Fall Semester Reflection

Do you read your colleagues’ work online? How often? What is it like to read their work? How does being able to see everyone’s work online at any given time change the way you do your work?
i read my colleague's online work regualary. I like getting the different perspectives and ideas on subjects and literature pieces we are covering. Also, if I am confused on a subject I will go to their blogs for help.

How has the publicly and always visible course blog made this course different from one without a blog? How would the course change if the course blog disappeared tomorrow?
Most courses have assignments that you do, turn in, and forget about it, however; this course has allowed me to go back and view my work and see how I have grown as a student and a writer. This course would definately not be the same if the blog was taken away. It would be pointless to be in this AP class without it. We'd have to go back to the Normal way of learning instead of teaching ourselves.

Has publishing your work for the public to see changed your approach to completing an assignment? How so? How would your feelings about the course change if you couldn’t publish your work that way?
completing an assignment now doesn't mean half-ass and turn in. With the blog being public you have to make sure everythuing is accurate because there are people looking for answers that may come across your blog. If I didn't publish my work I most likely wouldn't be putting my all into it.

Has your experience of the physical classroom changed because of the open & online aspects? Where does your learning actually happen?We all came into this course knowing what to expect but being tooken away by what we learened.  We were all able to learn so much in that short period of time and become more collaborative yet independent. My learning happens on the blogs because my resources are now visible to me and unlimited. 

You were described in the Macarthur Foundation/DML interview as “a pioneer”-- how do you describe the experience on the edge to people who haven’t been there (friends and family)?
This experience is something that everyone will go through. As technology grows everyone should be able to widen their own horizons. It truly is a learning experience and needs to be taken full advantage of.

How do they respond when you describe the brave new world in which you’re working?
They were amazed. Technology is usually seen as something that corrupts the youths mind, however; in this case we are able to show everyone how useful and how many advantages come along with it.

What do their responses mean to you? What effect(s) (if any) do they have on you?
Their responses make me feel proud of myself and our accomplishments as a class. We are opening doors for so many other generations to come. This leads me into thius semester and becoming more and more aware of what resources are  available to me.