Reaching my Goals

I have forgotten about my blog with so many assignments for the courses and continuing creating my course on the Moodle and also having my son and his family here visiting. My granddaughters are here for their two months summer vacation, so I have less time for myself.

But now I want to write about if I have reached my original goals for these courses. So after rereading my posts, I can reflect with the following.

- I no longer become frustrated while working online or learning the new tools or reaching a deadline. I know it will get done as long as I am committed to it. Maybe not as perfect as I desire, but it will get done.
- As far as becoming a multi-tasker, I still have to do one task at a time, but I have learned the skill of being on the moodle, and having another web page open to copy from at the same time. I still get confused when if I have too many tabs open at the same time.
- I still use paper and pen a lot while working to write down notes that I forget, such as my list of objectives for each unit or week on the moodle while making a checklist for my students or creating the lesson plans for the manual.
- I have become much better about reading on the computer screen, but I still prefer to print out the papers to read them and make notes and save the papers). I have not used the highlighting or post notes yet, but I guess it is about time, I give it a try and learn how to use these important skills. Maybe after this course ends and I have handed in my Course to the University, I can dedicate time to learning these skills.
- I definitely have learned how to focus on one item that I want to see on the screen rather than get frustrated seeing so much information at one time.
- Also this blog began in module 1. I am amazed at how much I have learned since then. My ideas of online learning have changed. I now realize and understand how important collaboration and cooperation is used as a form of autonomous learning. I understand that I am now a facilitator or a guide rather than a teacher. I realize the importance of the assessment rubrics for the students as well as the instructors and how having very clear instructions can help the students to not get frustrated with the assignments. I have learned why essential questions guide my syllabus and how a scope and sequence keeps me on track with my planning. And although I have acquired much knowledge about how to use the moodle, I still need to learn more in order to be more proficient.

Well, these are my personal reflections on what I have learned. I truly thank Justin, Nicole and Karen for always being there to answer my questions and take away my doubts.

I hope I continue to reflect on my learning in this blog.

one month later

It has been one month since I have been on my blog. I have had too much to do at work and classes in the university and my husband's operation, so I have had very little time for myself. But as I have been rereading my blog, I realize how much I have advanced in learning about course design and online activities and the moodle and other technological tools for my courses.
I did not realize how much I have acomplished so far. Also I do not feel so frustrated now when things do not work out quickly. As Nicola says, relax, have patience, slow down, and it always works out. But I am proud of myself for all that I have done so far and know that I will produce a good online EAP Course for my students.
So that's all for now, since my daughter has arrived from Barcelona today and I want to enjoy her company.

Difficulties creating a syllabus

I know that I should have a syllabus for this course already. But since I have taught it only three times, I have changed it each time. So I do not have it organized yet. Also because this new syllabus in blended with online classes and f2f, it has to be reorganized anyway. I can not do a lot of the reading activities from TOEFL and listening activities with debates in class. Also I have to include more collaborative work which I do not have clear in my mind yet on how to accomplish that with my activities. I have too much in my head now, and since it is not clear yet, I get overwhelmed with all the ideas, but do not seem to know how to put them in order for this course. I still get headaches thinking of this syllabus, and I still wake up at night with ideas in my mind. Thank goodness, I have learned to control the high blood pressure that I had every time I walked past my computer screen.!!!!

I know I am capable of creating this. I have high expectations with the continuing courses that they will help me to put my ideas in order.

The biggest problem that I encountered and can not find the solution yet after three weeks, is how to upload an image into the moodle. I have tried so many times that I do not want to do it anymore. I want it to be over and done with. I hate repeating and repeating unsuccessful attempts.

As of now, at least I feel like I tried to do my best, even though I feel frustrated knowing it is not what I want this syllabus to be. I will continue.

Slowly Advancing

Hi again,
Just a note to say that even though I am still not quite sure of what I am doing, I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable with this course. I do not think I will encounter probmems using the Moodle, but I am concerned with my course syllabus and the activties.
I find it extrmely difficult with so much input to choose the correct order of the objectives. I am not too worried about the activities yet, because from what I understood last night, our next cousre will guide us in how to choose and improve our activites to accomplish the objectives. I plan on doing a lot of pen and paper writing first trying to get my ideas in order to be able to put up the units on the moodle for Nicola. But I know I will not have it done by Saturday as she wishes. I will prbably have more time on Sunday.
I wish the best for everyone else in the course with creating their syallbus. Good luck!

Discussion with Susana Jensen

Last week Susana Jensen called me asking for information about my syllabus for the EAP Course in Casa Grande, which she would like to use to defend her thesis. I have not taught that course since 2006, and remember that my computer died on me this year so I was not able to retrieve most of my teaching material from the hard disc. So I had to pull out my old folders and see if i had any printed syllabus forms. I found one from 2006 which was actually based on her original syllabus from the previous year.

So we meet for a few minutes in Casa Grande during the Christmas party and I showed her what I had, which was no help at all because she thought that I would be more up to date than she was. But after a short discussion, we have come to a few conclusions about the EAP Syllabus that I will be designing in this "Educacion Virtual" Courses, to improve it so that it meets the needs of our students.

Based on the information that she has acquired with questionnaires for her thesis, she will send me the results of the students needs for studying English with her recommendations. We believe that the course should be designed to meet the needs of our students and teach them what they need to be able to function in their work lives, as well as in a university. I hope to create this new online EAP syllabus after receiving her recommendations.

In general, we agree that the process of writing essays is still an important part of the EAP Course. But this process can also be applied to the daily needs of our students such as writing letters in English. Also we agree that spending more time reading is an important part of learning this writing process which has to include note takaing and writing summaries.

I am happy to know that I will be receiving real input from our students and from Susana to design a course that hopefully will be beneficial to all of the students. I will keep you posted on my progress.
Margie

video youtube global warming

I am going to try to post 2 YouTube Videos on Global Warming with opposite points of view.These could be something that I can use in the future in my EAP classes because it is a subject that will be current for the next couple of years.


It did not work. I will try again later after i watch Justin's how to blogs.....