Backtracking Through the Toolkit
Jul 2nd, 2009 by Michele Brannon-Hamilton
Just in case I missed something, I wandered back through the course Toolkit and sure enough I found something I wanted to add. I haven’t mentioned the importance of starting this blog and setting up my Moodle course.
Blogging
Yes, blogging is a requirement of this course but really it was the nudge I needed to get me started on something I’d planned on doing for ages. I’ve been freelance writing for several years and got caught up in the excitement of blogging from the beginning. I even get a weekly newsletter from http://weblogs.about.com/ but instead of setting up a blog, I put it off – waiting for the right topic or the right opportunity.
ETEC 565 gave me the topic I needed and the opportunity was thrust upon me. Now, I can’t imagine not writing a blog. Blogging gives me a chance to think about what I’m learning and then put my thoughts onto a page where other like minded individuals can find it.
Moodling
I’d been introduced to Moodle two months before I began MET and thought it was an interesting way to connect learners in my literacy field. I took a workshop where I learned the basics of using the program but I knew when I finished that I’d just skimmed the surface of possibilities.
In ETEC 565, I ran into Moodle again and it’s here that I’ve had the chance to really explore its potential. Our first task, setting up the ‘welcome page,’ was like a test for me. Would I remember enough from the workshop to get started? Well, I remembered a bit and the ETEC 565 Toolkit helped me the rest of the way.
Our second task, setting up a “discussion forum,” seemed more familiar. I think I was more comfortable with this task because I could appreciate its use in an online classroom. I’ve taken online courses that join participants and I’ve taken those that don’t. In the field of literacy, I can see the potential of this tool. Students can connect with one another while working at home. Getting to class can be a real barrier for literacy students so the potential is exciting. The only problem I can foresee is getting students with different literacy abilities to chat together online without feeling self-conscious. One solution might be to split the class into different groups according to ability.
Overall, I find blogging very useful to my own career and personal growth and I find Moodling very useful for my students. Together, I will be able to use these tools to create material for self reflection, networking and curriculum design. I’m very excited about the future of possibilities.