Month: March 2024

Like everyone in this course, I am no stranger to online learning: in high school, I took option classes online that my school could not offer, I also finished my high school religion classes (Catholic school) and math courses online; I graduated high school when the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into online learning (dramatic sigh for how rough that transition was for everyone), my first year of university was all online, I’ve taken online classes every summer during my undergraduate degree, and I am currently taking this online course with all of you. Suffice to say, I believe I have enough experience to weigh in on the discussion of face-to-face vs. online education.

When it comes to face-to-face learning, in general, there are traditional aspects of education that we can appreciate as a society; if we didn’t, public school systems wouldn’t run. In in-person classes, socialization is much more organic and easy to orchestrate. Hands-on learning activities are also easier in-person; however, as technology advances, this is becoming easier to replicate online. Response time for educators to answer questions is also generally faster when students are in the same room as the teacher.

In contrast, online learning can be incredibly advantageous: asynchronous learning allows people to maintain employment while also furthering their education. Online learning also provides us access to courses and resources that we may otherwise not have access to (for example, I took psychology as an online course in high school because my school did not offer this); online learning gives us access to a more diverse learning experience.

Despite their differences, there are shared elements of learning between face-to-face and online learning environments. Both serve as educational tools that have a time and place. Both allow for a sense of community to be established and have a shared learning experience. Both allow for collaboration and individual work. Both allow for diverse relationships and ideas to develop.

What I have taken away from this is that there is a purpose for both of these forms of education; both of these modalities have a purpose and are advantageous in different situations. At this point, I still favour face-to-face learning; I feel I take away more from the in-person atmosphere. However, I believe that there is value in both face-to-face learning and online learning.

Although I am still an undergraduate student and do not have any formal training or experience in the traditional teaching setting, I have been a ringette coach for 8 years. As a head coach for the Greater Victoria Ringette Association, I hold CSI certification, First Aid certification, as well as a multitude of other courses and certifications.

In my role as a youth coach, I believe that social learning theory best supports my beliefs about teaching. Social learning theory suggests that new skills can be taught through the observation and imitation of others.

The way that I have found the most success in coaching and teaching new skills or plays is to have the athletes watch me draw on a whiteboard as I explain the drill and/or skill to them. After this, I then demonstrate the skill. To verify their understanding, I will then ask them if demonstration one or demonstration two was better, and I ask them to explain to me why that is. I then will guide the first athlete through the drill, before watching the rest complete the drill. This practice is supported by social learning theory, which suggests that youth can learn new skills through observation and imitation.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that every single person has had both positive and negative learning experiences, in both traditional and unconventional learning environments. When reflecting on my personal learning experiences for this blog post, the first teacher who came to my mind as a creator of a positive learning environment was my high school biology teacher. This teacher was also my recreation leadership class instructor, as well as my basketball coach. Because of the different hats she wore in my life, I had a unique opportunity to bond with her. However, she gave all students the same treatment that she gave me. What I admired about her teaching style was how personable she was.

I attended a very rigid Catholic school where respect for our teachers and the hierarchy was demanded, and all rules were expected to be followed no matter what.

Michelle, my biology teacher, was not like the other teachers: she talked to us about real-world scenarios and didn’t hide from topics that didn’t follow Catholic teachings. She let us call her by her first name because she saw our education as a lateral learning experience. She was very aware of the fact that we all had unique challenges and lives outside of the classroom, and she was very supportive of us as individuals, not just as students. It was her genuine care for our well-being and success that resonated so much with me that I am still in contact with her to this day.

In this course, we talk a lot about theory and different ways to honour values and beliefs in the classroom. We talk about considering the diversity in the room and how we can best serve our current (or in my case future) students. I think my experience with Michelle is proof that colouring outside the lines and trying different approaches to work with students that might not necessarily be traditional can be extremely impactful for students.

Michelle showed me that even when you are part of a rigid system, you can still hold your values and beliefs and you can still make a lasting impact on people in unique ways.

In the future, I hope to combine the theories I have learned in this course with the practical experience I had with Michelle to contribute to that positive learning environment with whomever paths I cross.