The transformative power of reflection on teaching and learning roles in an online environment

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 28: Higher education in a changing world

July, 2005, 639 pages
Published by
Angela Brew and Christine Asmar
ISBN
0 908557 62 0
Abstract 

According to Arthur Koestler, “Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual”. To teach successfully, one must also learn, and one of the most effective ways of learning is to teach another. This reciprocity and duality of roles is central to reflective practice. Teachers and online course developers need to experience online learning in order to become reflective practitioners, and thereby enrich praxis through creating challenging online learning environments. Educators can do so through engagement in learner roles through experiential online learning, thereby enabling transformation and deep reflection on online teaching. Using qualitative in-depth interview techniques with a group of online educators/ students, the study explores perspectives on reflective practice afforded by these experiences.

Keywords: online pedagogy, reflective practice, learning environments