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!
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
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 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
Saturday, 6 December 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
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!
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!
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!!
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