Thursday, August 30, 2012

Learning Pains

Tonight was our first online class for ETEC 622. It was so different from my OTEC 602 class. I feel that because we didn't have a face to face meeting, I didn't have a feel for who everyone was and what their agendas were. It was very overwhelming to me having so many people chatting about all kinds of things. I decided to not look there to help me concentrate on what was being said and what was shown on the whiteboard.

Because of this experience, I have my answer to our first discussion question, "What are the two most important tips for succeeding in an online class?" The tips I would give myself after tonight is to have  patience and to be flexible with yourself and others. I have a Type A personality so I can get very agitated when things or people are not organized or when I don't know something I need to know. I know this about myself and tonight I was aware that I was getting very frustrated. I take away from this experience that I need to be patient with myself and others and I need to be flexible to let things work itself out.

Our second discussion question was, "How would a course designer or instructor address these tips?" A course designer or instructor would have to make sure that they communicate well with their students. They have to make sure that their students know how to navigate the course and know what is expected of them. The course has to be set up in a way that everyone taking the course could navigate it easily. I feel my instructor and his two teacher assistants did a wonderful job tonight in making things more clear for me.

I recognize that these are learning pains that I'm experiencing. I realize I have not been a student for so long. There is much to learn...about myself as a student too.

5 comments:

  1. HI Annette,
    Great work on the blog posts so far!

    Hope you are enjoying your own blog. Pls, post at least one reflection blg post per week.

    If you have any questions, I am here to help you. You are now in my T.A. group for ETEC 622.

    Pls, let me know if you need anything by sending me an e-mail to: emerc@hawaii.edu

    Pls, let me know you have successfully viewed this blog comment from me.
    mahalo!

    Aloha from Eddie MERC

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  2. Hi Annette,

    After the first meeting, I also thought about my students who struggled when I tried to use technology in my class. I could feel their frustration when they don't know what to do. But my students learned quickly as we did. It is hard to learn new things, but we know it is worthy.

    Hyeri

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  3. Hi Annette,
    When I taught middle school, I would start off the year by reading students' profiles with an open mind. I took special note at what motivated the student (peer, adult, material, intrinsic), progress from the previous year, challenges, goals, and interests. This information gave me a good idea about how the student learns. Of course, continuous assessments were needed. My approach to teaching actually started with my learning about the student. If the student was not learning after sincere efforts, it was up to me to find a way to solve the problem.

    With all respect to attention to learning styles, I wonder if it's important at the post-secondary level (I'll get booed for this). I get torn between allowing adults to choose a path as opposed to creating an easy one for them. They can sink or swim (I can hear the boos!). Self advocacy is an important skill to learn. I do think that it is necessary to create an interesting, meaningful experience for students in a safe environment. We may have preferences, but we can learn to learn in different ways like anything else.

    Having said that, hope you don't mind that I say we have a lot in common :)

    Colleen

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Annette,
    When I taught middle school, I would start off the year by reading students' profiles with an open mind. I took special note at what motivated the student (peer, adult, material, intrinsic), progress from the previous year, challenges, goals, and interests. This information gave me a good idea about how the student learns. Of course, continuous assessments were needed. My approach to teaching actually started with my learning about the student. If the student was not learning after sincere efforts, it was up to me to find a way to solve the problem.

    With all respect to attention to learning styles, I wonder if it's important at the post-secondary level (I'll get booed for this). I get torn between allowing adults to choose a path as opposed to creating an easy one for them. They can sink or swim (I can hear the boos!). Self advocacy is an important skill to learn. I do think that it is necessary to create an interesting, meaningful experience for students in a safe environment. We may have preferences, but we can learn to learn in different ways like anything else.

    Having said that, hope you don't mind that I say we have a lot in common :)

    Colleen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Colleen,

    I totally agree and I'm not booing you. Yes, we do have a lot in common. I hope to meet you one day. :)

    At the post-secondary level, we need to be flexible and adapt. After all, that's how it will be when one starts working. In the three schools that I have worked as a teacher, admin is different, teachers are different, the kids are different, and parents are different...I needed to adapt...plain and simple.

    As a teacher, I try to use a variety of modalities to reach all the different learners in my classes. That gives each learner an opportunity to learn in a way that best suites him/her. If they never experience other methods of learning, their view of how others learn would be so small. They may never learn what learning style is their's either.

    I feel as an elementary teacher, I learn most from those who struggle with learning. This is where a teacher needs to dig into her "bag of tricks" and use whatever will help these kids. Sometimes after trying so hard, they still don't get it. Talking about these struggles with other teachers help. I usually get that I'm not alone, a new perspective, or some new "tricks".

    By the time these kids are in their post-secondary education (and yes, they will get there), they'll know what kind of learner they are. They'll know how to learn in different ways, and they'll how to adapt. When they enter the working world, they won't be shocked, they'll have success. They'll realize they have the skills to make it.

    Smiles to you, Annette

    ReplyDelete