Lesson 1 has guided me to understand the complex nature of critical thinking. What stood out to me throughout the learning material is the emphasis on community to encourage debate, problem solving, and idea integration.
In my first post I described how I believe that teacher support is incredibly important to facilitate online learning. Lesson 1 has expanded on this idea, explaining the support role as one that provides opportunities for interactive discussion. Engaging students in intellectual and relevant discussion will foster exploration of ideas and lead to problem solving and resolutions. Our role as facilitators is to guide these discussions, ensuring the focus remains relevant and the opportunity to interact remains fresh and exciting.
The question I found myself asking throughout this lesson was “what is the best way to put this into practice?” Online learning is often self-paced and students find themselves working through a course feeling alone. Knowing how the importance of interaction for learning, we must find a way to engage students in active discussion.