Julie Gilbert

OMDE 601 Section 9040

Date Due October 26, 2014
E-Portfolio Task Questions for Reflection Wave 2

In your e-portfolio (learning journal), please respond to the questions for reflection for Wave 2:
1. Review your group's (r)evolutionary grid. What aspects of Wave 2 did you find to
be the most interesting? Why? What was the least interesting?
Personally, I found the topics of Institutional and Organizational Developments/ System and the
Theories/Ways of Understanding the most interesting. I truly was unaware that there were so many
open universities and that many of them were created starting in the late 1960s. I was equally
interested in learning about the theories of understanding, but this is probably due to my educational
background. The concepts of constructivism and transactional distance were not theories I
remembered learning about in my teacher preparation classes. (Or perhaps its just been too long
since I was in those courses and simply forgot?!?)
What I found least interesting was the information about technologies and what was being used. I
guess its just because all that were mentioned were things that I already knew about. There werent
any real surprises.
2. What were your "a-ha!" moments during this wave? What incited these moments
and how did they influence your understanding of DE?
One of my a-ha moments was about the theory of andragogy and how it was originally
a theory only associated with adult learners, but how that was later changed to include
both adult and children. I think my experience with teaching children and adults is what
really made me most in tune to this theory. These concepts influenced my understanding
of DE in the respect that I think delivery and instruction in any educational environment
is key to a learners success.
3. After what you have read, learned, or experienced in studying this second wave,
how might you revise your original definition of DE? What specific
readings/experiences have influenced your understanding of DE?
I think I would revise my original definition to include information about how learning
theories and methods of instruction can impact learners of DE. I would say the
information presented by Knowles, Moore, and Jonassen provided the most impact to my
continued revisions of my definition of DE.
4. Consider the seminar with our visiting scholar Alan and the expert video from Tony
Bates. What left a lasting impression on you? Tell us about your impression and
how it affected your views about DE.
I thoroughly enjoyed the video presentation from Tony Bates. Many of his key points were
interesting to me. For instance, the fact that the Open University was really needed because of
the lack of university education throughout the population. Additionally, I was surprised by how
many of the first students at the Open University were teachers without degrees. It also
surprised me how research was considered such an integral part of Britains educational system,
and how he felt that research and teaching should be considered a top priority. I also found it
Julie Gilbert
OMDE 601 Section 9040
Date Due October 26, 2014
E-Portfolio Task Questions for Reflection Wave 2

interesting that the materials that were being produced for their DE programs were also
thought to be some of the best and therefore, were being used at regular universities as well.
Overall, this video just opened my eyes to how distance education has evolved. I believe
distance education still serves one of the same purposes as when it first became a realization
reaching those that didnt have educational opportunities in the past.
5. Go back to the course objectives listed in the Syllabus. Do you feel the objectives are
being fulfilled and if so, how and to what degree? Are there objectives that are not
being met? If so, which ones?
After reviewing all the course objectives again, I do believe that they are all being
addressed and fulfilled through the various assignments we are completing. The group
grid really helps to solidify many of the objectives all in one activity. Not only do we
pay particular attention to the characteristics of DE at certain times, but we are
continually seeing how concepts, methods, and institutions themselves have evolved. I
think the objectives are being met through the use of various technologies and tools.
(Some that I have personally used include: mind maps, grids/charts, , Google docs,
Weebly, and Twitter.)
I do not see any objectives within the Syllabus that have not been addressed to this point
in the course. I expect future weekly readings and assignments will further expand on the
objectives as well.