "video game attention span" that many of them have? It will be interesting to see what shifts if any will be needed for this and future e-generations.