“In fact, very few people who teach have had some sort of training for preparation in 1

how to do so”

Reflective Writing # 1

Nikki Pawluk #300184706

University of the Fraser Valley

Dr. Douglas Mauger

“In fact, very few people who teach have had some sort of training for preparation in 2
how to do so”

Objective

This quote makes a statement about a familiar trend for instructors starting out teaching.

Many people who enter the world of instruction, have little access to formal resources or training

to prepare to teach materials to students. In fact, most start out working in their specific industry

and become subject matter experts, before moving onto conducting training afterwards for

companies. Some employers and businesses even boast in their advertising that their course

content is taught by certain experts in the field, therefore ensuring their courses are superior to

other competitors. It has come to my attention that very few people are taught to instruct adults,

just course content instead. I never stopped to consider how my teaching methods and styles

would grow after learning more about how adults learn.

Reflective

I chose this quote because it tells us of a cautionary tale and relates to my own

experiences as a new instructor. At the time, when I first became an instructor, I was determined

to change how First Aid training is delivered. I had no formal training, except my 4-day

instructor course, and when you become certified, you are often on your own. Granted, I had

access to an online, slightly complicated, resource for new instructors. Did I mention it was

complicated? How was I going to navigate my way through and create a lesson plan from a

platform I did not get any training on? Then, with the ongoing pressure from people I began to

contract from, I was to promote hands-on only learning, when teaching. I missed my chance to

become one of the very few people who had some sort of preparation to instruct adults
“In fact, very few people who teach have had some sort of training for preparation in 3
how to do so”

effectively. I see my whole transition to becoming an instructor story in this quote and its impact

on my thinking is emerging even a I continue to write this reflection.

Interpretive

When I googled “how well are instructors prepared to facilitate” I went in with the

mindset that I would find stories or studies that would relate to first time teaching in a classroom.

How primitive……. I started drafting this paper with the mindset of when I first started teaching

in 2016, pre-COVID. I did not even stop to consider how challenging it was to move to online

learning, not only for me, but for other instructors out there. As it stands now, literally no one

had proper preparation to move into the online environment, including me. I came across an

article titled: “A New Pedagogy Is Emerging... and Online Learning Is a Key Contributing

Factor” and it explores some vital questions. “What is the new pedagogy of online teaching at

scale really like? What does engaged learning look like in this unfamiliar environment? How can

online learning produce outstanding learning experiences?” (Contact Nord, 2021). After

contemplating these challenging questions, I knew I had to change my own narrative and how it

applies to this quote. I have a chance to help set the new standard to improve the situation. I now

have an opportunity to take my older teaching experiences and blend them with my new online

teaching experiences. I also need to take ownership of the fact that I may be one of the more

experienced online facilitators out there. I should now be considering how I can help other

instructors prepare for the transition to online learning. Then maybe this quote will evolve into a

new way of thinking for companies and individuals that are looking at how they consider or

deliver training programs.

“In fact, very few people who teach have had some sort of training for preparation in 4
how to do so”

Decisional

I have neglected to take time to reflect on my own professional practice as an Adult

Educator lately. Things arrived faster then I could have ever imagined, and I never considered,

that I have been teaching online for a year and a half now. Not everyone has that kind of

experience. Going forward, I think I will set some goals to help be a part of the solution to try

and help guide others that may be transitioning into teaching. I planned to take the Red Cross

Master Instructor course in the New Year, another short course to send me off to teach other

instructors who want to teach First Aid programs. I will not really get a whole lot of training to

prepare to do so, except now, I am equipped with the tools and resources to be self-directed in

my preparation. Good thing I am taking classes on teaching adults.

References:

Contact North | Contact Nord is a non-profit corporation funded by the Government of Ontario.

2021 teachonline.ca/tools-trends/how-teach-online-student-success/new-pedagogy-emerging-

and-online-learning-key-contributing-factor