Module 8 Reflections

Wow! What a great experience and I am sad to say that this course has come to an end! I have learned SO much!

Final reflection: Empathy & Energy Now that you've had some experience with the issues, including seeing and hearing video presentations, has your thinking changed?

• Should we as instructors and course designers be expected to meet the accessibility needs of all students?
• Do you have a changed sense of understanding regarding students with disabilities?

Instructors and course designers should be expected to meet the accessibility needs of all students and should take into account various types of learners. I can see where it might be difficult to know exactly who you are preparing to teach, but that is why a pre-course survey is some format is necessary, as well as having an information gathering ice breaker. This will allow students to ask for some assistance if they need it and will allow the instructor to address the situation from the start.

After viewing and listening to the "readings" this week I do have a greater sense of understanding regarding students with disabilities. I found the screen reader amazing! Technology and it's capabilities amaze me everyday! I continue to believe that it takes teamwork to make education work. It takes administration, teachers, students, parents, and curriculum designers to come together to make learning successful!

My final website has been a work in progress but I am very happy with the end result. However, I say "end" carefully as I have set it up so that I can continue to add to it as my learning in online instruction continues!
My classmates have been very supportive, interesting, and full of knowledge! They are so gifted in many arenas of education, that the diversity brought forth so many fascinating discussion posts!

Thank you to all who have encouraged, supported, and taught me throughout this online journey! It is amazing to think, this is only the beginning! What a great start!

Module 7 Reflections

E-Portfolio

UGH! I am doing two final projects at the same time and trying to cram two weeks into one since we leave for our family cruise and I will be gone the last week of class.
I am trying to not take the easy way out and create two great web pages for my final projects. I am trying to implement all the great web tools and information that I learned to make the project as authentic as I can.
I have found that I really could benefit from taking a web design class. Google's page creater is very simplistic but there are still concepts of web design that I know I am missing. I am excited about all I have learned and created and have shared many of the links with my family. I am also very glad that we do not have much reading as I am focusing all my attention to creating a solid final project. I am worried that I will submit mine for feedback and then I will be without internet connection to respond and continue working on making adjustments. The cruise ship does have an internet cafe but I am not sure that the connection will always be there, how expensive it will be, and also that I want to be spending time on the internet when I should be with my family. Balance will be the key...as long as their connection!

What's the value?
I see the value to e-portfolios as endless. I can see them being of value to students, families, potential employers, and more. I am a huge supporter of portfolios in general so to have the opportunity to learn and create my own e-portfolio has been really fun for me. I am thankful to have all of my "highlights" and "good ideas" going to one place from this class. I have also created a link to add my other course that I am taking and will continue to do that. WIth this course, there has been a wealth of knowlege shared and gained that I am grateful to have one location that I can store it on and go to for the info. when I want/need it. I could see this as being a great addition to interviews and placing a the web address on a resume for a head start on getting to know an individual or for sharing information about yourself. As I am thinking about this my mind keeps spinning with new ideas, I will need to start a list! I really have liked this organizational tool!

How might this investment of time pay off in the future?
Purely looking at it organizationally, I see it being a great time saver. If I am looking back for an idea, thought, or activity, I can look at one place rather than going through hundreds of posts!.....that is too say though that I need to create a link that houses good ideas, activities, etc. As a student, it seems like many things are time consuming in the beginning but can save time, stress, and headaches for future classes. This can also help when compling info. on experiences, knowledge, etc. The time has been spent on the learning of the information, many of the activities have been completed, it is just linking it all to one place. Lastly, I am such a visual person, I enjoy seeing my works and other peoples works, rather than hearing about them. I think this adds value to the e-portfolio and also helps with the time management piece of sorting through information.

What barriers to success do you foresee?
As with all things, some people will find a barrier. To be honest, I am struggling finding one for myself. I can see this being challenging for those who are not as comfortable with technology. It is always difficult to have some try something new and different as there will always be resistance. I am sure that just as some educators are told to have portfolios or brag books to bring to an interview, the wave of the future will be to have an e-portfolio....I have yet to be able to present my portfolio in an interview setting! I love having mine though to showcase my work and to remind me on those not so great days, why it is what I do.
I can see a safety issue be a concern as well with posting personal information on the web. I get excited about all this new stuff and forget to "test the water and not jump in with two feet"! I am sure more barriers will come to mind, especially as I read all the other posts!

I have really enjoyed working on my e-portfolio and would love to integrate this in an elementary classroom someday...if I get back there! Otherwise, I would surely have this in a college course setting!

Module 6 Reflections

PSE

This was somewhat frustrating for me and I am still not sure I am totally understanding the assignment of creating a PSE. I have received positive feedback from my classmates, but Dennis has given me feedback that poses some interesting questions and makes me question how well my PSE is created.
Here are some of my thoughts, that even at the end of the Module, I still have!
Where do you build the key words or queries into the PSE? Have I missed an essential reading that would clarify this for me? I know I am missing something and I can't figure out why or how to solve the misunderstanding.
Thanks for the help!
p.s. I did list several key words when I set up the PSE like, Preschool, Preschool crafts, Preschool Curriculum, etc....is that what you are referring to? I am sorry I am not getting this...I am frustrated with myself! :)

I really do not like how I have listed websites and I can not just click on them to open them up.
For some reason I feel like I am still missing the point of a PSE and how it should be useful to me. I am not giving up on it, just still frustrated with my brain for not getting it!
I did like that I was able to connect my current work with this assignment as I have been writing preschool curriculum all summer. I felt like I was able to "get two birds with one stone", find great websites for ideas and complete an assignment at the same time!

Module 5 Reflections

Knowledge Seekers-Evaluating Websites
I have really been enlightened this week! I have done most of my work sitting in a booth in Park Rapids, MN at McDonalds! I sure wish there was a Starbucks, Caribou or bookstore! The french fry smell is getting to me! I can't even believe that McDonalds has wifi! I am still behind and that is driving me crazy. I know some do not believe that you should be working while on vacation but I do not like being behind and that is where I am! I will need to really get moving on Monday when I return and move on to Module 6. I have made a mental note to move ahead during Module 7 and 8 since we will be crusin' in the caribbean during the last week of class!

I missed most of the discussions this week so Dennis offered me the option of summarizing the discussion posts. I actually really liked this alternative assignment. It seems to fit my learning style more and I felt more comfortable reading all the posts and then compiling a summary.

I really liked the evaluating of websites topic this week. I am a firm believer that it is so much easier to teach first than to teach during. By that I mean, it is much easier to teach students how to search the internet before an assignment than trying to teach them during the assignment. It is safer to assume they need to direction than to begin the unit of study and discover you need to back track! I think that I have that belief because I ran a differentiated classroom. It just seemed to make sense that you would teach students how to be independent learners before you expected them to be. It also was such a classroom management asset to have students working at their ability level, then bored or extremely challenged, that behavior issues would appear.

The following two websites were my favorite for the week.

Evaluating Websites

Evaluation Surveys

Module 4 Reflections

Measuring Online Learning

We continued working in Moodle. I procrastinated until the end of the week which is a bummer because we are on a family vacation next week and I should have been moving myself ahead! I am looking forward to going to Northern Minnesota and staying at the lake all week but I am nervous about connection and staying on top of everything. I am somewhat disappointed in my participation this week but I know it comes from feeling belittled in my other online course. I have worked that out and am ready to move forward. It is still difficult for me to not see body language. I am such a visual person!

This week was fun finding our own article about online learning and creating a quiz to go along with it. I found an article about "debunking online myths". I chose this topic because I came into online learning with some preconceived notions and I need to debunk myself and some around me. It seems that everyone assumes online learning is easier...wrong! Dr. Lee informed me right away that online learning and teaching is 30% more work than face to face. He is absolutely right! I do think that you really can benefit from online discussions more than f2f discussions as it seems to be easier to open up and share more. I also think that reflections tend to be more thoughtful as it is in writing. I have found too that I try to make sure I am timely and thoughtful in my work since it is obvious to my classmates if I am not....everything is posted from discussions, tasks, assignments, etc.

I was so frustrated by the copyright quiz. I kept getting two wrong and for the life of me cannot figure it out! I hope we will get to see the correct answers next week!

My thoughts about online teaching have only been validated. I do question my abilities at this time, but I know that online teaching is something I really would like to do. I am looking forward to completing these summer courses and then taking the next two in the certificate program!

Module 3 Reflections

Engage Online Learners

This week was spent in Moodle, another online discussion board, similar to D2L. I have not decided which system I prefer. At first I thought it is D2L because of the organization. Now that I have asked some questions and have figured out how to organize Moodle a bit better I have found that I like it equally. I enjoyed being an "instructor" of online learning this week.

I did spend a lot of time trying to find the "right" icebreaker. I searched online, I went to the library and bookstore, and still I didn't find the perfect icebreaker. I did not think it would be so difficult to decide on an icebreaker. I wanted to make sure I used an authentic task that students would want to complete and use in the future, not just a task to just "complete".
I thought my classmates found some great ideas. I think I liked Jen's fortune cookie one the best! I also really liked the birth year icebreaker where you listed 3 events that occured in your birth year. I would have to really do some research but thought that was a great opportunity to learn some history, not necessarily about the student which is sometimes okay. The other icebreaker that I really thought was fun, was the tell two truths and one lie!

During this time in Moodle, we also created a wiki. My piece was NoteMesh and I would like to try this web tool in class in the future. It is another way to build community and keep classmates working together. The wiki had a lot of great new web tools that were summarized and shared.

Module 2 Reflections

Building Learning Communities

I am really enjoying an online course, but I most say, this course sure has A LOT of posts! Every time I log on there are 50 to 75 posts. That is almost triple compared to my other online course. It is very overwhelming as I feel it is important to read all the posts. I know it is said we need to skim and skip but I am so anal that when I see 45 new messages I have to open and read them so that when I log off it says 0 messages! This might need to change!
I am also overwhelmed with the readings because of my personal style. I feel it is necessary to print out and highlight the readings for me to read and comprehend. This may need some "tweaking" as it will not be manageable for me with two online classes. I am going to have to start expanding my comfort zone!

My classmates are very knowledgeable and seem to have many years of experience. I am wondering if I am in the same category! I am still at the beginning of my teaching career, and I am assuming that most are in the middle to end of their careers. Am I starting this journey into higher education to early? Do I have enough experience?

The community in this class seems like a good solid group. I am still of course concerned with "voice" and "tone" but I will need to move past it and remember that we are all professionals and should be supporting our learning and development just as we do for our students.
I am the only student that stays home and has a part-time job...it makes me wonder what people think of me trying to get back into teaching and into higher education...not that I should worry about what others think-but I do! It was good for me to reflect back on my teaching community and how great that time was for me. It made me miss teaching in Wayzata.

I am so glad that Dennis gives us weekly feedback because it helps and validates my work. This has helped raise my confidence!