My summer class met for the final time last night. As I was shutting down computers and packing up to leave, it seemed to be a little bittersweet. On the one hand, the pace of a summer class can be exhausting. So, I can't say that I'll truly miss the 14-15 hour days that included a full workday and then four hours of class. With that said, let me talk about what else I won't miss. The interaction with educators and students from around the world. Want to know why I won't miss it? Because I don't have to. Many of these people are now members of my personal learning community. I won't miss interacting with them because I now have a direct link to so many of them...be it through Twitter, Skype, Plurk, or simply reading their blogs.
Which leads me to my next point. Before this class started, I was somewhat reluctant to approach any of the folks who I considered to be the "big name" educators I encountered on Twitter or at conferences and strike up a conversation with them. I suppose I felt that I wasn't truly on the same level as these fellow educators, or that I really didn't have anything to bring to a conversation with these people that would be of interest to them. I see now that I was wrong. Every educator who I have come into contact with during the course of this class has been COMPLETELY approachable and more than willing to talk and answer questions. This revelation has not only totally changed my student experience, but also my professional life. As an academic technology consultant for the University of Memphis, I feel like (as Kevin Honeycutt stated) that I now have access to this awesome think tank of brilliant people. Not only do I have access to it, I get to participate in it as well!
As Dr. Mims stated in class last night, IDT 7078 has forever changed the way I view the classroom and the student experience. Learning is no longer confined to occurring within four walls. As proven by our class, it can truly be a community experience as well as a global experience.
I think I can conclude this post with a quote from Dr. Rick Van Eck that was originally written in reference to gaming and simulation, but I believe can appropriately be applied to what we are now seeing with Web 2.0 technologies. "If we learn from our past, and if we focus on the strengths of the medium and provide the support and infrastructure needed...we may well be present for a true revolution."
What an exciting time to be a student and an educator! I can't wait to see what technologies Web 3.0 will bring to the table : - )
2 Comments
I reread sentences 5 and 6 several times with confusion and concern. Once I trudged on I realized the point you were trying to make... which actually made your point a bit more emphatic.
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Kristy
8/16/2008 06:28:50 am
Yes, my post was a bit tongue in cheek. I was trying to convey the point that I don't need to be sadden by the thought of missing these people now that class is over. I am still connected to them all through my personal learning community. Therefore, I won't "miss" them...because they are still right here with me and accessible via so many Web 2.0 and social media tools. How cool is that? ;-)
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Kristy Conger
Educator, techie, and life long learner! Archives
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