Journal #5

There isn't much I can say this time around for my journal except that in the homestretch, I feel pretty darn good about how I will end this class. The last assignment is one I particularly enjoy because I am myself a web designer and love building websites. I have a lot of knowledge that I hope I can use for this last project and I know my group members have appreciated my input and expertise!

My frustrations are practically non-existent in this course. Again, I appreciate the feedback I receive and the promptness which allows me to "rest easy". I am in another ETC course which does not provide that same easiness!

I feel that with the end of the semester, my life as an online learner is slowly coming to a close though I am taking more online courses in the summer and in the fall so I won't be gone too long. As always I enjoy being on the internet and exploring new technologies, applications and programs to use whether for myself personally, my web design or for educational purposes. I really can't wait until I can learn more about teaching online because I know it would be one thing I excel at! :)

Journal #4

This past week, my accomplishments included completing a group assignment with my group members from Team 2.0 We did very well as a group and I really enjoyed working with them. I also feel like I completed at least 90% of the class already which is in my best interest because I will be having my first child soon!

I don't have any frustrations surprisingly in this course. Most of my frustrations are from other courses. However, I do find it frustrating that I have so many emails in my vista account. I am overly organizational when it comes to emails and I have so many that are really just from me to my whole group (when I had hit reply all).

As I've said before, my life is spent mostly online or on a computer. So my life as an online learner is more common and natural to me then most things. I think that if I stepped into a face-to-face classroom, I wouldn't know what to do! I thoroughly enjoy online courses and this has been no exception.

I do want to say that I appreciate the promptness of feedback on assignments turned in as it really does help me to gauge if I am really understanding the material or not. Many instructors do not not provide the crucial feedback needed for many students to succeed in their courses.

The Real Journal #3

The biggest accomplishments so far have been the group work my group and I have completed thus far in preparation for the group presentations. It has been a great experience so far and everyone is being cooperative and "pulling their weight".

My only frustrations has been my lack of initiative on starting assignments early. For instance, the recent assignment "Needs Assessment", was not started until very last minute. I had the materials to start it at least a week earlier but did not. I am not sure what the cause is of this (I don't want to say it's my pregnancy, but it very well could be).

My life has been spent online more in the past month than in awhile. I am hoping that it will pay off in the end! But we can only let time tell. I really don't have much else to say because other than the frustration I have about initiative I am quite happy and content with the class and the online environment.

Journal #3

So far, the course has been very even-paced. I do find myself falling a bit behind on deadlines but I feel that this can be easily fixed with more vigilant deadline watching or setting up a more effective calendar system. However, I do feel that the content is beginning to soak into my thought process and I am really beginning to see the application of the content to life outside the "virtual classroom".

Social Cognitive Theory can almost be seen as the method by which individuals thrive and learn best with interaction and reinforcement from others. (Hence the social part) Modeling is a part of Social Cognitive Theory which relies on the presence of others for an individual to observe and adapt to behaving like.

Cognitive Learning Theory deals with internal workings of the brain and how people use what they know and what they can do to solve problems or learn.

For both, the main difference is the interaction between individuals or one's self. It's two distinct schools of thought, but I do believe that both are necessary and can be integrated into curriculum and pedagogy both in the classroom and outside of the classroom.

Journal #2

So far in this course, I have accomplished finishing the scholarly paper. While I am not a stranger to research and the methods used to write a research paper, this was the first time that I felt like I really needed focus on the topic and be able to interpret the information I was gathering on a broader but somehow deeper meaning.

My only frustration at the moment is the group work. It's not that I do not like it or that my group dynamic isn't positive but it is a lot of information to take in and to make sure that 5 other people are on the same page is hard work! However, things are running smoothly enough that this frustration is not my biggest concern. I almost hesitate to include the group work as frustrations because I really do not have any that are pressing or so great that I must express them.

Ultimately, I feel that my online presence and integration is fairly stable. I am doing a much better job of keeping track of my assignments which is very good because there is a lot this semester that I have to process! I am learning more and more about other online instruction through both the scholarly paper in this course and another research paper in another class. It's interesting information to dissect and I feel like online learning is becoming more innovative, reliable and needed then previously thought.

Journal #1

So far I haven't accomplished much in this course. However, I have accomplished creating a schedule for completing assignments and being "on top" of assignments and readings. This is a big step as last semester was very difficult for me to be on top of my assignments.

The only frustration I have is when I feel like I am getting overwhelmed with information. I go into a mode where I shut down and I have found it's not a very good thing to do when it involves academics!

My life, plainly put, is very tech-centered. I grew up around technology and have grown a found admiration for it as well. Being online and using different tools has allowed me to open my eyes to the uses and benefits of many programs and tech (for instance, I discovered iGoogle and everything great about it just last year! I don't think I'd be able to live without it now!). I love being online which is why I believe this class and others like it will suite me just well. That enthusiasm and energy, I hope, will made me successful in classes such as ETC 567.

So far I am very content and happy with how classes are going for me and I hope it continues to remain that way!

Word Cloud Entry

This week, I felt accomplished in exploring new applications that I have never used before, like Wordle. It's a very interesting program and I can see different applications for it including uses in a classroom and personal use. I am not really frustrated with much, mostly just staying caught up this semester!

I've had to develop a bit of a pattern/routine for completing my online courses, and I feel that I am getting settled into a routine that is working for me. I have printed out the first module and find it's rewarding and great for me to check off assignments I have done and look ahead on what I need to do. It's beginning to fall into a comfortable pace for myself, not to mention it's tons of fun because I get to work with (and play with!) different applications online.