Reflecting on Asynchronous Discussions

It has been a rather interesting week in the online program in which I have been participating as a student. Actually, every week is interesting, but in different ways. With our current class discussions pertaining to students participating in collaborative work such as group projects and online discussion forums, along with considerations in assessing collaborative work, it seems two factors are at the forefront when it comes to maximizing a learning opportunity. Those factors are timeliness and levels or degrees of participation.

It is really challenging to not associate this week’s concepts with the primary job I have held over the past ?? years. Let’s just say it has been many … no but really “many” is the word! Coaching an intercollegiate basketball team requires, no … demands collaboration, if maximum learning, execution, and achievement are to be reached. Although I believe I have been able to consider the various concepts as they apply to an online learning environment, I am less confident in my ability to respond to my anticipated future online learners in this regard. I cannot utilize the same strategies with my student-athletes in the same manner as my future online learners. It is significantly more challenging to get to know the individual learner in an online format. The reasons they do or do not respond and/or reply in a timely an in-depth manner will vary greatly. I will continue to learn.

For quite some time, as a student in this program, I feel as though I have been switching my learner cap with that of my future online instructor cap. Transition is a good thing!

Constructing Discussion Questions The following online discussion board activity, for students pursuing a position as head chef of a five-star restaurant, was constructed while keeping in mind the concepts presented by Horton (2006). The scoring tool was developed, while keeping in mind elements of a criterion-referenced assessment, and a checklist scoring tool presented by Oosterhof, Conrad, and Ely (2008). Creating the Complete Culinary Orchestra In the previous weeks, you have learned about the various processes, procedures, methods, and practices utilized when creating your own recipes, in addition to effectively applying well-tested concepts and theories when actually preparing a wide variety of meals, from the appetizer, through the main and dessert courses. Each phase or course in the dining experience for your client must not only stand alone, on its own merits, more importantly, it must work in conjunction with each of the other courses. As the head chef, you act as the composer and musician in presenting this culinary concert. As you continue your quest to oversee the kitchen of a five-star restaurant, the task this week is in learning to identify and assess the qualities and traits necessary for your personal sous chefs. Four world-class chefs from this week’s resources will present considerations for identifying and matching a sous chef with your specific culinary strengths and weaknesses. Not only is it essential to identify the technical skills of both yourself and potential sous chefs, the range of knowledge, with respect to various types of cuisine from across the globe, as well as personality traits are equally important. By the regular Tuesday deadline: Identify three sous chefs, chosen from the 15 examples in your text, that would be best suited to work with you, as the head chef, at your five-star restaurant. Include the specific rationale for your selections, and be sure to cite the references to support your choices of sous chefs. You should describe and justify a minimum of three attributes for each of the sous chef you selected, and how they relate to your own strengths and weaknesses as a head chef. Bon Appetit! To view the scoring tool for this assignment, click the link below. Scoring Tool Resources E-Learning by Design (Horton, W., Designing for the Virtual Classroom, E-Learning by Design). Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used with permission from John Wiley & Sons Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center. Oosterhof, A., Conrad, R.-M., & Ely, D. P. (2008). Assessing learners online. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.