Modalities refer to how a course is delivered. Given the pandemic, this has become a very hot topic of conversation. How should schools accommodate students during a period of time when we have been physically driven apart?
There are a lot of pros and cons to online learning. Being thrown into it initially last spring, it didn’t seem so bad! I actually appreciated the immediate transition when the COVID scaries first came around. I got to go back home to my family, and finish all my courses. Nonetheless, I had a few struggles during this first phase of online learning:
- Time Management: How was I supposed to get work done when it felt like I had all day/all week to finish a term paper?
- Distractions: Going home to family’s home meant going home to a very stocked fridge. I caught myself peaking into the kitchen more times than I could keep count.
- more Distractions: Studying in a new environment (or a very old environment haha…) was a tough challenge! I felt uncomfortable and unsettled. Part of me felt like I was back in high school as I was back in my old room, studying at my old desk, hearing the old hustle and bustle of my family. It was a strange experience to feel as if I went back in time!
- even more Distractions: When your family is a very outdoorsy family, it is very tempting to go on adventures with them. Sitting down and getting school work done while knowing that others are heading out to play for the day was a tough pill to swallow! This made managing my time even more important, but other struggles made this an impossible battle to win.
Given those experiences, I knew that going into the PDP program in the fall, I really needed to get my act together and make a game plan so I don’t fall victim to the pitfalls of online learning. Here are a couple of the experiences I had this past year, both positive and negative:
- It is extremely difficult to balance school and personal life when it all occurs within the same physical space. Attending classes and studying in my bedroom, a space of rest, has been really challenging. Who knew that our head relied so much on the physical environment?
- Having the flexibility and time for more personal things allowed me to focus more on self-care and health. I was able to cook better, balance more physical activity into my days, and have some alone-time because that is also very valuable! Who knew that the commute and spending the whole day on campus cut down on so much of that time?
- On the other hand, having too much flexibility with my time meant I had to take more initiative. Creating checklists and having accountability-buddies really helped with staying on top of school, deadlines, and other commitments.
So given these experiences, it was interesting talking more in depth about modalities in class. Firstly, who knew that there was a term to describe the way in which a course is delivered? Who knew that there are multiple modalities and there are blended/hybrid versions? Jeff Hopkins discussed that multi-access modality (concurrent access) is at the core of this topic, and I couldn’t agree more. It promotes a culture of yes, where we can promote the potential of all students, and giving them the flexibility and support that they require to meet their needs. The learning experience should be adapted so it works for the learner, and learning about modalities has been a good opportunity to remind myself that as a future educator, I am here to support and guide the students in their learning. What better way to support the future leaders of the world by empowering them through making learning outcomes visible, understandable, and personally worth while! I am all for giving students agency on their education!
“The distance is nothing when one has a motive” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Featured Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
