8.1 - Reflections...

What Have I Learnt?

Generally, in a sense, I have largely learnt the most by doing in D.L.T., so far. Of course, the knowledge components are there, but it's in the practice - working with and connecting wikis, blogs and online facilities and their idiosyncrasies that gives rise to a certain familiarity - a practical fluency where you can see results for what you're absorbing.

I guess a certain sense of power can accumulate gradually; a confidence in doing. Do enough in a general subject area and one day you really may wind up being the 'go to person' in that neck of the woods.

Apart from the ins and outs of wiki-ing, blogging, etc, I feel I have have a broader consciousness of the 'relatedness' and, to coin a weird term, 'inter-usability' of all these digital and online resources for educational purposes. A broader palette of options, formats, etc, from which to choose. Also, I think my consciousness of design factors (methodologies, etc) in the creation of user-friendly learning materials has sharpened considerably.

What Did I Like?

I think, rather than any specific thing, I liked the 'synergistic' effect of what we learned. Taken as a whole, the course would tend to make one feel conversant with many potentially relevant presentation options and foster a clear, 'structuring' kind of outlook (eliminative of the obstacle-'fog' of too many unanswered questions). 

I guess, simply, what I liked particularly was the net result of being able to have a more 'defined' and organized approach to the subject. Also, in participating in the practical tasks, one learns to feel: 'I could do this (type of activity) again in the context of a personal project.' So I guess that could be called 'creatively empowering.'

Improvements?

Hmm ...well, on some occasions in life, one complains about things, whereas really, more of the fault lies with oneself; sometimes I can't necessarily distinguish where the line of reality lies in situations like that. Often, it's me being dumb or inattentive, it's my fault.

I, and I think some others, had a little trouble sheerly finding some of the course resources occasionally; materials are connected to other materials in multiple ways (alternate routes); there was some doubt at times as to whether one had accessed all of what one was meant to do. This effect was perhaps exacerbated by moving between EIT and VMV.

There seemed to be some doubt (at times) among participants as to the times by which assessments had to be done; sometimes, due to a moment's inattentiveness, one can miss such things when they are announced, or perhaps gloss over some critical line somewhere where they are plainly stated. As I said, sometimes this kind of thing may simply boil down to personal lack of focus on my or other's parts.

As regards assessments generally, I prefer an optimally simple, clear, concrete, comprehensive, sequential set of instructions located in one place that I can basically 'check off' one at a time.

Why? Because I'm very very stupid...


NOTE: A page has been provided for links to comments on other class member's blogs...