C&I 438 - Blog Reflection 2

While participating in C&I 438 thus far, I have experienced a multitude of thoughts and feelings. First of all, I almost always love working with technology, so learning about technologies that are new to me is fun and exciting. As a mother of two young children, finding the time to complete everything can be overwhelming and stressful to me.

Up to this point, I have gained a new appreciation for online learning. I really see now how it fosters independent learning. Instead of relying on a teacher or professor, I have relied more on myself and my peers. I have been surprised at how helpful and caring my classmates have been when addressing each other’s questions and concerns. I do feel a sense of community, and that can be rare in online classes.

Because I completed an entire Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction program online, plus a class while in the Master’s of French program, I was accustomed to locating assignments, resources, and feedback in an online environment. I was already familiar with technologies like Skype and Blogger and had viewed documents on GoogleDocs. When starting the class, I wanted to know how to use wikispaces and Yodio. I have coworkers who use both in their teaching, and I am open to learning anything that may enhance my teaching and my students’ learning. Although I am not an expert, I now have a working knowledge of wikispaces, GoogleDocs, Twitter, and Yodio.

For me, technology tends to be like riding a bike. I may forget minutia, but I rarely forget how to use it. I will not forget how to use all the technology I mentioned above or how important it is as an instructor to make your personality and teaching beliefs known and to make an online course easily navigable. I look forward to my continued learning during the remainder of C&I 438.