The Path to my Masters

This is a monumental point in my life and as I approach I am startled by the realization that I am worn out. I hope that I successfully complete this course and pass.

In this specific course, I have learned that for all the courses I have taken on-line, I never realized how much work goes into them. I glad I took this last because I had some concept of course delivery, not that I demonstrated it in my own course.

My first attempt at building my course was horrendous and when I walked away from it for a day, I saw with brand new eyes all the faults. I wish we had more time as I would liked to have felt that I had room to fix and redo. It was such a strange and startling awakening when I saw how messed up I had the course and how MUCH was lacking.

In answer to what did I learn:  I learned that putting in teaching presence and social presence is not easy. I did better with the social I think. I learned that I need to have much more details in my directions, my rubrics and my navigation. I need to explain course activities much more thoroughly. I need to see from the student.

My biggest complaint for this course was my time commitment. I spent hours and hours on this class and I still didn’t have time for everything. I think for someone who had a f2f class all set on paper with rubrics and tests and other materials, this course is great. To walk in without anything and start from scratch like I did is too much. I was writing the course as I was designing the course and it did not work well with the time I had. Towards the end as the class unfolded, I realized that things were not going to work and logistics were skewed. It worked so well in my head. J

What helped my learning was to see anew the mistakes. I think the reviews will help. I think Alex is an amazing teacher who is supportive and nurturing. She is a Master teacher in Social and teaching presence. Her encouragement when I was ready to throw in the towel was a blessing. I learned so much from Alex that it is hard to be specific. I learned from Alex just how important as an instructor to have established an on-line community and how to be there for a student(s). I will take this away with me from this course and pass it forward to someone else who struggles and loses their confidence.

I would have enjoyed peer review earlier on. I also would have liked Alex’s review earlier before I was so mired down.  Maybe next class, there can be a peer mentor situation where someone is paired from the beginning and you work on your own course, but peer-review someone else at the same time.

How I feel right now is that I never want to see my course again. I am so sick of it. But then I know it needs so much detail work and shoring up. How I feel right now is that I am having a terrible time at my job and it is making everything suffer. How I am feeling right now is that on Saturday, my hard working hubby and I are off for a much needed break in the 1000 Islands for a week… if my boss doesn’t cancel it on me. (she did my spring break) I know I will miss this class in the long run, because there is always something going on and something to learn.

Jane (3)