Hi everyone! Welcome to yet another exciting MET learning adventure…
I am your instructor – David Vogt – you can reach me whenever you wish at david DOT vogt AT ubc DOT ca via email.
There are some things you need to know about this Wordpress environment we’re going to share.
First, appropriate to the innovative spirit of 522, you’re in an experimental version of WordPress that happens to be a “beta” prototype. Beta is code-word among developers for ‘unproven’, meaning that, according to the active “lean startup” and “minimum viable product” mantra of the venture world, we will learn as we go! This is an active learning environment and you’re co-developers. Let me know immediately when something isn’t working, or doesn’t make sense.
Expecting learning to thrive in this new environment may seem like a challenge. I won’t apologize for that, nor for things that break – you have a rare opportunity to engage with innovation from the inside: it is a deliberate and essential part of the 522 experience. However, you should also expect a viable place to learn, so if things don’t work, or if performance is too slow for you (both of which can happen!) be sure to let me know.
The primary experiment is an advanced application of regenerative curriculum and peer analytics in graduate education. These research topics are not immediately material to our studies here, so I won’t spend time to explain them (anyone who is interested to pursue these ideas more deeply could do so in an ETEC580 Guided Independent Research project). One aspect of this work that you’ll notice is that we don’t “flush” the content produced by previous 522 students, so normally you’d encounter streams of legacy peer content that should be helpful to your work.
Another part of the experiment is about open publishing meshed with professional networking. In short, building a presence for yourself through good postings and participation will be essential to your success in this course. As becomes most modern media streams, please make sure your every post is highlighted with an engaging “feature image” to capture attention. And be smart: make all of your postings as brief, courteous and valuable as possible. You’ll find detailed guidelines for how to do that well.
A further part of the experiment this session will be a recognition that, within the last two years, the entire world has changed completely and forever with the arrival of functioning, accessible artificial intelligence (AI) engines. Before now our appreciation of AI was almost completely theoretical, much like our appreciation of alien life forms still is. But the AIs have landed, and they are among us. Given how much AI is going to transform education, and most ventures in the foreseeable future, I will be applying AI as a theme across our primary assignments.
Finally, this is a public blog and anyone in the world will be able to read anything that you write. Be aware of that. Our very first activity focuses on identity management.
So here’s your job list for this first week (this is copied from the Weekly Schedule):
- Startup: If you don’t see “Howdy” and your name above, use the links and authorizations in the email you received to log into this course blog so that you’re able to contribute.
- Get Oriented: Click around enough to understand the basic navigational principles, and review the W01 Content: Course Description
- Get on Board: Review all of the Instructions (selected from Category in the search bar) sufficiently to understand confidently what the course is about, what to expect, and what is expected of you. Please pay special attention to the Assignments and Participation Guide within the Instructions. Your success in 522 will depend on a full understanding of these materials.
- Create a Profile: Use the WordPress menu bar to enter the Dashboard, and from there edit your public profile (click “Users” and “Your Profile”), inserting an image and any other information you wish to provide. Remember that this is a public blog, so you’re welcome to create a pseudonym and non-identifying image if you wish. However, as you are now officially a co-author of this course, and the materials you create here should be suitable for linking to a CV and/or eporfolio, you should consider presenting a real professional persona. In particular, whatever you decide, please do not change your name during the course as this might fragment your presence.
- Post Your Introduction: Use the +New selection in the WordPress menu bar to author your first post. Make it an introduction about you, your background, your status in MET, and any initial thoughts you wish to share about education, learning innovation, and your objectives in taking this course. Add images, video or whatever conveys your introduction best. Be sure to set a Featured Image and to use the “Authors” category when you publish this post so that it ends up in the right place.
- Welcome Your Peers: During the week, drop in on Authors a few times to check out introductions from your peers. Don’t hesitate to Reply to some of these Posts to welcome someone you know, or comment on a shared interest, etc.
- Complete the Emerging Markets Poll: Follow the instructions for the Emerging Markets Poll activity. This must be done by Sunday of our first week in order for your opinions to shape the course.
- Contribute to the W01 Discussion.
Please enjoy the course – I’m really looking forward to your contributions!
David