ONLINE

LEARNING/PROFESSI
ONAL DEVELOPMENT
THE FRAMEWORK
Curriculum
and Content
Design

Self Online
The design of
Learning/Prof
reflection essional
online learning
community
s Development

The offline
communities of
practices
Online mentoring and the
role of facilitators
 Facilitator competencies
Confidence

Communicative

Pedagogical

Social

Managerial

Technical
(Berge, 1996)
 Technical support and e-
moderating roles
Access and motivation: setting up system and
accessing/welcoming and encouraging.
Online socialization: sending and receiving
messages/familiarizing and providing bridges
between cultural, social and learning
environments.
Information giving and receiving: searching,
personalizing software/ facilitating tasks and
supporting use of learning materials.
Knowledge construction:
conferencing/facilitating process.
Development: providing links outside closed
conferences/supporting, responding.

(Salmon, 2000)
 Role of reflection in learning and
professional development
Reflection is central to professional development, and
as a reflective practice, it is intentional, continuous,
and systemic.
Reflection in contexts of professional practice involves
engagement in exploring ones experiences.
Boud et al. (1985) note, it consists of three interrelated
stages: returning to the experience, attending to
feelings, and re-evaluating the experience.
Dewey (1933), reflection is a process of the
manipulation of knowledge and is goal-directed.
Habermas (1971), human beings adopt reflection as
one of the processes in the generation of particular
forms of knowledge and evaluative processes of
enquiry are equated with reflection.
 The six stages of mental
processes (Figure 12.1)
Observing, the cognitive structure facilitates the individual to observe
and recognise what is to be learnt; attitude, motivation and emotion
play important roles in this process;
Questioning, the learner uses questions to clarify areas of doubt,
uncertainty, to seek affirmation and reassurance of their understanding
or actions;
Making meaning involves the learner building on prior knowledge,
identifying possible links, establishing connections with present
materials and assimilating new materials into the cognitive structure,
and relating the new meaning to the established discipline;
Validation the materials learnt are applied and validated in real life
situations, processes and practices; this process also involves the
private process of construction of meaning;
Appropriation involves using learnt material and the knowledge
gained in new contexts and situations;
Transformative Learning involves the extensive use of the cognitive
structure; the learner becomes capable of evaluating their own frame of
reference, and others knowledge and process of knowing.
 Types of Reflections
(Cowan, 2002)

Reflective process analysis here the question focuses on How do I (do

something)? This enables learners to derive a refined generalisation in their
minds of how they can apply their generalisation methodically to future
tasks/examples.
Reflective self evaluation this type of reflection answers the question How
well I do or How well could I do (something)? This enables the learner to
understand outcomes and standards. With time the learner notices deviations
from desired outcomes and will modify their behaviour and activity, and
through self-directing monitor and manage their own learning.
Critical incident analysis this type of reflection involves learners in
situations which puzzle or perturb and enables them to consider What should I
take from considering this incident? This type of reflection enables the learners
to progress from intense consideration of issues at the time of the event to a
more generalised and transferable appreciation of issues and possibilities
(Moon, 1999, pp. 20910).
Open-ended reflection this enables the learner to engage with and tackle
questions/situations whose answers they cannot predict and/or anticipate. This
form of reflection can facilitate dramatic changes in ability, attitude and values.
Serendipitous reflection the outcome of this type of reflection is based on
chance and therefore cannot be purposefully planned for.
Online professional development