Posting from our first blog assignment
I’m embarrassed to say that this post is related to our initial blogging assignment. In my original haste to get caught up after starting late, I missed this assignment all together – just never saw it. Alex suggested that I post any way so here goes. For those who can think back what seems like a million years ago (our first module) the question was after completing the tasks and assignments and in considering the demographics trends of our students, we were to reflect on our thoughts of the course up to that point. Oddly enough, even though it was weeks ago, I can clearly remember what i was thinking.
First, after viewing the “Did you Know” video, reviewing the Suny Online Networks statistics, and completing the self-assessment activity, I quickly realized that it certainly seems that both our students and our teachers (or at least myself), have the technical skills to approach a future of online teaching. I was actually quite surprised at how little you really needed to know about computers to become an effective online teacher. I also was reminded that in many cases, our students technical skills often far surpass our own and that our course development and approach to online teaching should be informed by that fact.
My other overriding feeling at the time (which I’m pleased to say has been lifted to some extent) is a sense of being on a roller coaster. Terms which are a bit more familiar to me now like blogging, diigo, forums, posts, and tags made my head spin and I often didn’t know whether I was coming or going. Having said that, I’ve finally gotten caught up and look forward to the second half of the course being a bit more paced and less frenetic for me.(3)
