Think of the blogs like a campus. If we were all on campus we would meet and chat. You might listen to a lecture or chat to a friend to learn more about the course. But we are all around the world so we have the blogs instead. When you put things on your blog people will visit and chat about what you said, likewise you should go to other peoples blogs and comment. At first all we are doing is taking stock of how the Web 2.0 works and what role it plays in our lives already. We (the tutors) feel Web 2.0 is an important tool in Professional practise today.
Follow the tasks in the module handbook. Each one is an activity that will give you an experience. We want you to think about (reflect on) the experiences. Think about them in terms of your normal working week too. See if any of the task activities affect, help resonate with your normal professional practises. At the end of the module we will be asking you to summarise what you have learnt from doing the task activities. We will ask you to point us to the places and conversations (blogs) where you learnt something. The biggest thing is to get going with the blog and visiting other people.
Hey, old 3002ers can you make any comments. Does that sound like what you did last session or is it more complicated, or easier that I make it sound? How are you all doing new 3002ers?
Adesola
I think how you are describing it is really useful. The blogs at first can be really daunting, thats what I think mot people find anyway. You feel like you are sending your thoughts out into a faceless abyss. It's really important to do though because after a while people start to comment and you start to comment on others work and you build up a dialogue and a relationship with people on the course making it all feel so much less faceless. The more you involve yourself the less daunting the whole thing seems. That's what I found anyway.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Mark!
ReplyDeleteHe has been commenting right from day one has become very involved and I get a sense that his opinions really do count to most of us on the course. I on the other hand have only just found the confidence to express my opinions and this has developed since attending a campus session and being able to put faces to names and also feeling reassured that my thoughts are relevant!
I can only suggest to everyone on both sections of the course to just jump in and believe in yourself and your opinions and if like me you need reassurance then a campus session is a very good place to start.
I agree with Nicole here. I think after attendoing the campus session the first time was when I was like right I know what I need to do now. I have to engage in these blogs or there is no point in doing the course. You learn so much from what others post and you can comment on their thoughts, which in turn develops your own thoughts and gets you thinking in different ways. I think taking a task and experimenting with it is a good way to start. Then you can just blog about the outcome, your thoughts and what you learnt.
ReplyDeleteI think confidence is a big part of it but it is also a big part of professional practice. So often you just have to believe you are what is asked of you before you have had time to convince yourself. You get to a certain point you've made so many mistakes and you are still alive and kicking- this gives you a kind of maturity.
ReplyDeleteI always remember: On tour first few times it was late and we were all tired and afraid of doing the wrong thing and my friend decided she was going to find out more to prepare herself for the next day. She said "let's see how many more mistakes I can fit into today" I thought she was so brave. She went and asked what she needed to do. I make "let's see how many more 'mistakes' I can fit into today" one of my mantras!!! when I feel scared.
Adesola
Thanks very much for your blog Adesola - I totally agree with your comments about communicating via the blogs. We need feedback and input from others otherwise we are not not having a rounded learning experience. I have to say, I am feeling slightly disadvantaged as a January starter as there simply aren't as many of us, so less people to share thoughts with! So I'd really appreciate any comments from the Sept group as well - it's be great if they found the time to share their experiences with us too. (Although I realise they will all be super busy working and studying for their next module!)
ReplyDeleteStephanie I feel exactly the same. I have to say that you have helped me a lot being so active with your blog, I always look at your blog and I think being a Jan starter like myself, I got to know you more and more (blog ways) and I somehow relate on how you are getting on with the tasks...I realized there's not many of us and sometimes you don't get as involved as you may want to, via comments and sharing ideas with others, probably it would be helpful to chat with Sept starters but like you said they probably have a million other things to do...
ReplyDelete