ETEC 530

Self-assessment for the Research Cafes

Submitted by: Galina Culpechina

Date: March 11, 2017

The purposes of the research cafes are to explore personal teaching contexts and the
application of effective constructive strategies. In addition, it is a platform for developing
your research skills further and gaining first-hand experience with e-learning strategies
of personal interest.

The questions below are designed to prompt an analysis and reflection of your ongoing
inquiry into knowledge and constructivist e-learning strategies. It is expected that the
long answer questions contain at least a paragraph (about 4-5 sentence) response.
Please use this form to complete the self-reflection.

1. When did I facilitate a research caf?

I facilitated the research cafe during week 10 of the course.

2. What was the topic on constructivism I chose to explore?

The topic was: Higher Education: Learning Entrepreneurship from a Constructivist

Perspective.

3. What research did I select to study and why?

I selected to study Lbler, H. (2006). Learning entrepreneurship from a constructivist

perspective . Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 18(1), 19-38. Retrieved
from http://www-tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/doi/abs/10.1080/09537320500520460

Why it was selected: As an instructional designer of various masters programs,

including entrepreneurship courses, I am interested in learning how constructivist theory
can support entrepreneurship education, where students-entrepreneurs try everything
and are ready to learn what is needed to be successful. The paper discusses learning as
discovering and developing ones behaviour as well as discovering and developing ones
own concepts. I found the principles for designing entrepreneurship courses useful and
applicable. I also consult faculty on best practices for designing online courses, and I
feel this paper presents a study I can use during my consultations.

4. What 5 things did I learn about constructivist strategies from the body of research
I studied, including the Fosnot chapter I read?

The role of the teacher is to guide the learner to consider new ways of thinking (Lbler,
2006). Teachers become planners, models, guides, observers of development,
ETEC 530
Spring 2014
SK, Policy #81
facilitators, and challengers to childrens existing personal models of the world (Fosnot,
2005).

Teacher is viewed as tutor rather than an instructor - like a piano instructor, where there
is experience, reflection and feedback, rather than transmitting of content (Lbler, 2006).

Encourage re-framing of ideas. Apply ideas and knowledge from one setting to another
(Lbler, 2006).

Do not show the correct way/answer to a problem. Let the learner apply new ways of
thinking, not your views or perspective (Lbler, 2006).

Ensure open information and sharing of ideas (Lbler, 2006). According to Fosnot,
humans are engaged in meaning-making in cultural and social communities of
discourse. They negotiate such meaning through cooperative social activity, discourse,
and debate in communities of practice (Fosnot, 2005).

5. What 3 new research skills did I develop or hone with this assignment?

I have enhanced my critical thinking skills by evaluating my work and the work of my
peers. I learned to make better judgments about the value of information as well as draw
conclusions.

Another research skill I developed is contributing as a professional. I presented my

work to peers, asked and answered questions, managed discussions and confidently put
forward ideas.

Finally I feel I have created creativity. I was creative while exploring the topics for the
research cafe, focusing on those I am genuinely interested in. I feel I created an original
activity as well as responded to others using text and audio adding a different, more
personal touch to the discussion. "I also really wanted to make a note of appreciation to
your audio response as well, nice touch. It really sets up the 'discussion' as a
'conversation', a nice shift (Jenna Adema)".

I used my creative thinking while designing the activity as well as posing questions to my
peers.

6. What e-learning strategies did I try out with my peers? How did I decide to try
these particular e-learning strategies out (eg. research, other sources, personal
experience, etc)?

Relevance - I hope I have chosen a topic that is relevant to everyone. It is related to a

higher education, this is what all my peers are currently engaged in. Entrepreneurship is
a topic that many educators are interested in - they want to develop learners with
entrepreneurial skills. The decision was made based on an adult learning principle that
ties to constructivist strategies: adult learning is self-directed and relevancy-oriented.

ETEC 530
Spring 2014
SK, Policy #81
Personal Experience - I encouraged students to answer the question based on their
professional or life experience. I encouraged them to connect what they have learned to
their professional life. I have also based my posts on my personal experience. I decided
to try this strategy as we all learn from experience.

Asynchronous communication - By engaging students in discussion, I was able to

create a community of enquiry. Unfortunately, there were not as many my cafe
participants as would want to. I think one of the contributing factors was that they had to
contribute to another discussion that week: Constructivist Pedagogy and Assessment.

Feedback - I have provided and received text-based and audio feedback as I agree with
Fosnot that feedback results in knowledge and provides opportunity to reflect.

Increasing visual interest - I have used myself images and visual presentations and
encouraged my pears to create visual presentations or videos. I wanted to enhance
learner motivation and make the cafe space looks appealing to the eye. The decision
was made based on an adult learning principle that ties to constructivist strategies: adult
learning is self-directed.

7. How did my peers help me?

My peers made their first post on time. They used a video format as part of their
response. They were really engaged in a discussion: posing questions and answering
them. They also connected their responses to their personal/life experience. They
provided feedback that helped me to understand what is working well in the cafe.

8. What are one- two memorable examples of dialogue from the caf? (Share the
transcript portion) Why are they memorable?

This example is memorable as it shows that I was able to make the cafe topic relevant to
students. "So although the article was not relevant to my work at this point in time, it is
relevant to my parenting and life. This article laid out the principles very beautifully and
simply, which made them all the more applicable".

This example/quote is memorable because it connects well with the Constructivist

Perspective. We have to go from what is essentially an industrial model of education, a
manufacturing model, which is based on linearity and conformity and batching people.
We have to move to a model that is based more on principles of agriculture. We have to
recognize that human flourishing is not a mechanical process; it's an organic process.
And you cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do, like a
farmer, is create the conditions under which they will begin to flourish. Ken Robinson

9. What 3-5 aspects of the research and the e-learning strategies will I now apply to
my personal teaching context?

I will continue applying the following strategies:

ETEC 530
Spring 2014
SK, Policy #81
 Contributing as a professional - presenting work to peers, asking and
answering questions, facilitating online discussions and putting forward ideas.
Encouraging students to answer questions based on their professional or life
(personal) experience.
Acting like a piano instructor, where there is experience, reflection and
feedback, rather than transmitting of content
Being creative - creating original/innovative courses, lessons and activities
Developing my own learning goals and encouraging students to do the same
( one of the principles of entrepreneurship and constructivist learning).

10. What other questions am I curious about? How will I plan to explore these?

How do I engage teachers in employing constructivism principles in their online

classrooms?
How do I master effective questioning strategies to encourage students to think?
How do I help students to develop their learning goals?

I will explore these questions through related literature as well as by engaging in discussions in
social groups (professional network).

Please submit the reflection using this form to your instructor through the
Connect e-mail.

ETEC 530
Spring 2014
SK, Policy #81