My Reflection

E-learning has been an exciting module. I can not believe that it has been very practical yet we are off campus. JP and Steve have steered the module well, engaging everybody and not keeping silent. In other modules, the lecturers would really go silent. About e-learning, it has been an eye opener to me how technology even as simple as an e-mail or sms from a phone can influence learning and teaching. I think this is the way to go and we should all embrace it. My observation is that this is a good foundation and we should immerse ourselves with e-learning more and more from now on. Secondly, from this module, I will never forget the ADDIE model, such a powerful instructional design tool. It is very systematic and clear and if followed, one can never go wrong. As a person actively involved in designing courses, am now equipped with a powerful model. Indeed, am going to organize a faculty development workshop after the M.Phil to specifically teach faculty how to apply the ADDIE model in teaching and learning. Am even contemplating doing my PhD project around e-learning!
Cheers to all.

Mubuuke 

Implementation

Well, it looks like the module is in its evening. E-learning has been quite adventurous and interesting thus far. On my part, it will not be possible to do full implementation and Evaluation within the module schedule, but as I have institutional support, I will carry on with the project even after the module has concluded. Am now focusing on my implementation and evaluation plan which will be operationalised later on. From some of the resources JP put up on Webstudies that I have gone through, I concluded that implementation may be guided by three sub-phases:
1. Training instructors: These may be teachers, community health preceptors etc, but they must be trained on how to operationalize and use the e-learning intervention we have created.
2. Preparing learners: Learners could be students or people in the community. These need to be prepared if the intervention is to be received well. For example if students do not know even how to switch on a computer, some of these e-learning projects may not take off. Prior learner preparation is necessary.
3. Preparing the learning space/environment: This is the space where the e-learning intervention will take place. Is there adequate internet, are there computers etc. These are some of the questions to ask.

Cheers!

Mubuuke

Designing

I have been trying to go through the designing phase and from reading the material JP gave us up on Webstudies, I tried to summarise in my own thinking what one should look at during this process;
1. Designing assessments: For those in institutions, I think we need to think of designing assessments. you know assessment drives learning. In my project of e-reflection, people have advised that students should be at least assessed for their daily reflections. But I think in designing this, we have to link it to the learning outcomes, learning environment and context.

2. Designing the format of the e-project. Here we need to look at how he whole e-learning intervention will be put together ready for delivery to the target audience. I think this is where real work is. We need to design a delivery system and medium by which the intervention will be presented to the target group. Like JP said, this is where we probably need feedback from some people to guide our ideas. I have co-opted about five students and two teachers to assist me in this. The idea is to get them give me feedback on how I should proceed with this.

3. Designing delivery strategies: Well here am looking at availability of computers, internet, student and teacher training etc. This is a whole lot of activities which we are still thinking through.

The struggle continues.

Mubuuke

Well, guys, I think we should be thinking on Design and Development, at least according to the guide. I `hope`, I have done some work with the analysis phase. My major learning need I came up with was that our clinical students do not `reflect` on their clinical cases (at least there is no evidence of this). They just record that they have done so many clinical investigations. So, my strategy is to come up with an e-platform where students can post their reflections (like we are doing now) and share with positive critique of each other`s reflection. The good news for me is that the institution is willing to take on this and have encouraged me to develop it even after the M.Phil. I have managed to co-opt some people especially the IT people to see how it can move forward (thanks to the administration). So we are discussing how to design the whole thing and how it will be developed out. But it is hectic. Don`t forget that we have to write out an Ms-Word assignment folks as well because JP wants it badly!!
Cheers for now

Mubuuke

Hey guys, I have just been talking to some guy over here and he told me of how he used the ADDIE model to hook up with a dinner date who eventually became his current wife. He applied all the five steps in this process which helped him get his partner. Really this ADDIE seems to be applicable in many situations!

Mubuuke

My rough e-project

Dear colleagues, I wanted to share what am thinking about doing as my e-learning intervention. As I was trying to read through the Analysis phase of the ADDIE model, I looked around my teaching context. I do  co-coordinate the clinical rotations of our 4th and 5th year medical students and realized that they use logbooks to write down the number of cases participated in every day. I then realized that they miss out a critical learning opportunity from these clinical cases, which is `Reflection`. I wanted students to not only record numbers, but also reflect deeply on what they learn from these cases, and then write down their reflections weekly. Teachers can then use these reflections to engage students in a discussion and provide feedback on their clinical cases. Students can also critique each other`s reflections. So am thinking of creating some kind of platform for clinical students to periodically share with their teachers what they are learning, forming some sort of student-teacher mentor-ship as well. Now, the real TASK is, I want all these student reflections, teacher feedback, peer critique and learning discussion to be electronic, no paper work this time. So I want to create this e-discussion platform to enhance learning. As Mubuuke, this is my idea and I may not complete it by the end of this module, but I want to try!

Mubuuke