On Not Knowing

(This blog was inspired by several web sessions and a video, all links I will do my best to embed at the end)

The first time I came across the word MOOC, perhaps because I am from Argentina, I thought it had to do with cows! (Mooooc!)  Later Dave Cormier made the meaning clear to me: Massive Open Online Course.  Very clear, and happy to have added another word to my notepad dictionary of newly acquired words.  Still this word did not mean anything to me until I had the chance to participate in a MOOC.  Here are the phases I went through while being involved in such a course.
1) I got lost.  The wiki pages, the links, the different platforms, the amount of information, the new people.  It was just too much, and I wanted to understand everything and click on every link.  Frustration was the feeling, and I got angry.  Until I understood that it was up to me.  Noone had forced me to be here.  Learning was my responsibility.  When hasn´t it been?
2)  I asked questions.  After all I did not know.  I relaxed.  I thanked the help.
3) I went on getting lost, eventually finding my way around, determined to keep my spirits high no matter what.
4) I used information and seeked for inspiration.  Sir Ken Robinson never fails me!
5) I achieved something.  I used my intuition and embraced uncertainty.
6) I made connections, I cooperated with my connections.  I shared!
7) I had renewed energy.  I am in my element!
   This is something  I never did:
   I never checked how many people had dropped the course, because throughout the process I always had in mind that learning is ultimately up to me!
  Was I lucky?  Who knows? In my short life as a connected educator I only came across creative (Krissy Venosdale), cooperative (Hello Little World), friendly (Lana Rovenskikh), professional (EVO2013 moderators) individuals, so even though the title of this entry is "On Not Knowing" there is something I know:  I want to continue feeding myself with inspiration from likeminded teachers (see My Podcast Project),  I want to help people to learn (my students) and I will continue being grateful to the people who concentrate on the positive.

Video: The School of Life, Sunday Sermon

About Dave Cormier

Curtis J. Bonk

My friend Svetlana, from Russia.

Krissy´s Flickr Page

My teachers skypers friends