Neglected!!

Ok, so I know that I haven't made a post in a really long time, but that is not because I haven't been keeping a learning journal, it's just that I thought that I would try keeping a paper version for year 2, and I have to say that it was really useful, it meant that I could have access to my journal instantly rather than logging on to a computer and it also made it easier to "blog" whilst I was at work as I can't access this site from work as it is automatically blocked!

The second year has flown by and I have to say that I am looking forward to starting the 3rd year although I am planning on having a restful summer holidays so i hope that it doesn't come around too quickly! There has been times that I thought that I wouldn't make it this far but I have and that has spurred me on to completing my degree studies and get into the profession that I want. I can and I will, is my motto at the moment!

Not only do I have a motto, but I am also counting down the days until the summer holidays and praying that the warm weather returns! Although I intend for the holidays to be very restful, I am also thinking about a topic for the final year, so I guess I will also be doing some reading!

Year 2 nearly here!

I can't believe how quickly my first year of study went, nor can I believe how quickly the summer has gone! I have completed my re-registration for my second year and it's dawned on me that the studying is about to begin, so I thought that I better put the trashy easy reading summer novels better go away and the study books better come back out!

Looking back and think of how I felt during the year, I am surprised that I managed to get through it in one piece! I am very proud of myself as I think that I have grown a lot through the year and I know that I have learnt a lot, not only about the course, my work place but also about myself. I know that I now can tackle anything that I put my mind to and although I am still not the most confidence person in the world and I do still doubt myself a lot I do feel that I am able to develop myself and the skills that I already have to enable me to become the person that I want to be and to have the career that I want.

I was pleased with my first year results and I think that now that I have some basic knowledge of what is expected and the terminology, I think (hopefully and everything crossed!) that I can build on this and have a productive and equally successfully second year.

Almost there!

I haven't been blogging that much this semester, I have been so snowed under with the work that I have felt that I have not coped well with it and this I have needed to spend all my free time working on my module and not blogging although I know the improtance.

I feel that I am getting there though, mind you I have to get there the hand in day is Friday! I have enjoyed most of the module but I just seem to get myself into a panic and jsut go to pot with it all. Never mind this semester is almost over and I can get back to the books and start to read without have a tight time scale to stick to.

Plus I have just booked a holiday which has made me feel so much better!

Mixed feelings!!

I really have mixed feelings at the minute, I have had a load of problems towards the end of RIWS, from my daughter being ill and my ISP not working in my area, this caused me some real panic as I was concerned how I was going to get my RIWS module portfolio finished, but I did and managed to get it uploaded in time.

I felt that I had really let my fellow researchers down because I was able to participate fully in the forums with discussions and giving feedback, nor was I able to upload any work to ask them for feedback, which added to panic as I wasn't sure if I was on the right lines with my work. But with my portfolio submitted I relaxed and believed that I had done the best that I could do given the circumstances that I found myself in and at the end of the day, what will be, will be!

The relaxed feeling soon disappeared with the thought of getting UAI module finished! I have struggled throughout these 2 modules as I feel that I haven't got my head around the both completely and I intend to hit the books again and re-read them during the break between year 1 and year 2, to try and get a better understanding about them as I know that they are both going to play a crucial part to this degree.

My biggest concern at the minute is what to do for LO6 and the in-depth report that we have to write for another cohort researcher. I'm not sure what it is I am supposed to do, the word count is what is bothering me, 1000 words, but is that for all of it or just my learning and understanding?

I have posted a question in the forum and I am hoping that I get some clarification on it from my cohort, but I have to say that I felt completely stupid asking the question as I am sure that it is very straight forward and I am trying to complicate things, which was a weakness of mine that I identified from RIWS!

Anyway, the beeper has been going so I best leave it now and see if I have received any answers to my questions, hopefully I will have

Neglected

OK I know that I have neglected you again, and it has been some time since I last blogged! I have been so busy at work what with our mentoring schemes, parents evenings, meetings, report writing not to mention normal planning and marking. That I have spending all my spare time reading and researching critical incidents and action inquiry that I haven't had time to do anything else let alone blog!

I have found the action inquiry a little difficult to get my head around, and I don't know why really, maybe it's because I am so tired, I seem to be reading loads of different things but none of it seems to be staying in my head!! Or maybe it is because there is so much research and stuff to read that it kind of clouds into one, and merges into one! It seems that everyone and his dog has something to say on the matter!

I think that I am beginning to get an understanding of it all, I can see that there is an importance place for it in every profession and that there is a cycle process of Plan - act- do- reflect that needs to be gone through in order to achieve the outcome that you want. I know that you need to have identified that there is a problem that you would like to or need to improve.

Writing that just then I have realised that some of what I have read must have gone in to my head as I wrote it very quickly so it must be there, I just have to tap into it! I suddenly feel inspired and motivated, I feel that all my hard work and incredibly late nights have actually done some good and will hopefully pay off when this modules marks come in!!

Well it's goodbye from me at the moment as I am now heading back to my books!

New Year, New Module, New Way of Thinking

I am in the process of reading about Reflective Practice and at times I have found it very hard going and I'm not totally sure way or even if I have a good enough understanding of it all.

I think that I was struggling to begin with because I started reading Schon and for me I think that this was the wrong place to start, I found it all too heavy and very wordy, not only was I read his theory/model but I also hard to have a dictionary at my side to understand some of the words that he was using, it all just didn't seem to make sense. Then I came across a website that put his theory in a scenario. which really helped, it also explained it much more simpler terms, which has since encouraged me to find out more.

I have to say though that I really like Gibbs Reflective cycle, I think maybe it is because he takes in account emotions and feelings, which I can really relate to, especially with my job. I am often reflecting back on how a lesson has gone, looking at what worked well/not so well, trying to find ways that I can change my lesson to engage all of the students to make it a much more productive lesson.

I guess that I have been more of a reflective practitioner than I first thought!

I have to say that I have felt under pressure to make a post with in FirstClass forum, especially with me not having a great understanding of this topic yet, however I have made a post and although I haven't had any feedback from it yet, I feel a lot better having dripped my toes in the water! Having not had any feedback, I am guessing (fingers crossed) that I am not too far of the mark with the post that I made, I hoped that if I was completely off the mark then someone would have (hopefully) told me and point me in the right direction or at least helped me on the right track!!

I am intending to do some more reading and look at other theories and models so that I feel more competent with this subject, so for now it's back to the books for me!!

Over the Moon

I have to say that I was over the moon with my first modules marks, it was much higher than I was expecting and in a way much higher than what I was hoping for. I don't know if I will be able to keep up to that standard now!

I have found it very hard to contain my excitement I have felt like I have wanted to tell the world, but I haven't said much as I know that there are people that haven't done so well and I don't want to look like I'm bragging. At least it's not the end for them they can always re-submit it at a later date.

With my second modules marks out on Friday, I'm getting a little apprehensive about them, I'm not sure how I feel about it either, as I thought that this was a better module for me, so I don't know what to expect with regards to the marks. I'm trying not to dwell on it too much, but I can't help thinking what if I don't get the same or more for this module, will I be very disappointed? I'm hoping not as it is a learning curve and lessons should be learnt from it.

I'll check back in next week after I've got them and let you know how I'm feeling.

A late Happy New Year wish

Happy new year to you all!

I can't believe how long ago it was that I made my last post, I seem to have found life without study a little too comfortable! I have been checking in a lot to FirstClass, but there's not a lot of posts to read! I think we must have all enjoyed the break and study must be on the back burner for everyone.

I'm hoping that this break will have been resting for everyone, I know that I felt great until I went back to work, and now I'm wishing that we had actually had a extra week off! Oh well only 5 weeks until the next school holidays but this time we'll all be back studying.

I'm waiting for the marks to come in now and I have to say I'm feeling a little apprehensive about it, I'm not sure how well I have done. I can't decided if I would like high marks or not, If I get high marks for my first modules will I be disappointed in the future if I don't get the same high marks! I am sure that I will be pleased with what ever marks I get as this is the first time that I have done anything like this before and I know that this is the beginning of a new learning curve for me.

I found the first 2 modules interesting and I did enjoy working through them even though there were a few late nights, stress and frustration spent on them. I do hope that I continue to enjoy my studies, as studying for a degree is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time now and I am doing the same as my local football team "living the dream", I really hope that the end is a good dream and doesn't turn out to be a nightmare!

I'm sure that I will post again soon when I have my marks, good luck to you all!

The end is nigh!

The end of the IOCT is in sight now, I think that I have covered everything that I needed to although the more that I read the more that I doubt myself! I have a few more days before the deadline and I think that I am going to take the same advice as I gave to a co-researcher earlier when I said that it was probably a good idea to have a couple of days break and come back to it with a clear head and a fresher pair of eyes!

I know that I have said it before but I have enjoyed this module and I feel that I have had a useful part to play within the community, I have been helping others out when they have been stuck and I have been able to give advice quickly and effectively, without having to go and look myself before giving my answer.

Having a good knowledge of ICT, has helped me greatly and I have begun to identify ways that I can development them more in the future. I would particularly like to develop my multimedia and web developing skills. I intend to investigate software packages that will help me do this and who knows I may even add them to my Christmas list, but I think a new pair of boots would be better!

I am looking forward to the handing this module in, just because I want to start getting in to the festive spirit and spending some quality time with my husband and children. Although it will feel strange not checking into FirstClass at every spare moment! It will be nice to break up from work and know that my studies are also on holiday! It will also be nice to pick up and read a book without having a notepad, pen and highlighter at the side of me, making notes!

Knowing that the end is in sight makes me feel excited but then I get carried away and I start thinking about the marking and assessment of my modules and I being to panic again, wondering if I have done enough, thinking about what else I should have done, but for the IWS module this panicking is too late, I do hope that I don't spend the Christmas holidays panicking.

Well the first part of this journey is nearly over, and I a step closer to my final destination (well hopefully anyway!)

Kirstie

I Feel Good!

I am surprised that I feel so good with my studies at the moment, but I do, although I'm not too keen on all the late nights and abandonment of my children (with my husband that is!) I am enjoying the sense of achievement that I am experiencing throughout this module.

I have published my first video on YouTube, I never thought that I would do something like that and it's got nothing to do with me making a fool of myself! I have enjoyed the fact that I have felt that I have actually been able to help people and offer support, only earlier was I having an instant messaging conversation with someone, trying to help them work on their web page.

Initially I did have concerns about publishing myself on the Internet, I have since overcome these concerns by looking at it as way to building a stronger, more trusting community by giving my co-researcher information about me so that they can have an understanding of me, and what I am like.

I looked at it this way because of the research that I had done, and trust was mentioned a lot throughout this, and that it was vitally important to the development of a community. So I asked myself how could trust establish without anyone with never meeting them or knowing anything about each other, that is why I chose to share information about myself.

I know that my details on the personal web pages that I have created can be viewed by general public, however I have been very selective in the information that I have shared, giving enough of an insight so that co-researchers can get to know me, but not sharing anything that was too private that could be used for stealing my identity or other not so nice activities!

Personal Webspace

Getting back to studying and focusing now on completing the IOCT module, my next task was to create a personal web space, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to put in it. I have never had the urge to publish anything about myself. The people that I want to know things about me are my family and friends and if I have anything new about myself then I tell them, I don't publish it!

Then I thought about this a little more and I realise that maybe I do publish things about myself, only the other day I updated my thoughts within Facebook and a colleague asked me about it the next day! I had never really thought about updating moods, thoughts and even blogs as publishing yourself on the Internet!

I never thought that I would create a website about myself and although I now have I am glad that I have only given the address to my co-researchers, I don't like thinking that personal details are available for all to see. I know that I didn't have to include my personal details within this web space but I thought that it would give my co-researchers an insight in to me and that this would help us to build a stronger community and friendships, in a way getting to know each other better. I had to remember that I have never met any of my "Class mates" and they nothing about me other than I am on the same degree course as them.

I am now going to look at the rest of activity 4 which is comparing my web pages against others, which I'm not looking forward to, I know that I am not criticising anyone else's web pages but I think that it will be difficult to compare other's work that is personal to them against my own. But who knows maybe when I get into it I will enjoy it, at least I can look at other's web pages and get to know them better in the same way that I would like them to get to know me better.

Eureka!!

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!

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!!

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!!

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!

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!

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!

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!!

Online and Beyond

Over the last fewe days I have been thinking about the ways that we all communicate and how the internet has had a big impact on most peoples lives. I got to think that it would be a great help to some people, getting them in touch with relatives, friends etc. Some house bound people could also use the internet to help them establish a little bit of independance, just by doing their oen shopping online.

I realised that I was maybe looking at this through rose tinted glasses and that I needed to take a much more critical look at it! I started thinking about the ways that the internet can hinder people, I immediately started to think about chat rooms and children using them. Knowing the dangers that can be there, I asked myself "what would I do if my son/daughter wanted to join a chat site", very easily I answered my own question, as I helped my nephew join a site after I had explained the dangers, the rules and the expectations that we had of him using the site.

I think that we need to keep a careful eye on children using the internet, but I also think that they need to feel trusted in using the internet, chat sites etc to allow them to feel independent. If children are always told not to do something, they will go out and do it anyway and twice as bad!!

Using these sites should be done with caution and an understanding of what is out there but also with the knowledge that it can be helpful in many ways and is a part of todays society!

Finding my feet

I've been following my degree course 2 weeks, now I'm still not sure that I've got my head around everything, and at times it feels like I never will!!

Reading the posts from other peers has been really helpful though as I know that I'm not the only one feeling like that!

I've finally handed my first part of my module in and it has been signed off, so I do feel a little bit better, I guess I must be doind something right!

I'm working on the second part now, describing what a typical working day is like for me. I think that I went into a little too much detail at first, but with a re-draft and a few photos added I'm hoping that it will be fine.

Husband and the kids have gone on holiday this week, soI've got a week were I can get my teeth into the module in peace, who knows maybe this time next week I'll have my head around everything we have to do and and read, but I doubt it!