Rachel's ETEC 565A ePortfolio

I chose SECTIONS as a means to assess how I approach my work in relation to the questions and issues raised in the article. Although I am not a teacher, I found the elements extremely helpful in evaluating the methods and media used in helping build course sites, as well as how they are organized.

The element that spoke to me the most was the one concerning students. When reading the various subcategories, I realized that my job doesn’t allow me to really know or observe the demographic of students. I am far too often the person behind the scene that helps create their quizzes, post content, and troubleshoot issues. However, I was excited to see that I often employ methods that cater to a variety of learning preferences. A project that I worked on a few years ago consisted of creating a wordpress site that functioned as additional resources for a biology laboratory course. Within the site, student could access information pertaining to the specimens studied in labs (identifying characteristics, habitats, taxonomy, etc.), along with pictures I took (both macro- and microscopic). The purpose of the site was to offer students a place where they could access new content that was relevant to the course and also served as a study guide for the final lab exam. In this course, I also help creating videos (microscopy instructions) that are posted online for reference. The reading definitely helped me realized that I should be more attentive to the target group when making design suggestions, especially when comparing first and fourth year university students, as some students may not have developed study habits that are conducive to online learning and may require more information or instructions.

The element I feel I pay most attention to would have to be ease of use. When helping instructors create their sites, I try to make it as easy to use, both for the instructor and students. Depending on the course content, I use modules, navigation bars, and folders to organize the content in a transparent way, such that the layout is well structured and intuitive. One aspect that I pay close attention to is the number of “clicks” it takes for students to get to specific content. In my opinion, excessive links to click is both frustrating and confusing when searching for information. One aspect I feel I can work on is that of “orientation”. While my job often consist of trying new technologies, I don’t always pay attention to how long it takes me to learn them. The article suggested that the useful standard should be 20 minutes, which is something I will most definitely keep in mind.

The impact of networking beyond the course was very interesting to me, and sparked new ideas. While most of the courses I work with typically use the discussion board and blogs, I realize that there are opportunities to reach out to relevant people in the community. In a bryophyte (mosses) course, students do a lot of fieldwork at the Camosun bog identifying specimens and helping with the annual survey of population density and diversity as part of their final project. This year, the course collaborated with students in an ecology course. Students from each course helped each other with the data and identification for their final project and they learned a lot from one another. It was definitely a successful trial, as students got to experience and learn things from a different class topic while applying the knowledge they had gained in their course. In regards to networking, it would be interesting to see if we could incorporate and use social media as a way to inform the public and highlight the work that is being done to preserve the bog’s ecosystem. In turn, this could potentially create opportunities for students to collaborate with professionals in the field and open doors for new learning experiences.

I’ll be completely honest and say that I was nervous about this week’s discussion topic because I am not a teacher. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the readings and realized that important questions/issues raised in the articles are very applicable to my work and I have learned many new things that I know I will find useful in the future.

I have worked as the LMS Blackboard Connect for the Biology department at UBC now for 3 years. Although I am not a teacher, I work alongside instructors to help them create their course websites and implement various technological tools to improve, enrich and enhance the learning experience for students.

Designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments:

Upon reflecting on my own skill and confidence using learning technologies, I would have to say that designing and developing digital-age learning experiences and assessments is where I feel most comfortable. In creating formative assessment, I try to use various question types (multiple choice, short answers, mix and match, etc.) that are suitable and effective in helping instructors determine whether students grasp the material and what content students have difficulties with. In addition, certain assessments are created for practice, such that students are given unlimited attempts. I feel that this approach allows students to learn from their mistakes in a fail-safe environment, as there are no high stakes associated with these types of assessments.

Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity:

I have developed a blog for a 3^rd year biology course that serves as a study guide and an activity that promotes active learning. For each course unit, students are to create and submit 5 high quality study questions to the blog. Students are then expected to answer these questions, which generates active participation, discussions, as well as feedback among peers. Students are informed that out of all the generated study questions, 5 will be selected for the essay portion of the final exam. Therefore, if students are able to answer all questions on the blog, they should excel in that portion of the exam. Not only does this method provide students with clear goals and guides them through their learning, but there is genuine excitement among students to participate in the creation of the questions that may appear in the final exam. In addition, this approach promotes engagement, self-assessment, reflection, and meaningful discussions among students.

I feel as though there is still a lot of room for me to improve in this area. I have a strong interest in learning new ways to promote creativity in learning activities, such as having students collaborate on projects using videos, wiki, audio in demonstrating their knowledge.

Engage in professional growth and leadership:

Part of my job involves training various instructors on how to use Connect in order to best meet their instructional needs. In the process, I have to sometimes think “outside the box” or attend workshops in order to find ways to help instructors meet their needs and goals. In turn, this forces me to explore new technologies or find alternative ways to better use the ones I’m comfortable with. So far, the MET program has proven to be a significant and valuable aspect in my professional growth, as every course has exposed me to new ideas, tools and approaches that I am able to apply at work and share with other instructors.

Model digital-age work and learning:

This program has definitely allowed me to model various ways of using technology effectively. Whenever I learn something that could be beneficial for students, I am always eager to share the information with instructors and demonstrate how certain technologies can be used to achieve a certain goal.

Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibilities:

This is definitely an area in which I need to improve. I haven’t had many opportunities to develop activities or content that touches on this very important subject. Therefore, I hope to learn effective and interactive ways in which this topic can be taught.

As with anything in life, there is always room for improvement. Therefore, I look forward to learning many things in this course that will inevitably lead me to new experiences, expose me to new concepts and provide me new skills.

Hi everyone,

My name is Rachel Petrynko and this is my 5th ETEC course in the MET program. Although I majored in Biology during my undergraduate studies, I have always had strong interest in technology, particularly in educational settings. My current position at work consists of offering support and training to instructors on how to use Blackboard Connect.

I’m very excited to begin this new educational journey. I look forward to learning about various theoretical frameworks and learning technologies that I can apply in my work, with the aim to support, enhance and enrich the learning experiences for students.