Reflections on e-learning

This post began in Sept but has been completed in Oct so is out of order. Another hike in the learning curve - you can't change the date in blogger or cut and paste!

The last few months on EDPROFST 714 have been an interesting learning experience with a number of parallels, such as using e-learning to learn about e-learning in practice.

It has been my first online paper and while I have appreciated the online interaction, I have missed face to face contact with fellow students and lecturer. Contributing to the forums is a challenge when beginning with very little prior knowledge; when the words stare back at you from the screen it can be harder to comment, however it does make one reflect and really think about what is worth saying. However the ease of access to online resources and the flexibility for a working, studying, forever juggling mother has been an absolute boon.

Participating in an inquiry about inquiry learning was interesting, especially when I came across the work of Carol Kulthau (2006) who describes the emotional journey of the inquirer as they progress. I could identify with the roller coaster of optimism . . . then uncertainty as I found information, then became aware of how much more I needed to find out; followed by the relief after uploading the assignment (and double checking that it had actually gone). The investigation revealed the benefits that e-learning brought to the classroom including the range of resources and the opportunities for collaboration; however the importance of teacher support to students was very clear, as was the need for teachers to be supported themselves.

Blogging about a blog; exploring the benefits of blogs as communication tools opened my eyes - there are some highly motivated students doing some great writing out there, their sheer enthusiasm made me want to comment on their work. Writing for an audience makes you try harder, it is authentic and (as Beth remarked in her blog), getting feedback is very positive. It was this interactive side of blogging that I was interested in as I explored improved communication opportunities between schools and a museum offering LEOTC opportunities. There are museum blogs already out there; the content is often for a specific audience which does not necessarily include school age students and the posting has much more prominence than the feedback. I am keen to trial a blog which encourages students to comment on the artefact or issue under discussion; these comments would be high profile so the comments themselves contribute as much information as the original post, thus building an ongoing community based child friendly information source.

Where to next?

• Doing my best to keep more current with technological developments so I am less behind than I was at the beginning of the course.
• Getting my hands on some IWB experience - my son's primary school starts up with new IWBs this term; I will be the nosy parent from hell.
• Following up my assignment proposal to link e-learning and museum education practice.
• Maybe even continuing to blog . . .
  

Thank you to Tony and other course members for their guidance and inspiration.

Reference

Kulthau, C. (2006) Information literacy through guided inquiry: preparing students for the 21st century. Keynote speech at IASL conference. Retrieved 28 August 2009 http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/recent_presentations/iasl2/IASL%2