Throughout this course I engaged in each of the phases of the critical inquiry process. I noticed that the courses were well designed to include a triggering event that then led to my own exploration, integration, and resolution. Rather than resolving dilemmas, this course has revealed issues that I had not yet identified as issues when I first began teaching online.
In my future courses, I will prioritize creating a community of inquiry to help students work through the entire learning process. My plan is to incorporate more student-led reflections, discussions, and summaries into my classes to supplement and depart from the lecture style of teaching. I will also aim to include more assessments – especially self- and peer-assessments – throughout the term that are not high-stakes to help students feel in control of their own learning. I like the idea of a portfolio assignment that acknowledges learning as a process, so I may try this as well.
I think that there are some valuable aspects to learning online in an open platform like WordPress. It has provided me with a place to work through thoughts in writing and to see how other new faculty members are addressing these same issues.
