A bit more calm than manic..well for today..

Ok, that's the first assignment - Literature review - done and dusted!  I really have found researching the particular topic I chose - Barriers to educators in adopting e-learning technology- to be really interesting.  I have now also discussed with work colleagues the potential of turning this area into a paper for the next Australasian Enabling Conference as it is such an important area of education. Funnily enough, I am now looking forward to Assignment 2!

Traditional VS Transcendent

My topic for Ass 1 has been so relevant to my current circumstances.  A number of staff that I currently work with are ‘technophobic’ and are therefore very reluctant to willingly jump on board with the new wave of distance education, primarily e-learning.  There is the misunderstanding here that e-learning is simply making standard print materials used in face to face delivery electronic and dumping them onto Moode.  Well we know that this is certainly not an effective method of e-learning, but without adequate training, support and the opportunity to engage with other staff that have been involved with e-learning for a number of years – circumstances not likely to change for some time..geez I wonder why distance students in these circumstances have higher attrition rates??

In many ways e-learning is learning to let go of the past…

http://www.eriding.net/images/thinkers_cartoon.jpg

WIMBA or ZUMBA?

Well I used to be a WIMBA virgin!  While I had heard of WIMBA it is not a tool that I had used before in my studies and I must say it was refreshing to be able to ask questions in ‘real-time’ and to catch a glimpse of my lecturer.  I find virtual face to face communications a real advantage in distance/e-learning environments.  I was also a wonderful opportunity to engage with other students.  All this aside, I was relaying the events to my technologically challenged Hairdressing partner that evening.  His reply “is WIMBA a new version of ZUMBA?”  God love him!

Social Media

I came across this link earlier in the week and thought it was worth sharing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUeL3n7fDs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

From Calmy manic to simply manic!

OK, well here we are at the end of week 2 and I'm transitioning from calmly manic to simply manic.

Man´ic

a.

1.

(Med.) Of or pert. to, or characterized by, mania, or excitement; frenzied; as, with manic energy.

I am having troubles opening many of the reading links for the topics which is proving to be a tad frustrating! All said, I am moving ahead with my 1st assessment item..though I am getting a minor head ache from all this head banging!

Online Pedagogy in Practice - what's it all about?

When I printed out The Horizon Report - all 40 pages (and yes I'm a print kinda gal!), I was a little apprehensive about the size of the document sitting alongside the other reading that we were addressing for Week 1 of this course.  What a pleasant surprise this report was to read!  I was quite shocked, embarrassingly so, at how engaged I became with the content.  In my current situation, I am fighting a somewhat losing battle to draw a well-established bridging program into the 21^st Century in a way that will work for the new cohort of “web-based/ Generation Y” learners.  My plan now is to leave this report strategically placed around the local staff room!