I can't believe this semester is already over! At first the long list of units seemed very overwhelming ... but now the last tab is up!
I have learned a lot - both in terms of e-learning proper (as in what the purpose of the course is) and how to be an e-learner ... you have to have self-discipline in a different way than you do in a face-to-face course; you have to be comfortable with different types of activities (although I will say I wasn't subjected to role play or getting called on at random like you do in face-to-face classes, thank g-d! - although it is possible that had we been in a webinar people could have been called on at random)
My favorite activities (besides all the fun activities) were: KOLB, CARP, and the structured discussion that we did early on.
I'm not sure what to expect for or from next semester but I'm excited to finally get to a stage beyond thinking and into actualization.
I will say that taking any college-level class makes me long for the days when I could just be in school and learn for learning's sake and not have to worry about its application to the "real world" or the "working world" ... ahh, to be a forever student!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
as always, running late
So i'm very behind in my blogging ... but that doesn't mean that i haven't been blogging in my head!
ACTION... no ACTIVITIES, says HORTON
When i started to put together my Design document, I could feel my brain desperately trying to chunk everything into neat little categories -- and even though Horton has Absorb, Connect, and Do separately organized, for some reason I keep getting tangled between them all ...
I continue to catch myself forgetting that reading/listening/watching are considered ACTIVITIES in the sense of learning ... Absorb, Do, & Connect ... after "traditional" schooling or perhaps never having reflected upon teaching methods and the practice of learning, I always think ok reading/watching/etc. as passive and not ACTIVE ... but i need to take the root ACTIVE out of the word ACTIVITIES and remember that they're all equal and important in the learning process.
I must admit that deciding on the activities for my project has been the most difficult -- especially because most of mine are skill-based and similar in nature, just variations of the same. (For example: how to use terms and connectors vs. how to use wildcards.) This leaves me with lots of choices - I could have a game for x or a game for y -- or both? I just couldn't decide!!!
The other thing that is getting me is how many activities are you supposed to have? And i'm still, as I write this write now, catching myself feeling that simply reading about wildcards just doesn't count as learning ... it's not enough. So i think i need an ACTIVE activity for each learning objective?
WEBINARS
The webinar topics have been very interesting and I must admit that I have not been able to attend as many as I would have liked ... I like reading the discussion threads that follow in my inbox or around the ECollege shell. there are so many interesting tools out there!
Presenting our webinar went much more smoothly than I thought it would considering we could not get the volume to work for a good 40 minutes before hand! I have noticed some things that I like a lot better about Adobe Connect but some others that I don't ... Also, it's hard when you have 3 presenters b/c if I wanted to get a poll or something prepared, I don't think that I can really do that without taking over the flow of the presentation/viewing area ... so that was hard b/c you don't want to interrupt your colleagues to say, "weren't we going to do this now?"
It's also very different for me b/c I am used to doing webinars via the phone and not the headset of the computer ... it's nice to see the little mute/speaking icon next to people's names when they are speaking ... on our team meetings we just have to know one another's voices :)
GAMES and FUN
As usual, I truly enjoyed all the fun activities that were given to us to do ... I wish that there had been a few more buildings in the ECOGREETING but it was cool nonetheless.
MISC
ACTION... no ACTIVITIES, says HORTON
When i started to put together my Design document, I could feel my brain desperately trying to chunk everything into neat little categories -- and even though Horton has Absorb, Connect, and Do separately organized, for some reason I keep getting tangled between them all ...
I continue to catch myself forgetting that reading/listening/watching are considered ACTIVITIES in the sense of learning ... Absorb, Do, & Connect ... after "traditional" schooling or perhaps never having reflected upon teaching methods and the practice of learning, I always think ok reading/watching/etc. as passive and not ACTIVE ... but i need to take the root ACTIVE out of the word ACTIVITIES and remember that they're all equal and important in the learning process.
I must admit that deciding on the activities for my project has been the most difficult -- especially because most of mine are skill-based and similar in nature, just variations of the same. (For example: how to use terms and connectors vs. how to use wildcards.) This leaves me with lots of choices - I could have a game for x or a game for y -- or both? I just couldn't decide!!!
The other thing that is getting me is how many activities are you supposed to have? And i'm still, as I write this write now, catching myself feeling that simply reading about wildcards just doesn't count as learning ... it's not enough. So i think i need an ACTIVE activity for each learning objective?
WEBINARS
The webinar topics have been very interesting and I must admit that I have not been able to attend as many as I would have liked ... I like reading the discussion threads that follow in my inbox or around the ECollege shell. there are so many interesting tools out there!
Presenting our webinar went much more smoothly than I thought it would considering we could not get the volume to work for a good 40 minutes before hand! I have noticed some things that I like a lot better about Adobe Connect but some others that I don't ... Also, it's hard when you have 3 presenters b/c if I wanted to get a poll or something prepared, I don't think that I can really do that without taking over the flow of the presentation/viewing area ... so that was hard b/c you don't want to interrupt your colleagues to say, "weren't we going to do this now?"
It's also very different for me b/c I am used to doing webinars via the phone and not the headset of the computer ... it's nice to see the little mute/speaking icon next to people's names when they are speaking ... on our team meetings we just have to know one another's voices :)
GAMES and FUN
As usual, I truly enjoyed all the fun activities that were given to us to do ... I wish that there had been a few more buildings in the ECOGREETING but it was cool nonetheless.
MISC
I will say that I think this class has inspired me to take advantage of things that are around me ... for example, for the most part I use GOOGLE - the plain version -- but when I am just playing around, I use the IGoogle ... i have all the gadgets that I like on there :)
- rememberthemilk.com
- dictionary.com
- daily quotes
- yahoo
any more and it would be too crowded to be usable really ...
The other thing I would like to say, and I have been meaning to send a thank you to the team, but after participating in the webinar on WIKIs, we received a survey -- the survey was a fill in the blank form made via GOOGLE DOCS. To be honest, I had heard of and used once before Google Docs ... never thought too much about it. But after this survey, a light went off in my head -- I logged on and explored and searched tips and how-tos and ended up making my own fill in the blank form -- for my wedding RSVP! I sent the link to doug and he posted it on our website! I was very very excited!!! All this wedding stuff has computer crazy -- I've even taught myself 3 new excel formulas :)
Sorry Patrick for being behind again!!!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Unit 9
So putting together the EdWeb Analysis portion was EXHAUSTING. seriously. Just the terminology alone was exhausting to get my mind around ... between class and Horton there were so many sets of words (and then Bloom's and everyone else in between).
--Some of the words sound so similar (goal; objective; outcome)
I think that this type of project (not necessarily the EdWeb itself but the writing of the document) is the only way to really bring together the reading material and truly understand and process what we're learning ... so it was good to do; but, I wish that we could have done bits and pieces of it earlier. That way if we were way off the mark we could have been righted before we wasted too much time down the wrong path. but as Jackie probably saw from my at the last moment email, it's not like I knew what I was doing a long time ago!
Also, perhaps some of the smaller activities along the way could have been more application based of the material that we were going to have to put together to form the EdWeb ... like how we needed to (or really had the option of) looking at samples from last year and rating them ... that was a good idea. maybe one exercise could have been a list of 'activities' and we had to say whether they were do / absorb / etc. I suppose some of the discussion boards were a method of working through the material but maybe I'm just realizing that I don't learn that way ... For example, the CARPing exercise was very good for me ... we didn't get the best grade but I think it was because it was hard to verbalize what I was seeing but not becuase I didn't understand the concepts. CARP is clearer than CIV -- I needed my CIV chart with me to do that exercise whereas I could write down CARP and remember it.
I will also be honest while i'm up here ... the group stuff ... no good. It is sooo hard to find a mutually agreeable time to talk on the phone; email is definitely better than the discussion board; but still it has been very hard to function as a team and the webinar project has me nervous in the service as they say -- without any dislike to my team members, just a frustration with the process. You're alone yet together. it's weird.
I still think that doing two big projects at once is hard!
As usual, I love all of the fun activities ... I think the YEARBOOK has been the best ever. but Wordle was fun too; i couldn't decide which version I wanted to use! It was a little frustrating b/c I had to download a new version of Java, but no biggie. http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/282690/old_town_favs
It reminded me of this artist that I like: http://www.posillicostudio.com/Word_06/word_06_1.htm
--Some of the words sound so similar (goal; objective; outcome)
I think that this type of project (not necessarily the EdWeb itself but the writing of the document) is the only way to really bring together the reading material and truly understand and process what we're learning ... so it was good to do; but, I wish that we could have done bits and pieces of it earlier. That way if we were way off the mark we could have been righted before we wasted too much time down the wrong path. but as Jackie probably saw from my at the last moment email, it's not like I knew what I was doing a long time ago!
Also, perhaps some of the smaller activities along the way could have been more application based of the material that we were going to have to put together to form the EdWeb ... like how we needed to (or really had the option of) looking at samples from last year and rating them ... that was a good idea. maybe one exercise could have been a list of 'activities' and we had to say whether they were do / absorb / etc. I suppose some of the discussion boards were a method of working through the material but maybe I'm just realizing that I don't learn that way ... For example, the CARPing exercise was very good for me ... we didn't get the best grade but I think it was because it was hard to verbalize what I was seeing but not becuase I didn't understand the concepts. CARP is clearer than CIV -- I needed my CIV chart with me to do that exercise whereas I could write down CARP and remember it.
I will also be honest while i'm up here ... the group stuff ... no good. It is sooo hard to find a mutually agreeable time to talk on the phone; email is definitely better than the discussion board; but still it has been very hard to function as a team and the webinar project has me nervous in the service as they say -- without any dislike to my team members, just a frustration with the process. You're alone yet together. it's weird.
I still think that doing two big projects at once is hard!
As usual, I love all of the fun activities ... I think the YEARBOOK has been the best ever. but Wordle was fun too; i couldn't decide which version I wanted to use! It was a little frustrating b/c I had to download a new version of Java, but no biggie. http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/282690/old_town_favs
It reminded me of this artist that I like: http://www.posillicostudio.com/Word_06/word_06_1.htm
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Unit 8
My EdWeb
I still don't know what I am going to do for my EdWeb ... well I mean I know what I want to do, but i just don't know if it's possible, how to tweak it to make it possible, etc.
Here is what Lexis has now:
1. basic online "tutorials" that just walk you through different features/functions -- NOT what I want to do (nor does it fit our assignment): http://web.lexis.com/help/multimedia/detect.asp?sPage=mom
2. interactive tutorials ... I think the biggest problem I face is that Lexis requires an ID and Password to use the research system. So, as I said before, whenever I want to do a "now you try" I can't unless they have an ID. This page, however, allows anyone to go through the interactive tutorial without having a Lexis ID.... (you just have to sign into the website itself, but not Lexis subscription -ID/PW - required) I think that recreating something like this is WAAAAAYYYY Outside of what we're doing this semester (and my skills altogether) but it is something I'd like to do, if possible, in any way.
http://www.lexisnexis.com/custserv/Training/iot/iot_login.asp?msg=IDUSED
I could easily sign on myself and record it ... but my team already does that (click here)
So, what I want is a way to say:
CRAP and CARP ...
This reading assignment was quick and interesting ... it was nice to immediately apply it to the web critique assignment.
Fun activities
I loved the Yearbook assignment and sent it to all my friends
I still don't know what I am going to do for my EdWeb ... well I mean I know what I want to do, but i just don't know if it's possible, how to tweak it to make it possible, etc.
Here is what Lexis has now:
1. basic online "tutorials" that just walk you through different features/functions -- NOT what I want to do (nor does it fit our assignment): http://web.lexis.com/help/multimedia/detect.asp?sPage=mom
2. interactive tutorials ... I think the biggest problem I face is that Lexis requires an ID and Password to use the research system. So, as I said before, whenever I want to do a "now you try" I can't unless they have an ID. This page, however, allows anyone to go through the interactive tutorial without having a Lexis ID.... (you just have to sign into the website itself, but not Lexis subscription -ID/PW - required) I think that recreating something like this is WAAAAAYYYY Outside of what we're doing this semester (and my skills altogether) but it is something I'd like to do, if possible, in any way.
http://www.lexisnexis.com/custserv/Training/iot/iot_login.asp?msg=IDUSED
I could easily sign on myself and record it ... but my team already does that (click here)
So, what I want is a way to say:
- We are going to learn how to do the following things in Lexis
- (learning objective)
- Now test yourself ... that is where i'm stuck -- how am I going to do that?
CRAP and CARP ...
This reading assignment was quick and interesting ... it was nice to immediately apply it to the web critique assignment.
Fun activities
I loved the Yearbook assignment and sent it to all my friends
Belated Unit 7 Post
Horton Ch. 4 - Connect
the scavenger hunt spoke to me because that is the method I use now to serve multiple functions: as a fun way to see how well someone knows the research system, to refresh their skills/minds, and as a test after a series of classes. there are only so many "facts" you can quiz someone about using the research system... after that it's really more important for them to actually try to put it into action. This was my AH=HA moment but more for what I think is lacking in my team's (at work) webinar series.
EdWeb
So I have to admit that I know in my head what i want to do but:
a). feel overwhelmed by the process I am about to undertake -- the form is a bit intimidating (i.e. the sections and learning objectives, etc.) and I'm not sure if I can do what I want/envision ... is it too advanced for me, is it not what I'm supposed to be doing, is it a waste/pointless b/c there are people in my company (the Education department) who are already doing these things?
b). am mentally torn in prepping for both projects at once
c). have avoided putting the analysis section to paper -- i have saved everything though!
Sample Websites
1. Kirsten Morton (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/edweb_morton/index.html
I really liked this one ... it was simple but informative; the icons were cute and relevant; and the memory aids were helpful.
2. Betsy McNair (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/mcnair_edweb/index.html
This one was very detailed and thorough in how it moved step-by-step ... it wasn't as easy for me to understand b/c it didn't apply to me so the various steps kind of overwhelmed me a bit (in terms of info intake) but I liked that each button on the left had its corresponding sub-parts ... I really really liked the fill in the blank portion in the middle of the process that was brought to use later. that was neat!
3. Kim Baker (adult): http://www.wildhorseeducation.com/
This one was great b/c the modules were distinct and each listed their learning objective very clearly; the assessment was fun to take and I liked the summary at the end (just before the assessment). (there were actually two distinct tutorials!) The additional resources were appropriate and interesting. I liked this one a lot!
4. Kathleen Brady (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/brady/index.html
This site had lots of interactive things (aka DO Activities)-- for example, I liked how you could do your pre-work right from the site ... also, you could print the checklist for the unit, there were case studies and quick references and self-tests ... and there were even "CONNECTION ACTIVITIES" ... agahghag, this site integrated everything we've talked about so far!!!! a very good example!
5. Jen McDonald (adult): http://home.comcast.net/~JenEd830/school/wle/index.html
This one had the ability to "test out" of a module and move ahead to the next (if you got all the questions right) as well as a neat demonstration to reinforce an element of computer graphics just learned (scaling an image and pixelation) ... that was really neat. I liked this one as an example as well!
the scavenger hunt spoke to me because that is the method I use now to serve multiple functions: as a fun way to see how well someone knows the research system, to refresh their skills/minds, and as a test after a series of classes. there are only so many "facts" you can quiz someone about using the research system... after that it's really more important for them to actually try to put it into action. This was my AH=HA moment but more for what I think is lacking in my team's (at work) webinar series.
EdWeb
So I have to admit that I know in my head what i want to do but:
a). feel overwhelmed by the process I am about to undertake -- the form is a bit intimidating (i.e. the sections and learning objectives, etc.) and I'm not sure if I can do what I want/envision ... is it too advanced for me, is it not what I'm supposed to be doing, is it a waste/pointless b/c there are people in my company (the Education department) who are already doing these things?
b). am mentally torn in prepping for both projects at once
c). have avoided putting the analysis section to paper -- i have saved everything though!
Sample Websites
1. Kirsten Morton (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/edweb_morton/index.html
I really liked this one ... it was simple but informative; the icons were cute and relevant; and the memory aids were helpful.
2. Betsy McNair (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/mcnair_edweb/index.html
This one was very detailed and thorough in how it moved step-by-step ... it wasn't as easy for me to understand b/c it didn't apply to me so the various steps kind of overwhelmed me a bit (in terms of info intake) but I liked that each button on the left had its corresponding sub-parts ... I really really liked the fill in the blank portion in the middle of the process that was brought to use later. that was neat!
3. Kim Baker (adult): http://www.wildhorseeducation.com/
This one was great b/c the modules were distinct and each listed their learning objective very clearly; the assessment was fun to take and I liked the summary at the end (just before the assessment). (there were actually two distinct tutorials!) The additional resources were appropriate and interesting. I liked this one a lot!
4. Kathleen Brady (adult): http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/ilt/elearning/brady/index.html
This site had lots of interactive things (aka DO Activities)-- for example, I liked how you could do your pre-work right from the site ... also, you could print the checklist for the unit, there were case studies and quick references and self-tests ... and there were even "CONNECTION ACTIVITIES" ... agahghag, this site integrated everything we've talked about so far!!!! a very good example!
5. Jen McDonald (adult): http://home.comcast.net/~JenEd830/school/wle/index.html
This one had the ability to "test out" of a module and move ahead to the next (if you got all the questions right) as well as a neat demonstration to reinforce an element of computer graphics just learned (scaling an image and pixelation) ... that was really neat. I liked this one as an example as well!
Belated Unit 6 post
Fav.or.ites
My favorite part of Unit 6 was going to and actually using del.icio.us ... unfortunately, it's like numerous other fun tools that I find on the internet -- I FORGET TO USE THEM!!! what good is that? So instead of finding a website I want to remember and bookmarking it, I end up having to use the folders (including sent) in my various email accounts (too many) to relocate things ... or I have to browse through the WAY TOO many favorites that I've saved.
I also do this with www.rememberthemilk.com -- i love this because you can send an email to righ to this site with a one line entry of a to-do item and it is populated in your to-do list. Once again, what good is that if I never check my rememberthemilk?
This all is closely intertwined with a related problem that happens when finding various websites to enjoy and make use of later ... I have TOO many passwords to remember to get into them all -- especially if it's something i don't use for a long time! ahghaghag.
Do-Type Activities
For our webinar group there were only so many things that we could do ... I think we have a few good ideas ... but I am not sure. The Do-Type Activity question is one of the basic reasons I took this course - how to integrate learner-interaction within a webinar. We're the podcasting/RSS group so we may have people listen to one or make one themselves but those would be after the fact and i'm not sure if that counts?
My favorite part of Unit 6 was going to and actually using del.icio.us ... unfortunately, it's like numerous other fun tools that I find on the internet -- I FORGET TO USE THEM!!! what good is that? So instead of finding a website I want to remember and bookmarking it, I end up having to use the folders (including sent) in my various email accounts (too many) to relocate things ... or I have to browse through the WAY TOO many favorites that I've saved.
I also do this with www.rememberthemilk.com -- i love this because you can send an email to righ to this site with a one line entry of a to-do item and it is populated in your to-do list. Once again, what good is that if I never check my rememberthemilk?
This all is closely intertwined with a related problem that happens when finding various websites to enjoy and make use of later ... I have TOO many passwords to remember to get into them all -- especially if it's something i don't use for a long time! ahghaghag.
Do-Type Activities
For our webinar group there were only so many things that we could do ... I think we have a few good ideas ... but I am not sure. The Do-Type Activity question is one of the basic reasons I took this course - how to integrate learner-interaction within a webinar. We're the podcasting/RSS group so we may have people listen to one or make one themselves but those would be after the fact and i'm not sure if that counts?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Unit 5 lessons
Webinar Planning
I'm still very nervous about planning the webinar -- I just don't know what we're going to do or how we're going to break the different tasks up. Even in a traditional school setting I never cared for group projects (to be honest) ... having to depend on others; having to constantly check on others; and then likewise, having others depend on you ... it's all very stressful. I prefer to be solely responsible for my own success or failures. This is probably why I passed the CA Bar but never braved being an active attorney ... having to be responsible for successfully solving someone else's problems -- the weight of that was just too much to bear.
Webinar participation
I took my webinar but haven't filled out the form yet - i need to do that.
Unit 6 reading
I can see all the different pieces from the various chapters regarding learning activities in our assignments -- from discussion boards, surveys, blogging, etc. It helps to see the purpose for some of the activities as well as to have "real-life" examples instead of the book examples. Also, the do-activities chapter was most interesting to me b/c that is exactly what is missing from the webinar series that my team has created for teaching customers how to use our research platforms. The law-school side has a whole bunch of interactive ones but we're not allowed to access them for some reason and i'd love to see what they've created and know how they did it!!! I know that my customers would get SOOOOO much more from the webinars if they could try it themselves and practice. I use WebEx and for one webinar I tried to incorporate a "Now You Try" section by using the share "web content" feature which is supposed to let them click on the web page that you're on but b/c Lexis requires a sign-on it didn't work the way I wanted it.
This week was really hard for me b/c doug had knee surgery and I had to be nurse and taxi cab -- as well as work, school, dog taker-carer, and try to take care of myself as well. Not to complain as I'm sure other people do this every day but it was my struggle this week and I know that I slacked off in the discussion area for webinar brainstorming. and forget the wedding -- I am so behind in everything wedding related! and while i'm at it -- i have 4 months to lose 10-40 pounds before my wedding which i know isn't going to happen. that's been hard to deal with. i wish i could turn the clock back and be more diligent! time just goes so fast!
I'm still very nervous about planning the webinar -- I just don't know what we're going to do or how we're going to break the different tasks up. Even in a traditional school setting I never cared for group projects (to be honest) ... having to depend on others; having to constantly check on others; and then likewise, having others depend on you ... it's all very stressful. I prefer to be solely responsible for my own success or failures. This is probably why I passed the CA Bar but never braved being an active attorney ... having to be responsible for successfully solving someone else's problems -- the weight of that was just too much to bear.
Webinar participation
I took my webinar but haven't filled out the form yet - i need to do that.
Unit 6 reading
I can see all the different pieces from the various chapters regarding learning activities in our assignments -- from discussion boards, surveys, blogging, etc. It helps to see the purpose for some of the activities as well as to have "real-life" examples instead of the book examples. Also, the do-activities chapter was most interesting to me b/c that is exactly what is missing from the webinar series that my team has created for teaching customers how to use our research platforms. The law-school side has a whole bunch of interactive ones but we're not allowed to access them for some reason and i'd love to see what they've created and know how they did it!!! I know that my customers would get SOOOOO much more from the webinars if they could try it themselves and practice. I use WebEx and for one webinar I tried to incorporate a "Now You Try" section by using the share "web content" feature which is supposed to let them click on the web page that you're on but b/c Lexis requires a sign-on it didn't work the way I wanted it.
This week was really hard for me b/c doug had knee surgery and I had to be nurse and taxi cab -- as well as work, school, dog taker-carer, and try to take care of myself as well. Not to complain as I'm sure other people do this every day but it was my struggle this week and I know that I slacked off in the discussion area for webinar brainstorming. and forget the wedding -- I am so behind in everything wedding related! and while i'm at it -- i have 4 months to lose 10-40 pounds before my wedding which i know isn't going to happen. that's been hard to deal with. i wish i could turn the clock back and be more diligent! time just goes so fast!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
A few lessons learned from Unit 4
Group Activities are ...
hard/frustrating/scary when you have to complete something together ... we all use different methods of communication, check the e-College page at different times/intervals, etc. It's unnerving to not know when/if you will talk to your teammates .. and if it will be soon enough to complete everything. I am very nervous about the webinar.
interesting when the project is based on individual contributions ... bits making up a whole. I really enjoyed the structured discussion based on our favorite quotes from the Horton chapter.
The fun activities are fun :) selecting a song and an urban legend was really difficult for some reason!
Homework assignments -- weekly scheduling
I wish that homework was due every Tuesday and Saturday. That there was a structured, standard, expectable rhythm. Every week you check the syllabus and you find the assignments for that week and that they are due at various times throughout the week -- that makes me nervous and makes it harder to plan my week ahead of time. I have other things I have or want to do each week and need to decide when to do them --- each week being different makes it a bit more stressful for me. I see the need for this when we are cramming a class into a semester without any real "meeting days" ... and I can also see that since some of the assignments are discussions, the back and forth needs to be spread out ...
It's hard to think back to Unit 4 when i'm in Unit 5 ... I think the weekly blog should just be a recap of whatever. .. . Looking back over what we did ... picking a webinar topic -- I was late so I was assigned to a group; I'm not picky so the RSS/Podcasting topic will be interesting and I'm also interested to learn about the various other Web 2.0 tools that will be the focus of webinars.
As I read Horton I find it interesting and scary -- I don't think that I could be a true instructional designer ... there's so much to take into consideration!
hard/frustrating/scary when you have to complete something together ... we all use different methods of communication, check the e-College page at different times/intervals, etc. It's unnerving to not know when/if you will talk to your teammates .. and if it will be soon enough to complete everything. I am very nervous about the webinar.
interesting when the project is based on individual contributions ... bits making up a whole. I really enjoyed the structured discussion based on our favorite quotes from the Horton chapter.
The fun activities are fun :) selecting a song and an urban legend was really difficult for some reason!
Homework assignments -- weekly scheduling
I wish that homework was due every Tuesday and Saturday. That there was a structured, standard, expectable rhythm. Every week you check the syllabus and you find the assignments for that week and that they are due at various times throughout the week -- that makes me nervous and makes it harder to plan my week ahead of time. I have other things I have or want to do each week and need to decide when to do them --- each week being different makes it a bit more stressful for me. I see the need for this when we are cramming a class into a semester without any real "meeting days" ... and I can also see that since some of the assignments are discussions, the back and forth needs to be spread out ...
It's hard to think back to Unit 4 when i'm in Unit 5 ... I think the weekly blog should just be a recap of whatever. .. . Looking back over what we did ... picking a webinar topic -- I was late so I was assigned to a group; I'm not picky so the RSS/Podcasting topic will be interesting and I'm also interested to learn about the various other Web 2.0 tools that will be the focus of webinars.
As I read Horton I find it interesting and scary -- I don't think that I could be a true instructional designer ... there's so much to take into consideration!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A few lessons learned from Unit 3
- Group Assignments in the Computer World
- Software and Computer Glitches / Troubles are FRUSTRATING!
- My first set of teammates are super helpful, quick learners, and very articulate.
- Without having even broached learning strengths like visual, kinesthetic, and auditory, there are Common Learning Methods... such as
1). The importance of "social learning" -- Collaborate (w/peers,
students, family, friends)
2). Creativity
3). Personalization
4). Empowerment
5). Emotional Engagement
6). Hands-On / Practice / Assimilate learning into real-life
activities
7). Relevance
8). Preparation
9). Organization
10). Avoid extraneous info
11). Allow learners to control their learning environment so they can
use methods that will help them the best
- No matter how busy I am, going to my boxing classes is my favorite thing to do!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
School's In Session
Well, it's my first official blog ... and my first semester back in school for several years. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.
