Week 1 Reflection Student Blog — Beginning My Journey in Open and Distributed Learning

Introduction

During the first week of EDCI 339, I was introduced to the foundations of open and distributed learning. Reading the Week 1 Welcome post and the course outline by Dr. Valerie Irvine (2025) helped me understand that this course is not just about technology—it’s about rethinking education to make it more open, ethical, and accessible for all learners.

Understanding Open Education

The article in the Online Innovations Journal emphasized that open education lowers barriers to knowledge by promoting sharing, collaboration, and lifelong learning (Online Innovations Journal, 2023). A phrase that stood out to me was that openness is an attitude before it is a structure—meaning being open starts with a mindset of generosity and curiosity.

The OTESSA Conference paper reinforced this by explaining that open education must also be ethical: learners and educators should share knowledge responsibly, respect privacy, and credit creators (OTESSA Conference, 2023). Together, these readings showed that openness is not only about free access, but also about inclusive and respectful access.

Building My Digital Identity

From the Walkthrough of WordPress transcript (Irvine, 2025b), I learned practical steps for creating and organizing posts, using categories, and managing media responsibly. I realized that my blog is part of my digital identity, and that my words, images, and attributions contribute to a professional online presence.

Understanding Creative Commons licensing also helped me see how openness works in practice. It allows others to reuse materials ethically as long as credit is given—a concept that directly models the values of open pedagogy discussed in the readings.

Reflection and Next Steps

This week’s learning helped me see that open and distributed learning isn’t only about technology—it’s about connection, inclusivity, and community. Moving forward, I plan to:

• Write weekly reflections using the What → So What → Now What model.
• Include hyperlinks, visuals, and proper attributions in every post.
• Begin brainstorming for my Free Inquiry Project on color psychology, keeping inclusion and accessibility in mind.

Overall, I’m beginning to see openness as both a mindset and a practice—something that encourages me to share ideas responsibly while learning with others.

References

EDCI 339. (2025, September 3). Week 1 – Welcome to EDCI 339. EdTech UVic. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci339/2025/09/03/week-1-welcome-to-edci-339/

Irvine, V. (2025a). EDCI 339 Course Outline Fall 2025. University of Victoria. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci339

Irvine, V. (2025b). Walkthrough of WordPress Transcript. University of Victoria.

Online Innovations Journal. (2023). Distributed learning and educational access. https://onlineinnovationsjournal.com/streams/editor-s-choice-articles/166ed2992d9a3c9d.html

OTESSA Conference. (2023). Open education and the future of digital learning. https://conference.otessa.org/index.php/conference/article/view/419