What a pleasure it has been to consume the vast amount of knowledge offered during the MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium. Here is some reflection of where I experienced feelings of gratitude, eagerness, and a renewed anticipation for what’s to come. However, along with this excitement, is the pure art of possibility and an obvious understatement of just how undefined that is, creates a sense of diffidence which I read is a common feeling for new graduate students; it would appear that I am in good company.

As I rightfully expected, the art of possibility is huge, added to the list of topics is ”Appreciative Inquiry Approach” which was briefly discussed by Childs (2022) in the recorded session “Top Trends in Instructional Design” as looking at the strengths and opportunities that the pandemic enabled for educators, students and their families when it comes to instructional design. Another particularly interesting theme was around change management, especially adapting delivery and curriculum to meet and create learning opportunities for everyone, not just the “aberrant ten percent” (Childs, 2022). Change is a constant and embedding equity into the development and technology tools should be at the forefront of online curriculum and open spaces.. 

The conversation with Roland vanOostveen (2021) was comforting, this is where I felt the entire symposium begin to resonate in a new way, a familiar way. I heard the terms “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, “Jean Piaget”, “SPSS” and “t-test”, music to my ears as a sociology major and early childhood professional that has spent over two decades in the field of social tech and education. I am looking forward to exploring GELO and the “General Technology Competency and Use Framework”. Where vanOostveen really solidified my motivation for the MALAT program was when he highlighted the desire and need for inclusion; Dr. Childs echoed the sentiment that online readiness was and is not meant to be exclusionary (vanOostveen, 2021). I also enjoyed the tie in and discussion around purposefully designing equity and diversity into digital spaces as a theme that I am proud to get behind.

My overall feelings are to be expected given the quantum leap into the world of education without forgetting or neglecting the other responsibilities that society brings, from the outside, those feelings may resemble terror. My anxiety of missing any pertinent information were grounded shortly after tuning into Einarson’s, (2022), recording “Designing from a place of Indigenous knowledge systems“, which quickly led to watching Einerson’s (2021) Applied Research Project presentation “How can we incorporate Indigenous Worldviews in the creation of online culturally safe learning environments?” I found it especially comforting to hear Earl discuss how his applied research was designed with intentionality and incorporated equally weighted arguments about Worldviews and Indigenous perseverance (Einerson, 2021). Lastly, Earls’ parting words of optimism could be felt in mind, body and heart, and with this I invite and look forward to the challenge and rewards to come!

References

Childs, Elizabeth., Boyce, Christy., Jones, Christina., & Palahicky, Sophia. (2022, April 12). Top Trends in Instructional Design. MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium, Victoria, BC, Canada. https://youtu.be/Hv4v9f_g7Ws.

Einarson, Earl. (2022, April 11). Designing from a place of Indigenous knowledge systems. MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium, Victoria, BC, Canada. .

Einarson, Earl (2021, April 12). How can we incorporate Indigenous Worldviews in the creation of online culturally safe learning environments? MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium, Victoria, BC, Canada. .

vanOostveen, Roland. (2021, April 13) Online Readiness – the Global Educational Learning Observatory project. MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium, Victoria, BC, Canada.