Hi everyone! Excited to see some familiar faces in this course. I’m located and grew up in Vancouver BC and this is my 7th/8th MET course (also taking ETEC511)
Background wise, like most other classmates, I completed a BA Bachelor of Arts (double majoring in English Language/Literature and Film Studies) for my undergrad degree which was then immediately followed by a LLB Bachelor of Laws and MBA Master of Business Administration several years later.
I’ve been teaching for around 8 years as a Business Lecturer/Educator, mainly focusing on teaching Management, Organizational Behaviour and Entrepreneurship to undergraduate Years 1-4 BBA students and adult learners (for corporate training). Though in the recent years I’ve shifted my attention to business/venture based projects as a way to gain new perspectives on my career.
Prior to teaching, I worked in industries including Auditing/Finance, International Marketing for the music industry and Legal Arbitration/Mediation consultation. I also occasionally host local radio talkshows/podcasts about pop culture, current trends, video games and manga.
I’m fascinated by the pace at which mobile technology is advancing as I often reminisce back to the days when smartphones were not yet invented, Wi-Fi was not available on campus (or anywhere else) and learning mainly involved being shackled down onto a desktop or library desk in order to find the information we need. Fast forward to our current era, having constant access to knowledge on a ubiquitous level really makes you appreciate the conveniences mobile and open learning provides. Without hyperbole, I can definitely say that mobile learning is a game changer with immense influence and essentially redefines how individuals learn and work on a daily basis.
That being said, innovation and creativity are the main keywords which I hope to bring into this course as I hope to collaborate with everyone to discover new ways to explore the concept of mobile learning, how it fits into our current lifestyles, challenging the status quo/existing notions of the trend and forecasting what’s to come in the future.
Feel free to drop by and say hi in the comments! Looking forward to getting to know and learning from you all!
Hi John, good seeing you again in another course!
Hi Michael, always great to see a familiar classmate, good to see you too! (i think it’s the 3rd course where we’re in the same class)
Hi John. I am also a big fan of video games and manga and would love to see how people can integrate passions like these into teaching. Thanks for sharing
Hey Jackson, nice seeing you again here after 522, looking forward to seeing how you’ll combine your expertise and experience on GBL with Mobile Learning!
You have excellent keywords: I totally agree that mobile technology will be a game changer even if educators have some reluctance to embrace it.
That’s a good point, perhaps the solution is to come up with creative ideas as a way to convince/persuade educators to embrace it, I’ve noticed in most cases, reluctance comes from unfamiliarity with the tech, perhaps schools should encourage/organize more IT training sessions for staff on a regular basis
Hello John,
It will be a pleasure to learn more from you, because business is not my greatest strength, but business/venture based projects, that sounds good. And I agree with you, creativity and technology make a great team! 🙂
Hi Seb, nice to meet you! Of course, will always be happy to share my experiences and learn from each other’s strengths.
Hello John, nice to meet you and to see sunny Vancouver. I was explaining to my students that I had a computer when I was younger and we had to start programs by entering code rather than clicking a button. My telephone was not in my hand, and when I started teaching we wouldn’t have information at our fingertips the same way we do now. One thing I’ve noticed is a reluctance by teachers of my generation to allow students to use their mobile devices to learn because they feel that all they are doing is using it for social media. I’ve found that by asking pointed questions we can direct students to use their devices as tools for learning. My goal in this course is to learn more about how to direct students in the wonders of mobile and open learning.
Hi Jennifer, nice to meet you too. That’s a dilemma which I’ve heard from other colleagues and educators. I think it ultimately depends on the individual to consider whether a lids closed policy (ie: laptop screens down) should be implemented though personally speaking, I often encourage my students to use mobile devices in my classes as there are situations where collaborative assignments are required with the aid of apps/synchronous websites. Nonetheless, it’s beyond all of our control as to what students do with their devices during class, perhaps the solution is to create interactive/engaging experiences through the use of mobile technology as a way to capture their attention/interest? Definitely a deep topic and food for thought. Looking forward to learning from you in this course!
Hi John, let me guess, is this photo taken near West Dyke at Terra Nova Adventure Playground where you can see the YVR airport? It looks very familiar to me 🙂 This is also my favourite trail in Richmond.
Bingo! That’s exactly the place, it’s definitely a great path to hike along (sunset time is also amazing when the sky is all orange, blue and purple). I always joke that they should build a bridge to the airport from that area so traffic will be less congested. Nice to meet you, hope to learn from your experiences in this course!
Hi John!
Nice to virtually meet you! I too am in my 7th and 8th course of the MET program. Additionally, I am also taking 511 so we have the exact same course load. You have an interesting professional background, I look forward to learning with you throughout the duration of the course! All the best to you!
Hi Megan, nice to meet you too! What a coincidence, totally awesome how we have the same courses this semester (I’m in section A for 511), makes it easier to brainstorm and bounce ideas around. Looking forward to learning with you as well in this course!
Hi John,
Great to meet you! I love your photo- it looks like the dyke in Steveston on a beautiful day!
Hi Tamaka, nice to meet you too! You’re correct, that is indeed the dyke trail near Steveston/Terra Nova. It seems to be a popular area to hike/bike around now that the weather is all sunny and nice. Looking forward to learning with you in this course!