Well I can finally say that I have had enough of IWS, I have had to draw a line of this module as I think that I could have gone on forever tweaking and faffing around with it. I guess that I have to learn when enough is enough!
Having said that I have posted my completed module and hopefully I will get some feedback and if anyone does point put anything that is really bad, I will change it, however I hope that I don't have to, I do hope that it is good enough, I do think that I have met the Learning Objective.
I think a well earned drink is in order for the weekend, then I will get cracking with the IOCT module, oh the joys of being a student, I guess that this is what it's going to be like for the next 3 years! Well that is if my work is up to the standard and they don't think that I am too "thick" to be a student!
I am going to have an early night tonight the first one that I have had in weeks! I'm going to try and upload my finished module tomorrow that is that is if I don't have to much changing to do!
I must say good luck to all my co-researchers and thank you for all your support and help over the past few weeks and keep it up please!
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Almost done!
Having looked over all the activities that I have had to do for the IWS module I am busy stitching it all together, I'm finding this activity very exciting and interesting as I am reflecting on all the emotions and learning that I have done over the past few weeks and I am now understanding why I have spent so many hours sat in front of my laptop and realising what it has all been for!!
I'm hoping that I am ticking all the criteria that is needed but it's hard to keep it within the maximum word count, I feel that I could ramble on forever about this!
Having said all that it will be good to have closure on this activity and give my full attention to the IOCT module.
I have really enjoyed this module investing my work setting has been very productive and interesting for me, looking in to my organisation, where I am, what I do and the skills that I need and have to enable to have an effective role within my organisation.
I best end it here and get back to my stitching!!
I'm hoping that I am ticking all the criteria that is needed but it's hard to keep it within the maximum word count, I feel that I could ramble on forever about this!
Having said all that it will be good to have closure on this activity and give my full attention to the IOCT module.
I have really enjoyed this module investing my work setting has been very productive and interesting for me, looking in to my organisation, where I am, what I do and the skills that I need and have to enable to have an effective role within my organisation.
I best end it here and get back to my stitching!!
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Online Learning Community Charter
I'm working my way through the IOCT activities and I'm currently on Part B - creating a charter, I have enjoyed this activity although at times I have had to stop myself and think about what I'm writing as I have started to repeat myself from what I had written for Part A.
Thinking about the community in which I am learning has made me realise that it is a very special community, with a great wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise. I know that all of these things are going to come in handy over the next 3 years!!
I have written about peer reviews and I realised that although I do give feedback everyday in my job, it is something that I need to work on within the community, not just giving it but also by making sure that it is quality feedback that I give. I need to to follow the rules that I tell my students to.
That it needs to be clear, concise. that they they must acknowledge the effort that the owner has gone to in creating the piece of work, an indication of what they liked about the work and what improvements could be made. We call it "2 PP's and 1CC" although I know some people call it "2 kisses and a hug", I think that this is a sweet name but I'm not sure that my co-researchers would like it!! I think that this form of feedback is something that we should adopt as we would all know what to give and what to expect. Making the quality of feedback appropriate to everyone no matter what their professional and educational background was. The risk of offending anyone would be lifted and the process of giving feedback would be more enjoyable and productive.
Well it's only a few days before our first hand-in date is upon us and I'm sure that there is going to be a few late nights ahead of all of us, but on a positive note (for me anyway) I only have 21 more getup's before we break up for Christmas!!
Thinking about the community in which I am learning has made me realise that it is a very special community, with a great wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise. I know that all of these things are going to come in handy over the next 3 years!!
I have written about peer reviews and I realised that although I do give feedback everyday in my job, it is something that I need to work on within the community, not just giving it but also by making sure that it is quality feedback that I give. I need to to follow the rules that I tell my students to.
That it needs to be clear, concise. that they they must acknowledge the effort that the owner has gone to in creating the piece of work, an indication of what they liked about the work and what improvements could be made. We call it "2 PP's and 1CC" although I know some people call it "2 kisses and a hug", I think that this is a sweet name but I'm not sure that my co-researchers would like it!! I think that this form of feedback is something that we should adopt as we would all know what to give and what to expect. Making the quality of feedback appropriate to everyone no matter what their professional and educational background was. The risk of offending anyone would be lifted and the process of giving feedback would be more enjoyable and productive.
Well it's only a few days before our first hand-in date is upon us and I'm sure that there is going to be a few late nights ahead of all of us, but on a positive note (for me anyway) I only have 21 more getup's before we break up for Christmas!!
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Week from Hell!
I'm starting to recover from the most stressful week ever, anything that could go wrong did go wrong, believe me when I say I wouldn't wish the week that I have just had on my worst enermy. I have begun to see things clearer and started to get things sorted in my head! So it's back to the books and laptop for me!
I know that I am a little bit behind with my IOCT module, but I think that I am up to date if not ahead with IWS, so this is helping to keep the panicking to a minimum!
I'm about to start my report on participation in the online community. I think that I have got things in place to start it, just trying to work out where to start! I guess actually typing something would be a good place!!
I know that it's a difficult time for all of us and our time is precious especially with the deadline drawing closer, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet today. Good luck to you all with the hand in!
I know that I am a little bit behind with my IOCT module, but I think that I am up to date if not ahead with IWS, so this is helping to keep the panicking to a minimum!
I'm about to start my report on participation in the online community. I think that I have got things in place to start it, just trying to work out where to start! I guess actually typing something would be a good place!!
I know that it's a difficult time for all of us and our time is precious especially with the deadline drawing closer, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet today. Good luck to you all with the hand in!
Friday, 7 November 2008
Learning in a Community
OK, I know that I haven't posted anything for awhile, and I did say that I would try and post regularly, (now you know what's going to come next!) but, I have been really busy, with our academic reviews day at work, school holiday, the calling from the recently purchased wii boards was too much to resist! I did of course work on my uni activities as well.
The activity that I have recently been working on is the Learning in a Community, I have enjoyed working on this, I noticed that a lot of people had chosen a magazine article layout, but having been working on video making and edited with my classes, I thought that I would have a go at using this as my media type.
I had to create it in Windows Movie Maker, I think that the finished video is fairly good, but I have to say that I prefer video editing in iMovie, but it's not on my laptop! I do think that finished videos that have been created in iMovie do have more of a professional look, the transitions and effects that you can use are much better. However, I do like what I have done and I do think that it does the job that I intended it to do and for that reason, Windows Movie Maker is fine!
I enjoyed this activity and after it is fully edited I intend to upload it to youtube, at least it will be something different to look at instead of a 5 year old being better than me on the DDR (Dance mat)!
I have felt a little deflated lately, I have been posting work for my peers to review and for one of my pieces of work, I only received one feedback and that was from a LF. It got me thinking about how people work in an online environment or community. I started researching into this and I came across the term "Lurkers" "one who posts occasionally or not a all but is known to read the group's postings regularly" (Nonnecke, B. and Preece, J. 2001), I'm sure that this isn't the case for my fellow researchers, but I have to say that at the time I did think that it slightly hindered me.
With the deadline for the first module drawing ever closer, I'm sure that we are all bogged down with work and adding those finishing touches that our work needs, I'm thinking that my work just slipped through the net and that's why I didn't get a lot of feedback, well this is what I'm hoping anyway!
I do think that the relationships between fellow researchers are defiantly growing well, and that these will continue to establish over the coming months/years. There are a lot of people offering support and have motivating words for others and this is good, I haven't had a complete melt down yet, but I hope that if I ever do then my fellow researchers will be there for me.
So on the note of my journey so far, I am enjoying everything that I have undertaken at the moment, to me the learning that I have done already is immense. Although I knew that the Internet was a massive tool for learning and researching, I never knew that I could find so much information and things to read about the topics that we are covering. I always use the Internet when I am researching things (like new shoes etc!!) but the vast amount of information that is out there has absolutely blown me away. All you have to do is know what to start looking for!!!!
Well I have updated all that I can at this moment in time, although I do know that I haven't spoke about everything that we have covered since my last posting, but I would be here for ever, and I think that there is only so much of me rambling that you will want to read! I'm now going to start reading my notes that I am going to be using to complete that report that I am currently working on.
I will try to post something else over the weekend, but I'm not promising!!
Have a good weekend!
The activity that I have recently been working on is the Learning in a Community, I have enjoyed working on this, I noticed that a lot of people had chosen a magazine article layout, but having been working on video making and edited with my classes, I thought that I would have a go at using this as my media type.
I had to create it in Windows Movie Maker, I think that the finished video is fairly good, but I have to say that I prefer video editing in iMovie, but it's not on my laptop! I do think that finished videos that have been created in iMovie do have more of a professional look, the transitions and effects that you can use are much better. However, I do like what I have done and I do think that it does the job that I intended it to do and for that reason, Windows Movie Maker is fine!
I enjoyed this activity and after it is fully edited I intend to upload it to youtube, at least it will be something different to look at instead of a 5 year old being better than me on the DDR (Dance mat)!
I have felt a little deflated lately, I have been posting work for my peers to review and for one of my pieces of work, I only received one feedback and that was from a LF. It got me thinking about how people work in an online environment or community. I started researching into this and I came across the term "Lurkers" "one who posts occasionally or not a all but is known to read the group's postings regularly" (Nonnecke, B. and Preece, J. 2001), I'm sure that this isn't the case for my fellow researchers, but I have to say that at the time I did think that it slightly hindered me.
With the deadline for the first module drawing ever closer, I'm sure that we are all bogged down with work and adding those finishing touches that our work needs, I'm thinking that my work just slipped through the net and that's why I didn't get a lot of feedback, well this is what I'm hoping anyway!
I do think that the relationships between fellow researchers are defiantly growing well, and that these will continue to establish over the coming months/years. There are a lot of people offering support and have motivating words for others and this is good, I haven't had a complete melt down yet, but I hope that if I ever do then my fellow researchers will be there for me.
So on the note of my journey so far, I am enjoying everything that I have undertaken at the moment, to me the learning that I have done already is immense. Although I knew that the Internet was a massive tool for learning and researching, I never knew that I could find so much information and things to read about the topics that we are covering. I always use the Internet when I am researching things (like new shoes etc!!) but the vast amount of information that is out there has absolutely blown me away. All you have to do is know what to start looking for!!!!
Well I have updated all that I can at this moment in time, although I do know that I haven't spoke about everything that we have covered since my last posting, but I would be here for ever, and I think that there is only so much of me rambling that you will want to read! I'm now going to start reading my notes that I am going to be using to complete that report that I am currently working on.
I will try to post something else over the weekend, but I'm not promising!!
Have a good weekend!
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Online Communication Tools
I have recently been looking at the different types of online communication tools that are available on the Internet and peoples intranets.
Although I am not a novice of using the Internet and communicating with family and friends, I have to admit that I was never aware the complexities of them all.
Where do I begin?
Social Network Sites
I have been using Facebook for about a year now and I love it, I am able to use it to communicate with my family and friends, meet up with long lost friends and start up forgotten friendships. I really like using Facebook, but I am aware of the cons against it as well. I think that one of the biggest issues there is against Facebook is personal details being on full show to people who are generally looking around the site, however I have found that if you limit your personal security then this shouldn't really be a problem. The other issue is the amount of emails that get sent to you for people sending you hugs, drinks, fish the list could on. This was a problem for me some time again, I would check my read all my emails in the morning and by the evening I would have 50 more. I looked into this as it was really getting on my nerves and I found that you could unsubscribe to these emails (which I have done now!)
Blogs
Blogs are a way of keeping an online diary, I knew that they existed but I never had the need to create one before, that was before I enrolled on the BALTR degree. I think that it is a really good way of jotting down your thoughts and feeling at the time of entry. It's also good for reflecting on them as well. I have already started re-reading my entries and thinking about for much my skills are already developing. I think that the biggest downside of this for me is that I have to think about the things that I am going to write before I write them, I know that people are reading it and following it and it is not just a private diary that I am used to carrying around in my handbag! However blogging is certainly easy to use and it is becoming very addictive and I'm sure that given time I will just log on and type and not have to plan how I'm going to type, I am looking forward to this day!
Online Community
I have never used an online community site before and now I have to contend with FirstClass! I think that is certainly has it's good and bad points. I like the feeling that we are all a big community, supporting each other, offering advice and guidance. It's good for getting clarification for your ideas and your understanding of topics etc. It is very easy to use and to just drop in and out of, however because we are all new to it and the course, we all have so many questions to ask and we're all offering advice that now matter how often you drop by, there always seem to be a lot of posts to read and answer. I sometimes think that I have an understanding of what I'm doing and how I'm going to do it or present my work, then I read all the posts and I start questioning myself and doubting my thoughts. I'm sure that I'm not the only one feeling like this and I would never stop posting replies and questions on FirstClass as I think that it is definitely a learning tool that I will become to love and the more confidence I have in the work that I am producing the more that I will see FirstcClass as the vital learning tool that it is.
So for now it's goodbye from me and goodbye from my blog!
Although I am not a novice of using the Internet and communicating with family and friends, I have to admit that I was never aware the complexities of them all.
Where do I begin?
Social Network Sites
I have been using Facebook for about a year now and I love it, I am able to use it to communicate with my family and friends, meet up with long lost friends and start up forgotten friendships. I really like using Facebook, but I am aware of the cons against it as well. I think that one of the biggest issues there is against Facebook is personal details being on full show to people who are generally looking around the site, however I have found that if you limit your personal security then this shouldn't really be a problem. The other issue is the amount of emails that get sent to you for people sending you hugs, drinks, fish the list could on. This was a problem for me some time again, I would check my read all my emails in the morning and by the evening I would have 50 more. I looked into this as it was really getting on my nerves and I found that you could unsubscribe to these emails (which I have done now!)
Blogs
Blogs are a way of keeping an online diary, I knew that they existed but I never had the need to create one before, that was before I enrolled on the BALTR degree. I think that it is a really good way of jotting down your thoughts and feeling at the time of entry. It's also good for reflecting on them as well. I have already started re-reading my entries and thinking about for much my skills are already developing. I think that the biggest downside of this for me is that I have to think about the things that I am going to write before I write them, I know that people are reading it and following it and it is not just a private diary that I am used to carrying around in my handbag! However blogging is certainly easy to use and it is becoming very addictive and I'm sure that given time I will just log on and type and not have to plan how I'm going to type, I am looking forward to this day!
Online Community
I have never used an online community site before and now I have to contend with FirstClass! I think that is certainly has it's good and bad points. I like the feeling that we are all a big community, supporting each other, offering advice and guidance. It's good for getting clarification for your ideas and your understanding of topics etc. It is very easy to use and to just drop in and out of, however because we are all new to it and the course, we all have so many questions to ask and we're all offering advice that now matter how often you drop by, there always seem to be a lot of posts to read and answer. I sometimes think that I have an understanding of what I'm doing and how I'm going to do it or present my work, then I read all the posts and I start questioning myself and doubting my thoughts. I'm sure that I'm not the only one feeling like this and I would never stop posting replies and questions on FirstClass as I think that it is definitely a learning tool that I will become to love and the more confidence I have in the work that I am producing the more that I will see FirstcClass as the vital learning tool that it is.
So for now it's goodbye from me and goodbye from my blog!
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Hectic Week!!
I thought that last week was going to be heaven and that I was going to be able to really get stuck into my uni work, you see my husband and children were all away for the week. But my school had other ideas! We had an open evening, meetings and my timetable got changed. I now have 5 new classes and I have had to establish where they all are with their coursework and what tasks they have all done.
I have created excel spreadsheets for each of the classes but all this took so much time!! By the time that I got it all finished, my husband and children where home and we were celebrating my daughters 4th birthday!
I have (hopefully) finished my typical working day and my organisation chart. I have looked at my role, using the Internet and job description to help me. I am looking at the relationships and I have started looking at different online communication tools! I have managed to get some sleep as well!!
I also read the George Osborne speech, which I found fascinating, I am also planning of posting my comments about that on FirstClass very soon.
I am wanted to post my thought about different online communication tools in the next few days, so fingers crossed I'll get that done.
Check back soon!!
I have created excel spreadsheets for each of the classes but all this took so much time!! By the time that I got it all finished, my husband and children where home and we were celebrating my daughters 4th birthday!
I have (hopefully) finished my typical working day and my organisation chart. I have looked at my role, using the Internet and job description to help me. I am looking at the relationships and I have started looking at different online communication tools! I have managed to get some sleep as well!!
I also read the George Osborne speech, which I found fascinating, I am also planning of posting my comments about that on FirstClass very soon.
I am wanted to post my thought about different online communication tools in the next few days, so fingers crossed I'll get that done.
Check back soon!!
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