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

On how small the world is

I would like to share with you an interview with my friend Lana  I had commented Lana that it had been a very hot day here the day before so she prepared a pot full of  spongy fresh white snow from her garden just to show to me!  They make snowmen with it.  She also introduced me to her daughter who is 10 years old.
We also have other things in common: a black cat! (only that mine is not as sociable as hers!)
But the most amazing thing was that we had been part of a group of skyping teachers without having met before, and here is the moment when we realized that!

Podcast Powered By Podbean

WHY AM I HERE?

In answer to Vance Stevens question as part of the MultiMOOC EVO session.
     Why am I here?  Good question!  Why am I immersed in a completely new experience which I have never heard of before in my life during my Summer holidays trying to overcome feelings of guilt for not being able to comply with the homework, arriving late or not being able to attend live sessions, carrying around the house different notetaking devices in order to record ideas, feelings, sites, tools, names or my jumping flow of consciousness?  Well, I will try to give form to an attempt of an answer.  First of all, I have to say I´m curious, and the name EVO, MultiMOOC /maltimu:c/, called my attention.   Secondly, I heard someone say at the opening session "If it is your first time in EVO don´t register for more than one session."  I am a disobedient girl.  I signed up for four!    Last but not least, a certain Mr Vance Stevens took his time to answer one of my questions and I felt special.  A MOOC was not so massive after all,  this teacher who is probably very busy teaching somewhere in Asia, was interested in me!   Dave Cormier also played an important part in my staying aboard this brainwrecking experience.  His enthusiasm is something I need to become near of right now.  To me he sounded like a subversive rebellious teacher.  I felt identified with the picture of his angry little boy, I was there, angry with it all.  Feeling I just could not cope with so much new (to me) information.  Nevertheless, I decided to continue taking things more easily so that I could enjoy the experience. And I am!

ON BEING A CONNECTED EDUCATOR

     Little did I know of the things that were ahead of me for the following year when I first came in touch with ICT tools back in February 2012.  Back then I had no idea that internet was there to help teachers.  I was the ordinary paper and pen (sometimes red pen!) teacher.  I remember now one of my friends writing the word "Prezi" for me in my handout since I didn´t know how to spell it.  I also remember Paul Seligson mentioning E-Portfolios in one of his talks and I thought of them as something like paper folders but in word format.
    I hardly knew back then later in my first "Becoming an E-Teacher" online course, that I was just beginning to scratch the surface of the great potential the internet had to offer to a teacher of English as a foreign language.