Hello Everyone!
My name is Justin Scott, I am from Vancouver BC and am currently a 4th year student in the business program at UVIC. Before I came to UVIC, I attended Saint Georges school in Vancouver for my high school education.
After my time in High School I decided to take a gap year to pursue playing hockey. My whole life my passion has always been hockey which has made me move and live in many different places such as Nanaimo, Merritt, Revelstoke, Melville, Humbolt and Parksville which has provided me a very unique experience of getting to live in a plethora of different places.
Distributed Education:
Distributed Education is a learning model that leverages technology to allow students to learn independently at their own pace regardless of where they are. Some vital tools to the use the greater flexibility of distributed education is asynchronous learning. Asynchronous learning allows for people to learn at their own pace rather than just having a 2-hour lecture where if you miss something, for me specifically I have a problem with my working memory so being able to go back and re watch and listen to parts I don’t quite understand has been extremely useful for me.
Open Education:
Open Education (OERs) promotes the idea of everyone having the availability to educate themselves. University is a very expensive thing to do and for some people it is just not possible to be able to afford it, but I believe everyone should have the availability to education despite their background or situation and open learning helps to promote that with reduced cost alternatives with free distribution to spread knowledge on different topics.
Modes of Learning:
Nowadays Learning can come in many different modes, the main 3 being face-to-face, Online, and blended formats. Face-to-face learning refers to a ‘regular’ day at school where you go to class whenever it is assigned, online is the contrary where all your classes are online over Zoom or Asynchronous, Lastly is a blended format that can come in a variety of ways with different amounts being online and in person. This allows students with the flexibility to learn the way that they like most and that suits them best. Personally, It depends on the class I am taking, for which mode I like most. For more hands on classes I prefer face-to-face but for classes with a lot of reading I would much prefer online making it so I can read and write at my own pace.
Digital Literacy:
Digital Literacy have become an essential skill for everyone to have, there is so much fake and un credible news outlets today that I believe it is now essential. Being able to assess credible sources, navigate the internet effectively, and communicate professionally online are skills everyone needs to know whether it be in Academics, in the workplace, or even just in everyday life. Despite this the use of online tools combined with good digital Literacy can be of great benefit to anyone.
Digital Identity:
Digital Identity is the way an individual presents themselves online from what they post. Your digital identity is extremely important due to the fact it is your image. When it comes down to getting picked for a job or for a sports team, your image is everything. There are so many people in the world, and you need to find a way to sand out, and your digital identity is a great way to do so. Understanding the impact of your digital identity is critical for ensuring a positive presence online, especially with future career opportunities.
