I'm Lyndsay Ainsworth and I work for Lincoln University in the Learning, Teaching and Research Group of Library, Teaching and Learning, Te Whare Purakau o Te Whare Wanaka o Aoraki.
Lincoln is a great place to work, and keeps me busy. As Lincoln is currently undertaking a reorganisation of undergraduate programmes, planning a new campus as part of a Lincoln Hub, working through the first year of our 3rd Learning and Teaching Strategic Direction, introducing an Open Access policy, reviewing the University timetable etc. etc., we have plenty of change going on. However, what part is technology playing in these changes?
 |
| Lincoln University, Ivey Hall (Library, Teaching and Learning). March 2013 |
This is my second blog. I went to a Web2 Workshop in 2008 where for one of the tasks we made a blog (on Blogger, actually) and I had completely forgotten about it. When I chose Blogger and logged in last week, it was still there with the single posting I made at the workshop - I deleted it immediately, but did my first bit of course reflection - as I learned last year in 627, it is all very well having a cool tool, but you need to consider the pedagogy first - obviously I never found a use for blogging in either my work or home environments.
I am therefore at a slight disadvantage when it comes to "reflecting on what you would like to achieve by maintaining a blog to support your learning" since I am not yet convinced that maintaining a blog really will support my learning. I struggled to make reflective posts last year in EDEM629, and I think I only made 6 or 7 all semester. The theory and the literature and colleagues that I respect all tell me that active reflection is important for learning, so intellectually I am convinced - it just hasn't translated into my own personal practice. Also, I don't find personal sharing very easy.
Reflection on the task (see task list in tutorial on course website):
- although time consuming to read the tools, instructions etc., it is not at all difficult to create a basic blog.
- I found it easiest to explore, experiment and see what could be done, rather than watch many videos - there were plenty there to view and I would go back to them later to test out more complicated tasks.
- If I were starting again from the beginning, I would not start by using my iPad, I would start off on the desktop PC since I had to move there to do a lot of the work anyway. I would probably try and do more of the task in one sitting. Going away to do other things and coming back meant having to do review work to remind me of where I was at. Reinforced the learning quite well, but took time.
Music listened to while creating this blog post: Borodin: Symphony #2 In B Minor.
YouTube video that reminds us how some learning seems simple to people who have done it many times before:
Uploaded on 26 Feb 2007: Helpdesk support back in the day of the middle age
with English subtitles. Original taken from the show "Øystein og jeg" on Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)in 2001. With Øystein Backe (helper)and Rune Gokstad (desperate monk). Written by Knut Nærum.
with English subtitles. Original taken from the show "Øystein og jeg" on Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)in 2001. With Øystein Backe (helper)and Rune Gokstad (desperate monk). Written by Knut Nærum.
Hi Lyndsay
ReplyDeleteThat's a thoughtful introduction. I enjoyed reading your reflections on the relationships between pedagogy and technology.
From my desk, the pedagogical intention of using blogs for a post grad course is primarily related to the skills underpinning the scholarship of teaching and learning. Writing for a public audience and sharing our outputs openly brings a valuable and authentic dimension to the table. I do agree -- we shouldn't be using tools simply because they're the latest social medial fad.
On another note, I have a keen professional interest in the work that Lincoln are doing around open access. To the best of my knowledge, you are the first Kiwi university to adopt an open access policy. Possibly a productive research focus for this course?
Hi Wayne,
Deleteyes, the Open Acess work has been a good example of people within an institution working together to understand and evaluate what it means to be 'Open'and what the implications of that really are for both research and for teaching. I am sure that we will have plenty more robust conversations in the implementation phase. I have have been involved more from the Copyright perspective, so others with a closer lens may already wish to conduct research around the process. I would not like to step on anyone's toes.