Synthesis
My final e-portfolio synthesis reflection
No word limit! 🙂
Date of submission: August 5, 2011
• 1-2 paragraph précis of your flight path
At the onset of this course, my primary objective was to become immersed in learning the affordances of educational technology in order to better inform my teaching with healthcare practitioners. ETEC 565 provided me with an endless array of learning opportunities to pick up new technical skills and further refine my existing skillset which I drew upon during the course of program. My specific goals to focus on this semester included the following:
1. Learning Management Systems- To learn how to use Moodle for the first time by effectively setting up an e-learning platform, creating interactive modules and assessment tools that staff can access to learn at their own pace and time.
2. Social software- To learn how to use and regularly maintain my WordPress blog e-portfolio in order to gain greater expertise using blogs and posting regularly to keep the site content up-to-date.
3. Multimedia- To learn how to use multimedia resources such as Audacity to record and mix audio, and to find other relevant media to develop content for the Moodle site and the digital story assignment.
• Reflection on your eLearning toolkit experience overall
Through the use of the ETEC565 e-Learning toolkit, I was able to explore and gain a better understanding of the tools that I would need to help guide me in the development of my Moodle site. I was able to try out and complete all of the technologies included in the e-learning toolkit including: learning management systems- Moodle vs. WebCT/Vista (Blackboard), web design and HTML authoring, synchronous communication tools, social software, weblogs, wikis, multimedia and authoring tools, accessibility and mLearning. One of the highlights for me was using Wimba Voice to send a voice-recorded email to one of my classmates which I found definitely added a human quality to the entire e-learning process.
I also had the opportunity to try out Google’s Picasa to organize photos and images, Audacity make audio recordings, use WordPress to archive my learning artifacts, develop my skills in web design and HTML authoring using the W3Schools.com site, post regular reflections, test out my website’s accessibility features, and the culmination of all my experiences trying out the e-learning toolkit activities is reflected in my final Moodle site.
• Reflection on your overall ETEC565 experience
Overall, I found my ETEC565 experience to be an invaluable and practical learning opportunity. I found that not only becoming grounded in the theoretical frameworks helped inform my learning, it also complemented the practical experiences I gained by trying out new tools and acquiring skills that I did not have before. Although the workload may have been challenging at times (especially considering I concurrently took ETEC 531 in which I created YouTube videos for the first time as well as working on a group Moodle site) I feel that this was a worthy learning opportunity to help me stay committed and focused on the tasks at hand. Goal-setting from the beginning of ETEC 565 through the use of our flight path was instrumental in helping me figure out what I wanted to set out to accomplish this term. Reflecting back to my 3 major goals to learn: 1) how to use a LMS (Moodle) that I was previously unfamiliar with; 2) acquire the competencies of using WordPress for the first time and help me practice my html skills using my UBC WordPress blog/e-portfolio; and 3) how to use multimedia resources effectively- I think that not only did I manage to achieve these goals but I’ve learned so much more throughout this course.
Weekly discussion forums and our collective ETEC 565 learning community offered a great deal of insight, support and inspiration throughout my learning journey. As this course comes to a close, I know that I’ve not only developed my own personal learning toolkit filled with artifacts and tools at my disposal but also I’ve developed a sense of trust with a network of colleagues with whom I can continue to connect with even after this course ends. If anything, this course has taught me to truly push the limits in terms of my own abilities, to persevere and stay committed to the rewarding challenges and opportunities which unfolded along the way. It’s truly remarkable how quickly the time has passed and I’m looking forward to furthering my learning through additional MET courses, participating at conferences, as well as reading, listening and discussing with my colleagues to stay current in multidisciplinary fields which will better inform my own practice (and in turn help me provide the best service possible to others).
• Describe next steps for you, in terms of your practice in educational technology, which could include what technologies you hope to explore moving forward, or how you plan on engaging as a lifelong learner in terms of educational technology?
My next steps for me to practice the skills I’ve gained thus far in my MET program is to participate in the upcoming e-Learn conference as a member of the Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education. Also, as I mentioned in my Moodle course site reflection I would like to further refine my abilities in website design and html authoring by learning how to use Dreamweaver and Amaya more effectively. In addition, I plan to continue taking MET courses to improve my competencies with emerging technologies in the field of education and couple this with my work in library/information science. Moving forward, I plan to continue to engage in lifelong learning by attending webinars, conferences and workshops, keeping current through the use of RSS feeds via my Google reader, reading the literature (e-journals, books, etc), continuing to be an active participant of associations, and staying connected with my vast network of colleagues.
• Looking back, how does what you expected to learn during ETEC 565 compare to what you actually have learned, in terms of technical competencies?
I think that my expectations for learning and acquiring technical competencies in ETEC 565 started off as some general ideas but has since morphed into the acquisition of solid design and tech skills that I could not have imagined. It was only as I continued to work on my Moodle site, do my course readings, participate in course discussions, complete e-portfolio assignments, and work on my e-learning toolkit activities did I fully understand the magnitude in which my learning has taken shape. The experience can be summed up by what one of my classmates mentioned nearing the tail end of our course- in that some things (like websites, digital stories, etc) may appear at first to look easy to do and it’s only until you get yourself immersed in a given technology do you truly understand how much work it actually involves. I think my learning experience has truly unfolded as an iterative process (much like research does) and it was through a lot of continued effort and motivation that I think I’ve gained (and further refined) my technical skills. I learned how to use Prezi for the first time, and now realize that there are a variety of digital tools available at one’s disposal to use not only for storytelling but for engaging, dynamic presentations and so much more! Also, by using Moodle to develop an e-learning site I was able to see my LMS proposal (and my ideas) come to fruition.
• Moving forward, how do you think what you learned in ETEC 565 will impact your educational practice, be it as an instructional designer, instructor, or administrator?
Lastly, I cannot fully express in words just how instrumental ETEC 565 been in helping to inform my learning which will no doubt affect the way (and medium) in which I’m looking forward to teaching. I am inspired to make use of my Moodle site, the information literacy assessment quiz I developed using Moodle, my digital story on the impact of evidence-based medical decisions, along with the different tools I’ve been able to use throughout the course (i.e. Audacity, Wimba, Prezi, Picasa, and the list goes on). I think that the skills that I’ve gained in this course alone will be a catalyst for changing the way in which I teach as a librarian and is a great launchpad for furthering my knowledge as I continue my learning journey in the MET program.
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