My journey on ONL181 course has turned towards it’s end. It has been a great adventure. In the beginning I felt so unsure, like a was joining someone elses hike I hadn’t planned at all. I had no idea what to expect, the terrain was unknown and I didn’t have a map. Now I’m just enjoying the hike and a bit sad about the fact it will be soon over.

I have learned a lot on the course, especially from the perspective of being a student on a course. I know now, how it feels like to participate an online course. For me the latest topic was the most pedagogic one. It was about designing a course. It really doesn’t matter, how nice activities, tools and ways of collaboration a course offers, if the whole doesn’t support in learning the content that was meant to be learned.

Designing any course means that you, as a designer, have to see the big picture. What the learners should learn? How they can achieve that? How you can help them to do so? Even if we should look at the big picture, I think we actually have to look closer also the details to see the whole. Is there a purpose behind every task? Does it focus on the content that was meant to be learned? Are the activities supporting each others? Are different learning styles taken into account?

Designing a course is important but also quite time-consuming. Especially in online learning it might easily happen that for instance nice tools and apps steal the main role. The same risk of getting too fascinated by new technology lies in many other contexts as well, like in hiking and exploring the nature. I could equip myself with many nice new gears without thinking, would they really help me to get more out of my dear hobby. Before every journey I need to think first, what I want to see, hear and experience. Just then I can see, what I really need on my trip. And if I’m in good company, someone will lend me the toothpaste I forgot.