Course Papers
Introduction
This assignment is a critical analysis of the following article: Katie Burke & Stephen
Larmar (2020). Acknowledging another face in the virtual crowd: Reimagining the online
experience in higher education through an online pedagogy of care, Journal of Further
and Higher Education, DOI: 10.1080/0309877X.2020.1804536
It is vital to address the significant demand for the new change in online higher
education, besides emphasizing the role of care in online pedagogy. Moreover,
recognizing care as students’ needs and not conveying care by enforcing learners to
behave as if they are experiencing learning approaches in class. I will reflect on the
teacher and the institution’s role in adapting the method of change in online pedagogy,
considering Noddings (2001) emphasized the value of care in teacher and students’
interaction narratives in an online environment. Moreover, I will consider what might be
a metaphor for utilizing the technology with in-class traditional methods to deliver online
(Burke & Larmar, 2020). Further, I will highlight how teachers can motivate students to
care about producing their materials and enhance their learning. Consequently, the
teacher can perform a significant role in the lead toward change. Finally, I will take a
closer look at the stakeholders’ correlation, how adapting flexibility can serve the
change process, and how the trust will help the stakeholders optimizing instructive
online education change methods (Tschannen-Moran, 2009). The question is: how do
we facilitate online learning to support student success? The teacher’s role is to initiate
leadership and introduce a change inquiry that can guide future standardization.
Reflection on Pedagogy of Care in Online Learning
How did the urged shift to online learning affect higher education during the
pandemic? Most teachers were required to start teaching and redesigning the course
simultaneously at the time faculties in higher education focused on applying technology
for (in-class) designed courses (Rapanta et al., 2020). I teach graphic design in college
synchronously and asynchronously. Since March, the needed shifting was stressful due
to a lack of online pedagogy and the faculty staff were already facing workloads to
coordinate teaching with new life experiences during the pandemic (Rapanta et al.,
2020). The instructors had to develop the course and deliver classes online with all
technical and online learning methods. Moreover, as Burke & Larmar (2020) argues that
online learning may open educational opportunities. Students who could not access
higher education now have better chances, including those living in non-urban areas,
learners with a disability, mature age, raising families, or employment. Therefore, online
student groups represent more inclusive diversity than on-campus groups. Accordingly,
pressure on academics to deliver online is now offered entirely online with no
experiences. Further, the lack of face-to-face online learning has been seen as
disconnecting for many students. I experience having more students online than we
used to have because students who live in other cities or rural areas can join the class.
Furthermore, the college did not consider the load that teachers face and assume that
teachers could manage larger groups online. However, while marketing drives more
inclusive participants to join online, it is proof that online learning is continuing in higher
education.
Additionally, the educational institutes prioritize some decision-making for
both teaching and learning because of a specific financial situation (Collins, 2002).
Consequently, these research topics indicate that online students have lower
performance and less interaction with the teacher and other students. For instance,
some students choose to attend the class online while turning off their camera without
interacting with the teachers’ and students’ discussions. The teacher has to follow
different methods to reach students experiencing separation in synchronous and
asynchronous classes. The teacher can reach them with care utilizing the online
technology tools. The critical point here is to respect students’ privacy and motivate
them to participate creatively.
Reflection on Care Value in Online Learning
Nell Noddings (2001) relates effective teaching and learning to the point that care
is necessary for all relationships and that care is an educational goal and a vital part of
the educational process. How do we implement the emotional help during a student’s
online education? I provide graphic-based instructions to facilitate students’
asynchronous learning process. Forward, this can support the teacher’s presence in an
online environment. It is essential to address the care from the student’s perspective
than from institutes or teacher perspectives. While students at the graphic design class
have urged to shift online during the pandemic, acknowledging that we have daily four-
hour synchronous courses, causing a stressful situation, including the teachers are
ending up feeling burnt-out. I believe the teachers must approach the college to
reconsider any change in the current challenging experience. An inquiry needs to be
performed to change the online class schedule that was designed for in-class. The
importance of the change is worth the attempt, expecting the resistance to the change
and facing any management obstacles in implementing the change process (Bareil,
2013). Higher education must develop teaching pedagogical methods with online
technology. Moreover, tools are changing very fast. However, we can identify the
pedagogical needs, social demands, and advantages of Information and
Communication Technologies (Rapanta et al., 2020). On the other hand, technology
can take on various forms of anxiety, going in directions first to continue to grow and
accelerate; on the contrary, the era of critical technological progress is behind us (Mokyr
et al., 2015). Consequently, the instructor and the students can try a new tool based on
their needs, such as using video to produce feedback on graphic design assignments
and producing text-based feedback for students who meet all requirements. However, it
is often more flexible to show students video-based feedback rather than text-based
comments in some instances. For example, I encourage the students to reflect on an
activity by sharing ideas using a text-based or a visual-based digital tool. Moreover, the
students can share their work on the class website since they cannot place their work
on students’ activity walls.
Accordingly, change factors may need to focus on change, not as a single issue
but as a sequence of changes and develop a changing education. According to
McGrath Barman, Stenfors-Hayes, Roxå, Silén, Bolander Laksov (2016), there is a vital
point in changing by extracting common values, beliefs, and habits. Furthermore in
higher education, colleagues are selected as collegial leaders. However, they had not
received formal training to be leaders. As leaders, they were supposed to act as change
agents. Further, teachers should allow self-paced learning and reflection, and online
learning design should be a student-centred approach.
Summary
The educator can show what caring in action means through their behaviour.
Educators strive to advance student perception beyond the varied learning areas to
care about their education as a fundamental change (Noddings, 2001). By prioritizing
care as a pedagogical approach, the teacher designs a setting where every student
knows they are valued (Burke & Larmar, 2020). Pedagogical caring is established on
positive, friendly, synchronous, and asynchronous communication where learners know
the teacher and each other, and they comprehend the teacher’s presence. More
importantly, implementing discussions and weekly messages to students using
inclusive, positive language is essential to build mutual trust in online learning. We must
highlight the importance of being present for students online, considering individual lives
and interests.
Further, the teacher can contribute timely feedback to identify caring responses
from learners or hold any responses that do not help care within the learning context.
For example, students can stay connected with the teacher by email or video-
conference. As Burke & Larmar (2020) emphasize, it is vital to outline flexible
boundaries to expect the teacher’s limitations like weekends. At the same time, ensuring
that email contact is responded to without any delay. Additionally, online learning means
not feeling isolated nor ignoring that learning is social. We should help students balance
their global situation by allowing flexible time or excluding long video conference hours.
Finally, motivating the learners to enhance their learning and do better is necessary.
The teacher can provide specific feedback for the students’ work and encourage
collaboration and peer-feedback (Rapanta et al., 2020). Moreover, the teacher’s focus
on starting inner-motivation within each student encourages them to continue to care
about their learning. For instance, teachers can create kind interaction within different
methods of course contexts and communication. Student-centred care was undefined in
online pedagogy at higher education and limiting the model of kindness instructors can
practice (Burke & Larmar, 2020). We lack (pedagogy of care) in online education. Fullan
(2006) suggested that “Change knowledge does matter. Ignore it at your peril” (p. 13). It
is needed to train teachers to cooperate feelings in education and develop dynamic
methodologies (Dos Santos Costa et al., 2020). The two cores of adaptation with
dynamics of change are trust and flexibility (Tschannen-Moran, 2009).
Furthermore, we expect planned inquiries that further examine the outcomes of
an online pedagogy of care and institutions that support the change toward including
care in online learning. Nevertheless, to care, we need to analyze learners’ needs and
encourage them to be part of the change. As Fullan (2009) wrote, “The new paradigm
does involve having a broad directional vision, but it has humility—listen to others
including those with whom you disagree, respect and reconcile differences, unify
opposition on a higher ground, identify win–win scenarios, be hopeful and humbly
confident no matter what” (Fullan, 2009, p. 109).
References
Bareil, C. (2013). Two paradigms about resistance to change. Organization
Development Journal, 31(3), 59.
Collins, R. (2002). Credential inflation and the future of universities. The future of the
city of intellect: The changing American university, 23-46.
Dos Santos Costa, G., Mallows, D., & Santos Costa, P. L. (2020). Paulo Freire, the
Decolonial Curriculum and the Experience of the Professional Masters in
Youth and Adult Education in Bahia, Brazil. Adult Learner, 96-110.
Fullan, M. (2009). Large scale reform comes of age. Journal of Educational Change, 10,
101-113.
Fullan, M. (2006). Change theory: A force for school improvement. Centre for Strategic
Education. 1-14.
Goralnik, L., Millenbah, K. F., Nelson, M. P., & Thorp, L. (2012). An Environmental
Pedagogy of Care: Emotion, Relationships, and Experience in Higher
Education Ethics Learning. Journal of Experiential Education, 35(3), 412–428.
Katie Burke & Stephen Larmar (2020). Acknowledging another face in the virtual crowd:
Reimagining the online experience in higher education through an online
pedagogy of care, Journal of Further and Higher Education, DOI:9
10.1080/0309877X.2020.1804536
McGrath, C., Barman, L., Stenfors-Hayes, T., Roxå, T., Silén, C., Bolander Laksov, K.
(2016). The ebb and flow of educational change: Change agents as
negotiators of change. Teaching & Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal,
4(2), 1-14.
Mokyr, J., Vickers, C., & Ziebarth, N. L. (2015). The history of technological anxiety and
the future of economic growth: Is this time different? The Journal of Economic
Perspectives, 29(3), 31-50.
Noddings, N. (2001). Care and coercion in school reform. Journal of Educational
Change, 2(1), 35-43.
Rob, P., (2020, March 6). Using Video to Provide Assignment Feedback. Power
Learning Solutions. https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/using-video-
to-provide-assignment-feedback
Tschannen-Moran, M. (2009). Fostering teacher professionalism in schools: The role of
leadership orientation and trust. Educational Administration Quarterly, 45(2),
217-247.