Having just completed the first readings for the course, I have been encourgaed by how well all these factors relating to e-learning have been brought together and I will definately be using it in my own teacher training as it brings so many different theories related to machine learning. online learning and general educational theory together.

I found the specific example of online discussions within the framework of ubiquitous learning very interesting - I was heavily involved in a mobile device integration into a school where 'any time any where' learning was a big drive for the project. However this was very much related to the students consumption of material rather than as creators of it. 

Cope and Kalentsis (2018, p18-20) argue admirably for the power and positive affordances related to online discussions and the potential to develop higher level and far more diverse understanding. However, I do feel that a great deal of scaffolding, support and guidance is needed for online discussions to achieve these outcomes. Too many times I have seen faculty set up online discussions only to have them either wither or die or the content being of a very superficial level. This also reflects on long-held but incorrect assumptions that online teaching is 'easier' than face to face classroom teaching, whereas in truth it is the same amount of work (if not more) but directed towards facilitating the students own learning and development as creators rather than as the source of consumption.