Photo by Rohit D’Silva on Unsplash
About Me
My name is Chase Bjornerud-Brown and I am in my Fourth year studying psychology at the University of Victoria. I am originally from Chilliwack, British Columbia and love spending my time outdoors. My interest in education started with my experience teaching, organizing, and supervising swim lessons for children and adolescences of all ages. In the near future, I hope to complete a professional development program (PDP) to be able to teach elementary and middle school students.
Distributed versus Open Education
Distributed education is a broad category of education in which students and the teacher are in different locations as they learn together (Pappas, 2023). Being that students can work through the material from a remote location, distributed learning offers increased accessibility and flexibility to individuals who live in remote locations, have familial obligations, experience financial insecurity, or other factors that keep them from being present in a classroom setting (Pappas, 2023).
Open education aims to make resources, knowledge and education readily available to students with no or very minimal barriers (Hotchins, 2025). There is increased flexibility due to students’ ability to access materials in any location, at any time and their own pace (Hotchins, 2025). This increases inclusivity and offers equitable access to education for individuals with varying needs such as health concerns, financial situations, geographical location, familial obligations, or other factors that increase the difficulty for them to receive a formal education (Hotchins, 2025).
The information above is found in the links below. Please click on the links for more information:
Pappas, C. (2023, April 19). The Distributed Learning Model: Aspects, upsides, and applications. eLearning Industry. Distributed Learning Instructional Model: Upsides And Applications
Hotchins, J. (2025, January). Module One: Introduction to distributed and open learning [PowerPoint slides]. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Victoria.
Modes of Education
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
There are many modes of education that students can pursue. The four main modes are face-to-face, online education, blended learning and hybrid learning. Face-to-face education is when students learn in a classroom setting with a teacher and in contrast, online education is when students learn through technological means on the internet (Olmstead, 2024). Blended learning combines face-to-face learning and online learning in that the courses have components of both (Steele, 2024). Lastly, Hybrid learning is a form of education that offers students the opportunity to choose whether they prefer to learn online or in person (Steele, 2024).
I have always preferred in-person learning as I feel that I am better able to focus and remember information. Additionally, I really like that face-to-face learning allows me to clarify my questions and doubts as they come. Despite my preference, I do enjoy the benefits that other forms of engagement offer. For example, online learning gives me the flexibility to engage with the material when I have the time and mental capacity to do so and blended learning allows me to benefit from the structure of face-to-face learning with the flexibility of online education (Hotchins, 2025). Additionally, hybrid learning allows me to pursue a mode of education that aligns with my needs at that moment (Hotchins, 2025).
The information above is sourced by the links below. Please click on the links for more information:
Hotchins, J. (2025, January). Module One: Introduction to distributed and open learning [PowerPoint slides]. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Victoria.
Olmstead, L. (2024, December 18). Online learning vs. face-to-face learning: Which is best?. The Whatfix Blog | Drive Digital Adoption. https://whatfix.com/blog/online-learning-vs-face-to-face-learning/
Steele, C. (2024, March 6). Hybrid vs. blended learning: The difference and why it matters. Leading Learning. https://www.leadinglearning.com/hybrid-vs-blended-learning/
Digital Literacy and Digital Identity
Digital Literacy:
Over time, the world has become more integrated with the internet and an essential thing to develop alongside that is digital literacy. Digital literacy is the ability to effectively, critically and safely use technology. Digital literacy is becoming more and more important as it opens the door to educational, professional and personal pursuits.
If you are interested and want to know more, below is a link to a podcast about digital literacy:
Digital Identity:
Not just our ability to use technology affects us, so does our presence on the internet. Digital identity is how an individual presents themselves on social media and the internet. Your online presence can have lasting implications on your future employment and relationships; it is important to manage your presence accordingly. As a general guide, I only post and engage with content that I would feel good if a manager or potential employer saw. For example, I would feel comfortable posting a photo of me with my dog but may choose not to share a photo of my friends and I out on a Friday night. Other ways to manage your digital identity includes maintaining a kind respectful reputation online and reflecting on the cultural and social implications of your content before you post. Click HERE for a list of things you should be cautious about before posting on social media!
Technology is our future. As we can see, the internet is present in our education, our personal life and our employment. In turn, it is important to practice digital literacy and caution when using the internet.
The information in the paragraphs above was found in the links below. Please click on the links for more information:
Rouse, M. (2023, July 10). What is Digital Literacy? definition, skills, learning resources. Techopedia. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/digital-literacy-digital-fluency
What is digital identity – definition and examples. Arimetrics. (2024, October 7). https://www.arimetrics.com/en/digital-glossary/digital-identity
