This week our e-Portfolios proposals were due. This forced us to think through a number of topics such as which artifacts we might use, how we would frame them, and what readings were significant to us. For some, there was a moment of panic as they realized that their course work was scattered over several computers, requiring significant effort to gather it into one place. While I did have my work in one place, it was still not as organized as I might like and there were a number of things I wish I had done consistently over the course of the program. I started thinking about what I wished I had known when I started MET, and the value of advising incoming MET students.
At the end of each school year, I've made it a practice to have my outgoing students write letters to the incoming ones. It's their chance to let the new students know what to expect in terms of learning, their teacher, the rules, and is an attempt to help alleviate some of the first day jitters new students might feel. The letter is waiting on the new student's desk, along with a small bag of goodies on the first day of school. An email this week from Dave Roy, MET coordinator, asking us to welcome the new MET students prompted me to decide to take action on my reflections. This blog/reflection entry is part of my final ETEC590 e-Portfolio. One of the requirements is that it be useful to others. So new MET students, here's what I wish I knew when I started my first day of MET.
Dear Incoming MET student,
First Things
You may feel nervous about a number of things: online learning, technology, becoming re-aquainted with academia.This is normal! Almost every student in MET expresses these fears in their first course. One of the great things about MET is that every course has a mix of students from inexperienced to old hands. Each course becomes a community of practice (if you don't know what this means, you soon will) in which those who are more experienced can scaffold (another term you will come to know well) those with less experience, allowing everyone to grow together.
Instructors
You will encounter a great variety of instructors during your time in MET. What might be new for you is the amount of involvement instructors have in the course compared to a face-to-face program. Some will be more present and involved in discussion than others. When I first started out in MET I was actually quite angry that I had paid so much and that the instructor presence (another term you will learn) was in some cases minimal. However, what I have come to learn, is that this is generally by design. There is a delicate art to being an instructor in an online course where discussion is the main venue for learning. Too much presence, and it can shut the student conversation down. Too little and it may result in frustration. So you can expect to learn primarily through your own engagement with fellow classmates, the prepared material, and the greater community of experts through technology.
Engagement
The courses in MET are designed on constructivist principles (another term you will become acquainted with - see my reflection below). In a nutshell, this means you build your own knowledge. So take control of your own learning. Engage in discussion as much as possible. Don't decide your involvement based on what percentage of marks are given for participation. You will get out of this program what you put into it.
At the end of each school year, I've made it a practice to have my outgoing students write letters to the incoming ones. It's their chance to let the new students know what to expect in terms of learning, their teacher, the rules, and is an attempt to help alleviate some of the first day jitters new students might feel. The letter is waiting on the new student's desk, along with a small bag of goodies on the first day of school. An email this week from Dave Roy, MET coordinator, asking us to welcome the new MET students prompted me to decide to take action on my reflections. This blog/reflection entry is part of my final ETEC590 e-Portfolio. One of the requirements is that it be useful to others. So new MET students, here's what I wish I knew when I started my first day of MET.
Dear Incoming MET student,
First Things
You may feel nervous about a number of things: online learning, technology, becoming re-aquainted with academia.This is normal! Almost every student in MET expresses these fears in their first course. One of the great things about MET is that every course has a mix of students from inexperienced to old hands. Each course becomes a community of practice (if you don't know what this means, you soon will) in which those who are more experienced can scaffold (another term you will come to know well) those with less experience, allowing everyone to grow together.
Instructors
You will encounter a great variety of instructors during your time in MET. What might be new for you is the amount of involvement instructors have in the course compared to a face-to-face program. Some will be more present and involved in discussion than others. When I first started out in MET I was actually quite angry that I had paid so much and that the instructor presence (another term you will learn) was in some cases minimal. However, what I have come to learn, is that this is generally by design. There is a delicate art to being an instructor in an online course where discussion is the main venue for learning. Too much presence, and it can shut the student conversation down. Too little and it may result in frustration. So you can expect to learn primarily through your own engagement with fellow classmates, the prepared material, and the greater community of experts through technology.
Engagement
The courses in MET are designed on constructivist principles (another term you will become acquainted with - see my reflection below). In a nutshell, this means you build your own knowledge. So take control of your own learning. Engage in discussion as much as possible. Don't decide your involvement based on what percentage of marks are given for participation. You will get out of this program what you put into it.
Constructivism
This concept map represents my initial understanding of constructivism as I came into the ETEC530 Constructivism Strategies for E-Learning course. My final concept map demonstrates the growth of knowledge I experienced through my engagement in the course. | |
Course Work
Keep all you course work on your hard drive, no floppy, no USB, no external hard drive, no in the cloud. Okay, yes, you can keep it in several places, however I highly recommend keeping it in the cloud as well. Advice on backing up your work may seem like a no-brainer, but after hearing a number of stories during MET of crashed hard drives and the like, it seems apparent that we do not always follow best-practice of backing up our work. I personally use Time Machine on my Mac to back up to an external hard drive, and use Dropbox. Having your work in the cloud, means you can access it anywhere, on any computer. Google Docs will work for this as well. As to what to keep, I suggest, all your completed assignments (papers,and links to work), your discussion contributions, a list of readings (or links and pdfs) that have been particularly pertinent in a course or over a number of courses, as well as a list of technology tools you have used. You will be required to create e-Portfolios for several of the courses, but not all. As I look back at the two I created, they are rich deposits of material that I can use for my final e-Portfolio. I wish now that I had reflected more on all my courses as I went along.
Finally
There are so many other things I could comment on, but I think these are the main ones that I wish I knew at the beginning. Although relieved to be almost finished my studies, I will miss the significant interaction and accelerated growth that I have experienced alongside my classmates. You are in for a great learning adventure and I wish you well.
Sincerely,
Joy Penner
MET 2011-2013
Keep all you course work on your hard drive, no floppy, no USB, no external hard drive, no in the cloud. Okay, yes, you can keep it in several places, however I highly recommend keeping it in the cloud as well. Advice on backing up your work may seem like a no-brainer, but after hearing a number of stories during MET of crashed hard drives and the like, it seems apparent that we do not always follow best-practice of backing up our work. I personally use Time Machine on my Mac to back up to an external hard drive, and use Dropbox. Having your work in the cloud, means you can access it anywhere, on any computer. Google Docs will work for this as well. As to what to keep, I suggest, all your completed assignments (papers,and links to work), your discussion contributions, a list of readings (or links and pdfs) that have been particularly pertinent in a course or over a number of courses, as well as a list of technology tools you have used. You will be required to create e-Portfolios for several of the courses, but not all. As I look back at the two I created, they are rich deposits of material that I can use for my final e-Portfolio. I wish now that I had reflected more on all my courses as I went along.
Finally
There are so many other things I could comment on, but I think these are the main ones that I wish I knew at the beginning. Although relieved to be almost finished my studies, I will miss the significant interaction and accelerated growth that I have experienced alongside my classmates. You are in for a great learning adventure and I wish you well.
Sincerely,
Joy Penner
MET 2011-2013