Looking back at my engagement in ONL, the most important things I have learned concern how I learn, how I collaborate, and how I design for others to learn. Unlike more traditional courses—even online ones—ONL offered an experience where learning emerged through interaction with people from diverse fields, each bringing their own perspectives, assumptions, and ways of thinking. This process forced me to step outside the familiar frames of engineering and approach each topic from different angles. It shaped both my identity as a learner and my awareness as a future facilitator of similar learning environments.
From the very beginning, reflecting on digital identity and “third spaces” helped me recognize how online presence and modes of engagement influence participation and trust. I came to see how learners oscillate between “visitors” and “residents,” and how each brings different rhythms of engagement. This understanding will strongly inform how I design online learning spaces—less as platforms for information transfer and more as communities where different personalities, levels of confidence, and communication styles can coexist productively.
The topic on openness reinforced values already central in engineering and scientific work: transparency, sharing, reproducibility, and collaboration. Yet through ONL I understood openness not only as a professional norm but as a pedagogical stance—one that can empower learners, invite dialogue, and reduce barriers between disciplines. This shift helps me see that I can cultivate openness intentionally in my teaching, not only by sharing resources but also by modelling how to think aloud, how to invite critique, and how to co-create knowledge.
Networked collaborative learning was particularly resonant because interdisciplinary teamwork is central in my field. The reflections on establishing ground rules, collaborative roles, and communication practices mirror the challenges my own students face in interdisciplinary project courses. ONL allowed me to experience these dynamics as a learner, not merely as a teacher, and this perspective is invaluable. I now better understand how essential shared expectations, accountability, and psychological safety are. This experience will influence how I facilitate future student teams, ensuring they are guided not just technically but also in navigating roles, responsibilities, and collaboration processes.
Finally, exploring online/blended learning design—and experimenting with AI in the process—expanded my view of how technology can enhance learning. AI proved to be a powerful source of structure, inspiration, and rapid ideation, but it also revealed its limits: contextual judgement, disciplinary nuance, and pedagogical intention remain fundamentally human responsibilities. This insight will shape my approach to technology integration: I see AI not as a replacement for pedagogical thinking but as a creative partner that can broaden design possibilities if used critically.
As a result of my ONL experience, I plan to:
- embed clearer collaborative structures and ground rules in my interdisciplinary courses;
- design online and blended spaces that support both reflective and active learners;
- encourage openness through shared resources, transparent thinking, and student ownership;
- use technology, including AI, strategically to enhance—not dictate—pedagogical design;
- cultivate learning environments where students feel confident to engage across disciplinary boundaries.
My suggestions for developing e-learning in my own context include building stronger interdisciplinary and cross-faculty learning communities, offering structured support for digital identity and participation, and promoting co-creation between students and teachers in designing digital activities. I would also advocate for thoughtful integration of AI tools, ensuring that they complement rather than eclipse human pedagogical expertise.
Overall, ONL has strengthened my identity as both a learner and an educator. It has helped me understand that effective teaching in digital and networked environments requires not only tools and techniques but also empathy, openness, and an ability to scaffold collaborative processes. These lessons will continue to shape my practice long after the course.
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