Running head: ANDERSENS PHILOSOPHY OF ONLINE FACILITATION & LEARNING

My Philosophy of Online Facilitation and Learning L. Denise Andersen Vancouver Island University OLTD 503 Kim Lemieux January 17, 2014

ANDERSENS PHILOSOPHY OF ONLINE FACILITATION & LEARNING

My Philosophy of Online Facilitation & Learning I believe adults are better suited to learning when new knowledge is in juxtaposition and filtered through their previous understanding and experience. Ally (2008) claims adult learners are active (p.30) learners and respond well to activities that employ discussion and familiar situational contexts for learning. Both concepts are integral to my teaching and commonly found in my classroom and clinical practice. Social constructivism appears to embrace these same concepts for learning and resonates with my intentions therefore I believe it informs my teaching self (Kear, 2011). I have minimum experience in online facilitation but I can imagine that my teaching techniques would at least initially resemble the methods I utilize in face-toface teaching. I did not come to post-secondary teaching with foundational teacher training so my methods and approaches are from a lifetime of experience, observation, curiosity, appetite for knowledge and a keen desire to share what I know. Because health research and development is prolific and I pride myself on best practice, I approach all new health information with the same single thought; does this have meaning for the program or students? To help identify my philosophy of teaching I will use Korthagens (2004) onion model to illuminate my more personal and individual aspects: my beliefs, identity and mission of practice. Korthagen (2004) contends that a teachers competencies or strengths are determined by their beliefs or what they think about themselves in regards to their role in teaching and learning in general. I have complete confidence in my understanding of the competencies and character traits that ensure effective and efficient Health Care Assistants (HCA). From this confidence springs classroom material and communication as well as inter-professional communication. However I have questions and uncertainties about my lack of understanding

ANDERSENS PHILOSOPHY OF ONLINE FACILITATION & LEARNING

the pedagogical foundations of what I do. Discovering that I teach using primarily social constructivism techniques (Ally, 2008) provided relief in much the same way being diagnosed with a disease (after a period of not knowing) could provide relief. Like Ally (2008) I believe the teacher plays an advising or facilitating role with the learner as the center of the learning. Contextual learning activities, best for online and commonly used in healthcare education further reinforce the theme of learner as the center of learning (Ally, 2008). At work, in the classroom I have been described as being the tough one, a hard marker but a good teacher. I have a 20th century work ethic and a firm stance on nursing professionalism therefore my classroom self is quite focused and professional. My behaviour reflects personal qualities of curiosity, enthusiasm, integrity, accountability, and generally outcome focused. Meijer, Korthagen, and Vasalos (2009) claim interactions are more impactful if teachers behavior illuminates core qualities however; I am wondering if online facilitation will challenge my ability to imbue class learning with my hallmark of qualities? Like many, my teaching is dependent upon immediate visual student feedback, which, can lead to familiar default responses. Korthagen (2004) claims self-understanding leads to more conscious choices, which in turn can provide opportunities to grow professionally. I am hopeful but still curious if my authentic self can be transmitted and translated into effective online facilitation. I am a nurse who can teach others to be capable and competent caregivers. Health is what inspires my professional self. Health transcends all age groups so logically I could be a teacher for the masses, however adults are the primary gatekeepers to health therefore they are my professional focus. I have developed a teaching practice and capabilities that could translate well into other health care realms but currently my desire is post-secondary health education. Becoming an HCA requires an understanding of and embracing the concept of personhood, as

ANDERSENS PHILOSOPHY OF ONLINE FACILITATION & LEARNING

defined by Kitson a standing or status that is bestowed upon one human being by others, in the context of relationship and social being. It implies recognition, respect and trust (as cited in OConnor et al., 2007, p.8). It is from this perspective that compassionate caregiving evolves. In my practice personhood is not prescriptive nor a benchmark of evaluation but a foundation or context for learning. Understanding and embracing ones beliefs, identity and mission of teaching is considered to be a support in developing competencies for teaching (Meijer et al., 2009). Besides informing teacher practice, they may also be an intrinsic support for an authentic teaching self or as Meijer et al. (2009) calls it a core reflection (p.299). It is the precursor to what we know to be true teacher presence or a complete alignment of all the levels of the onion and it may take a lifetime to attain if attained at all (Korthagen, 2004, p.87). With that in mind, I am reminded that my above reflections represent a mere baby step into the process of becoming truly present in my teaching self.

ANDERSENS PHILOSOPHY OF ONLINE FACILITATION & LEARNING

References Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.), Theory and Practice of Online Learning (2nd ed., pp. 15-44). Retrieved from http://http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/pdf/TPOL_book.pdf Kear, K. (2011). Online and Social Networking Communities. New York, NY: Routledge.

Korthagen, F. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: towards a more holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(1), 77- 97.
Meijer, P., Korthagen, F., & Vasalos, A. (2009). Supporting presence in teacher education: the connection between the personal and professional aspects of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 25(2), 297-308. O'Connor, D., Phinney, A., Smith, A., Small, J., Purves, B., Perry, J., & Drance, E., Beattie, L. (2007). Personhood in dementia care: developing a research agenda for broadening the vision. Dementia, 6(1), 121-142. doi: 10.1177/1471301207075648. Retrieved from http://dem.sagepub.com/content/6/1/121.abstract