In Everything Give Thanks!

Thanks is a word which is used a lot in everyday life. In fact it is the most beautiful word and it is even more beautiful when it comes from down your heart. As I was thinking about this class I realized that I learned so much without knowing that I was learning. I would have never known anything about IM, blogging, ning, twitter, wiki, skype, synthasite, dimdim or vyiew. The class was a challenge but we will never learn if we do not face challenges. I am glad I chose to take this class and I will use this new knowledge in the future. I am very grateful to each of my groupmates, classmates, and especially Dr. Anderson who took the trouble to develop this class for us. Good Luck.
With a grateful heart,
Mercy.

Never too old to change!!

Hello,
I am sharing some of the inspiration I got today. Do you think you are too old to change or learn? Once upon a time I thought so. If you want to become a change agent, you yourself must change. I want to learn, but if I am not willing to change my attitude I cannot learn.. learning invlolves change. It involves a lot of change for me to learn the various new technologies required for this class but I am learning them because I made a painful decision to change my ways of learning. When I look back, I am amazed that I used IMchat, webcam, pbwiki, dimdim, ning, and blogger in the past 3 months. It was not easy but if there is a will there is a way. It is hard when you have many responsibilities and several roles to play. As long as you are alive you learn. How old is too old? BTW I encouraged a 51 year old friend, persuaded her to go back to school and she started this fall. I read about a 94 year old grandma who did her masters in 2007 breaking previous records. Stopping to learn is intellectual death. Think of everyday as a new day full of possibilities. Do not be impressed by your successes or intimidated by your failures. So let us cease every opportunity to learn. "The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune" -but we are not waiting to be 94 to start but can continue until death stops us.
Mercy.

Fulfilling your assignments

Every day you live you are in the process of becoming. What you become, depends on what you give yourself to. I love this quote from an anonymous author from a daily devotional. Some of the steps to grow are,
1. By making a commitment to grow daily, it wont be long before you see real change.
2. Value the process more than the product.
3. Dont wait for inspiration. It is not excitement but most times only
commitment will carry you through.
4. If you are willing to pay now you will enjoy the rewards later and those rewards always taste sweeter.
5. Dont limit God. By focusing on your limitations you magnify them. Focus on the one who can do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.
6. Learn to master your time. You cannot recover lost time, so make every moment count.
7. Always trade up not down.
To fulfill your daily assignment follow these steps.
Think about our course assignments. I think these steps surely will assist us in fulfilling them as well as our life assignments. What are your thoughts?

Transformative learning

Reading Palloff & Pratt made me think where I came from and reflect on where I am going to. It helped me to realize that I was not really learning about technology but using it as I learn. In this class without my knowledge I have grown as a learner and my perspectives about learning has changed from being a listener or a highly focused student to a critical thinker who can reflect on myself and others. When I see the new graduate nurses at work I compare myself as a new graduate when I had to spend hours and days referring books and magazines to clarify or learn something new. Now I see them bring even more than needed info within seconds. In our class Dr. Anderson only guides and facilitates the learning process but we as individuals and groups engage in learning by reflecting on the content and he let us use the method of our choice to enhance the learning. This is awsome because I am not pushed to learn but still I am learning. I have come to a stage where I can embrace technology with more meaning. I have started to enjoy the reflective style and am determined to be a life long reflective learner. This type of learning helped me understand that there is an electronic side to my personality which is getting better with frequent interactions. IRL I hate to be an electronic person(ality).I some times feel that I am connected on line but still feel disconnectedfrom everything else. Though everyone think online is easy I take a lot of time to put my thoughts online. Some times I wonder if I am the only one who feel that way.
Mercy.

Empowered....

As I look back to the beginning of this class, I realize how much this class has empowered me. I am able to connect easily with my class mates and instructor, I can take more time to think deeply about what I am typing and reflect on myself and other's. I am able to expand my learning through connecting frequently and putting my thoughts in front of my online famiy who are willing to support or correct me as needed. This class has given me the opportunity to navigate and explore more...but I wish I had more time. I also learned some time management by learning this course. I am wondering how I am continuing every other committments along with the challenges of this class. So technology is goooood!!
Mercy

step by step moving forward

Hello,
AFAIK I thought abbreviations are NA in classes, and I am :o that Dr. Anderson like us to use emoticons. Most of them are new to me. I always liked the :). IRL I am taking more time figuring out the emoticons and net abbreviations. Eventually in the course of time I may use them. I like to learn the technologies that are easier for the instructor and the learner, rather than getting confused with many. I am trying to take one step at a time. I am working hard to keep up with the various technology, black board discussions and assignments. BTW I am so happy that my house is finally repaired.
TTYL,
Mercy.

Online vs hybrid vs face to face.

Hello,
I think there are varied interactive forms of learning online. The horizon report said that more than 80 of them are already in use and 75 more are being studied about. Students today wants to be faster and wants their learning easy and rewarding. Knowledge is increasing in this age and everyone is trying to keep themselves informed. Knowledge is power.
It is difficult to understand social presence and building communities on line because we are so used to traditional and face to face learning. The more you spend time online communicating with your group and get to know them more the feeling of belonging and togetherness develops automatically. It also reduces the feeling of isolation when communication occurs frequently.
All the negative feelings I had about online learning is almost gone. I find it easier now to interact with everyone. I do not think that it is very easy either. You have to work hard to get your reading and assignments done in a timely manner. It is also challenging to keep up with the different technologies, chat, PBWiki and blogging.
Another thing I notice in online learning is that the instructor is not really teaching but only acts as a guide or facilitator. This method promotes critical thinking. The truth is that I still need to hear a comment or encouragement from my professor, otherwise I feel abandoned. Is that the way everyone feel? Hybrid courses may be a good idea for transitional students like me for a period of time. It also make me think how I am doing in this battle with the new technologies I am learning. I now realize I am learning the course content using technology than learning the technology itself.
I still wonder how as a nursing educator I can use the new technology for a group of technologically advanced students. Practice it more yah!!
Mercy.