By end of week 1- Get a Grip!

I have realised it is about time to get a grip, collect my thoughts and focus on the task ahead of me.  I found the discussion board most helpful. Reading advice given by Jenni and other tutors to students with similar concerns, I have come to the conclusion that it is only possible to study one aspect at a time. Browsing all over My Companion like a mad person searching for answers to numerous tasks is simply not productive. I have decided to take a deliberate step by step approach to the tasks, and focus on only one aspect at a time. E.g. Research the website, Decide on a technology, then create my website.

Beginning of Week 1 – My Blogging Debut

On commencement of this unit I have been feeling anxious and nervous about the tasks ahead of me. Returning to university after 5 years is very daunting and I am very unfamiliar to this way of working as an external student. On commencement of  university I was very worried about lack of contact with tutors and my peers and that as an external student I would feel isolated. 

Within a week of commencing this unit I have discovered that there are endless opportunities for connecting with my peers and all tutors you have been readily available when seeking advice. I have been able to interact threw discussion boards on our LMS system, using Skype and via a Facebook social media group that has been set up by one of my peers. It is a great feeling to have so much support and to be able to communicate with everyone, this has had a huge impact on my learning experience.

I am definitely behind today’s technological world. Although challenging, I do feel this unit will be of great benefit to me, not only as a teacher, but in everyday life.

I was very excited to begin with and keen to access the LMS and My Companion site to explore. I soon became overwhelmed with the enormous amount of content put forward to me. 

Reading through the unit guide for EDN113 Task 1 the words CREATE A WEBSITE AND BLOG definitely set in the panic even more as I had hoped that the first assignment might have been something a little more familiar to me. I have never even attempted creating a website before, and felt out of my depth with this one.

After many hours browsing the LMS and theTechnology Toolbox, I found reading students and tutors comments on the discussion board very comforting. I now realise that many of us were in the same boat!

Meaningful Learning with Technology

My textbook for EDN113. "Meaningful Learning with Technology, Ed. 4"  I ordered well in advance of the course commencing so that this would give me the opportunity to take my time and read the textbook at my own pace a couple of weeks prior to starting. I usually do not like reading for pleasure very much, however I really got into this book. I found it very interesting and an easy read.
I like that the books focus is on 'meaningful learning' and describes how technologies can be used in the classroom rather than what technologies there are and how to use them.


"meaningful learning requires active engagement in authentic learning tasks, articulation, and reflection..."

The book is very cleverly organised around meaningful learning activities.

-Inquiring with technologies
-Experimenting with technologies
-Designing with technologies
-Communicating with technologies
-Community building and collaborations
-Writing with technologies
-Modelling with technologies
-Visualising with technologies
-Assessing meaningful learning and teaching with technologies.

 This book has made me aware of a number of technologies that I had never heard of and hope that on completion of this unit I will gain the confidence and knowledge on how to use such technologies to assist in the classroom. I can see myself referring back to the ideas and concepts mentioned in chapters of this book as I progress through this unit, as there was a lot of information.