Technology can sometimes be overwhelming, but I think that I'm getting it. I very much appreciate how well laid out everything is on the Ning. I find it very easy to use. The readings and the projects this week were interesting. It seemed like a lot at first, but it was very manageable.
I've only taken one class on-line, and I did not enjoy it very much. I'm hoping that this will be different because of how much interaction is required. It is also exciting that I will not have to drive into Milwaukee each week.
I am hoping to learning more skills. Already I have some ideas of how I can use these things in my classroom. I also hoping that we will address how to teach these skills to teachers. I don't believe that most teachers know about these tools, so what is the best way to educate them? How is the best way to teach them? Does this become a problem with the administration and resources? What are the real-life implication of these tools?
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Like you Emily, I really like how well this class is layed out in the Ning. I have taken online classes through UW-M and found them very impersonal but I think this hybrid class, meeting in person and online as a group, is going to be a great combination for learning and application.
ReplyDeleteI think you pose great questions about making these great resources available to teachers. At my school, we (LMT) ask the administration for time during in-service to teach the teachers new digital resources for the classroom.
I think we have all had similar experiences! The Ning is really user friendly compared to the Wiki I experienced in a Web 2.0 class I took online last spring. I'm sure some of it has to do with comfort level. This just seems more familiar than anything I did the first time around.I also appreciated meeting face to face in the first class. It definitely helped me to feel more connected.Let's see how it all goes Wednesday night at 6:00.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking some of the same questions you have, regarding learning how to "teach" what we've learned about digital media and presentations, both to peers and students. Just today I mentioned the "simplicity, restraint, and naturalness" ideas we read about to a peer who agreed that kids too easily concentrate on the gizmos, and often because we don't guide them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that technology can be very overwhelming. I'm learning more all the time, through my last two classes and at work. I'm really hoping that this class will help me conquer some of my fears of the unknown.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the Ning has been very helpful and easy to work with. I can't believe all the information that I found on it.
I have never taken an online course. I'm very uncomfortable not having the face to face contact. But again, I'm hoping this class will help me overcome that fear as well. Fortunately, I have my son home from college & he PROMISED he would help me get to class on Wednesday, hopefully on time!
Yes, it sometimes seems that there are a lot of things that are blocked at work. I'm currently hoping nobody at work figures out that Ning isn't blocked, because I'm using it with AP Psych to build their social capital and improve their potential ability to have fun and study.
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