WEEK 5 for a Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner

It is week 5. It's not required that I write a post, but just need to say, WOW! This online learning thing is fun and overwhelming. I thought I knew quite a bit, but I'm learning so much more each day from my fellow classmates and Jan. I really enjoyed learning that I'm a Tactile/Kinesthetic learning. Good ole' DVC learning styles. I'm also a reflective cave dweller. Hmm, anyway. Considering the fact that this blog was not required, but here I am, it's obvious I can't help myself. Can't keep my hands still if the Internet is launched. But even though I enjoy the Internet, I cannot say I like chatting all that much. TOO SLOW! BAD SPELLER! I'm looking forward to Wimba :)

Week 2 Begins - Constructivism

The first week of my ONTL class went by quickly. I was surprised at how much was shared and learned. I enjoyed learning about my fellow classmates through their blogs and hope they too put up more photos since I like peeking into the lives of others :). Oh, I put up a couple of my own to share just for fun. They are the people who most inspire me

Now week two begins. Though I think of myself as digitally savvy, I'm not as well versed on teaching theories. Constructivism was a new word for me, though an old classroom friend. I had started using this teaching method last summer in my MCOM 660 corporate production class. I realized that the constant lecturing and "sage on the stage" approach was not as effective as sending students out to prove or disprove their project ideas through their own experiences, observing world around them and exploring new technology examples. Their discoveries taught me so much.

Now, I want to make sure I reach my student , both F2F and distance ed, in ways that are productive for them. I'm searching for more knowledge about various learning theories and the research of adult learning pioneer, Malcolm Knowles, was very informative. It helped me understand the differences between adult learners and younger students like my 18 year old daughter. One thing Dr. Knowles pointed out was how, "Adult learners have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that becomes an increasing resource for learning." Constructivism! I get it! This teaching theory can help all students take charge of their learning, and that's a good thing.I look forward to the information contained in week 2.

Opening Day at the Digital Convention

By training, I'm a hard core television producer. I love the details, the why questions. The learning just to know. So the invention of the internet was the ultimate fix for information junkies like me. I have been addicted to this amazing "broadcast" medium ever since discovering there were thousands of sites on Victorian history and I could shop in London from my living room sofa. Ahh, pure pleasure! But this new technology that brought the world through my front door, begged for a producers intellectual exploration. So I began to ask myself, how do I best utilize this new technology? How do I incorporate the web into my production work and class room teaching? Besides simply enjoying the gathering of information, how do I master its delivery? The first thing was a title change. I became a multi-media producer.

The discovery that my beloved audio and video could live almost anywhere eventually lead me to the door of online teaching. At first I thought online teaching and learning was just the constant reading of screen text. For a highly visual person like myself, this was off putting. I needed sound and motion, video, audio, pictures, links to museums, interactivity, and on and on and on. Patience, I was told, help was on the way in the form of Web 2.0. Enter social networks, blogging, Utube and streaming video technology. Hey, count me in!

For my MCOM 660 class I have incorporated an asynchronous discussion board, a podcast and an orientation lecturette. In webct I have also used Utube and corporate video links as samples for class analysis. Now, with the training I will receive from my OLT courses, I hope to learn even more about how to better incorporate the 2.0 and other emerging technoloogies into my classroom teaching and course designs.

I love the idea of interaction with and between students and experts from around the world. I want to learn how to better capture these "magic moments" to archive for future use so I won't have to re-invent the wheel. The various design possibilities have my producer senses tingling.
During the upcoming weeks, I look forward to exploring online design ideas and new technology applications with Jan and my fellow classmates.