Scrolling through my posts for this course reminds me how much I have learned taking Jennifer Dalby's course, Essentials for eLearning. First of all, our course textbook, The Online Teaching Survival Guide by Judith Boettecher, is an excellent resource. It is both informative and practical. It covers the “life-span” of developing and teaching online courses with examples, resources and recommendations. Thank you for including this great resource as part of our syllabus.
Second, I really appreciate the expertise and enthusiasm of our instructor, Jennifer Dalby. Technology is her passion and, as we all know as fellow educators, you are at your best when you are teaching your passion.
Third, we had a core group of very enthusiastic students who were sharing and responding, almost daily, on diigo - a social bookmarking website. When time allowed, I would check diigo right after my personal emails to see what topics and ideas were surfacing among this “intentionally forming community.” I guess you could say, this is one of several new habits I have developed inspired by this course experience. I would like to continue this habit of connecting with like- minded educators (on blogs) who are experimenting with arts/technology integration for teaching and learning.
A major revelation for me after taking this course - you can connect and form virtual relationships with “kindred spirits” from all over the world which can be a great resource for both personal and professional support! Once again, I give Jennifer the credit for showing us how these connections can be found and created. This resource and activity is definitely one I will start practicing as I continue to explore and grow, hopefully creating a niche where I can market a newly acquired teaching expertise.
Finally, what I found most exciting is the discovery (with Jennifer’s guidance) concerning a wealth of free technology applications one can access on the internet - VoiceThread, Vuvox, Picasa, Prizi,etc. are applications readily available to educators! Technology and the internet have truly transformed how we access and acquire knowledge. Here, I am reminded of my final project where I quoted John Seely Brown regarding the impact of our rapidly evolving “new culture of learning.” Due to advancements in technology, Seely Brown believes the emphasis needs to shift from not only absorbing information, but appreciating how knowledge is created. For me, this is the true calling for educators in the 21st century. How can we create new learning environments where students are nurtured to learn, discover, explore, play, and develop? This course has inspired me with many new ideas and teaching possibilities I plan to continue exploring, both professionally and personally. With much appreciation!
By L.D.Fink "The single most powerful change most teachers can make in their course is to expand the experiential dimension of student learning."
I loved this!!! Especially how you posted that video.
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