Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
This seems like an interesting course. I'm doing 6615 at the moment as well -- having some trouble in that one but it ought to turn out ok. Actually, this course seems somewhat refreshing to start, as funny as that sounds. I'm looking forward to the change (even if it is an addition as well). The instructor's bio is pretty good... looks like I'll have a good time.
I see a couple familiar names here -- Chris and Ron (both are in 6615 with me). I'm putting together a quick bio for the site -- not sure if I'm doing it right. I'm using the instructor's as a model and the How To section is pretty good.
Ron contacted me about forming a group -- we've decided to join up with another fellow he knows from a previous course (Mark). It looks like we all have a bit in common. We're on the ball -- not supposed to have this done until week 2!
Been in contact with the guys and we've decided to call ourselves "The Maelstrom" after the Edgar Allen Poe story about the whirlpool.
The bio is posted and it looks like I've done all the uploading properly. I'm glad I can use FTP normally... this method would drive me nutz.
I contacted Diane regarding my portfolio... asked her if I could use my cool-teacher site as a basis. She said it was ok but that it should reflect the course outcomes. I've already started thinking about how to integrate the material and update my site. Though, looking ahead in the units, there is a nice bit on web-design in unit 3, so I don't want to get ahead of myself.
Week 1 is over and I just posted my first required discussion response. It had to do with Multiple Intelligences... mine, particularly. I was a little surprised about the results of the online tests but nothing that made me fall off of my chair. I spent too much time fooling around with the links (pattern testing, etc). I'll have to watch it, don't want to get bogged down.
A private forum was added to the discussion board entitled The Maelstrom -- very cool. This is an area where myself and da b'ys can post back and forth in a relatively private mode, discussing whatever. Should prove useful for the group-work... I don't see us finding a meshing of schedules to allow for a chat-discussion with all three of us. The Elluminate Sessions for 6615 every Wednesday night are tough enough.
Just posted my Multiple Intelligences lesson plan. I decided to go with a lesson I delivered at St. Joseph's this past winter. Hopefully, I'll get some good feedback. I've been trying to offer some good discussion responses thus far... hopefully I'll be able to keep up with the volume of posts... with the forum being worth 15%, there are bound to be quite a few.
Two Discussion activities in the same day... boy, I'm on Fire! :) I just finished posting on the notion of the Net Generation (NetGen). It is a topic which really interests me, considering the fact that brain research is showing that people are not only learning through different methods but that they actually learn in different ways. I guess there's something to this MI stuff after all! :)
I'll be leaving tomorrow (the 17th) to try and locate a place to live on the Port Aux Port Peninsula. Two courses on the go, an Elluminate session on Wednesday... this is tough! Going to stay in Bishop's Falls with relatives and head to Stephenville on Monday. Should be back by Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Found a place to live -- I'll have a 40 minute drive but truly, there was nothing available (even after about three weeks of calls before-hand). I managed to post on Monday from Rob's house and again tonight. I just got off of my Elluminate session... it's going for 11:00pm! Yuck. But, I guess doing web-courses has its benefits (at least I don't have to be tied to one place).
Going to be away later this week... could jeopardize the group in terms of getting the assignment done for the end of the week. Convinced the guys to ask for minor extension -- better safe than sorry. Diane was cool about it... gave us until Tuesday night (hopefully we won't need that long).
We passed the assignment in on the 2nd. I have been very very impressed with how we've been able to work together so fluidly. It's lucky that we got the extension though, as I ended up being away for a whole day longer than expected!
What a quick response on the assignment! Diane is a fast marker -- we got a great mark. All that work really paid off (a nice change, considering the 'issues' I've been having elsewhere lately). ;)
Just posted another required discussion activity on Tom March's work. Again, a topic of discussion which really interests me. The changes within our classrooms are reflective of the changes in the way we perceive learning -- it would be foolish to ignore the fact that in order to teach diverse learners, we need diverse methods!
Not course related but I have been married for three years today (10th). And here I am, working! What a loser! :)
I'm moving this coming week. I've got stuff strung all across the province! I've rented a u-haul the size of the Arc and I still don't think it'll be big enough! Where did we get all this crap?
Came back today (the 19th). Moving sucks. Took me three days of sweaty work but we've done it. Now I'm back in Clarenville until the end of August. Stupid phone guy took four days to show up... lucky I booked him last week! I did get to see A Midsummer Night's Dream in theatre though -- WOW! Issues with connectivity in the area caused a minor lapse in communication with the group but Mark and Ron were cool with it... we had planned on my being away and got most of the hard word pretty much done before I left.
I posted my thoughts regarding the ideal moderator today. I read almost all of the others' posts and found that I had done exactly what I had feared... I'd posted a clone of everyone else's work. Not my fault though... we're all posting on the same topic and we all have to have an original post. I waited until after to read everyone else's because I didn't want their work to influence my own. Being away in Stephenville this week really put me behind... I had expected to be able to keep up with everything but couldn't get online!!! Stupid phone guy...
Ron posted the paper for the homesite and WebQuest today. Pretty good job... pretty unique, even if I do have to say it myself. :) Almost sad it's over... I really enjoyed working with the guys.
Accidentally linked the wrong paper to the homesite for the WebQuest on Robo-Ethics. Remedied this morning... no harm done! :)
I'm putting the finishing touches on the portfolio. I posted my two paper reviews today... they were supposed to be about 250 words (I just noticed that... what a brainwave, right?). Anyway, they are between 500-1100 words each... hopefully I don't lose marks for being over-zealous.