We have come to the end of the second week of training as webskilled teachers and I will not stop praising everyone on the course for the fruitful collaboration they have shown so far. Robert is always present, resourceful and encouraging. The training mates are just wonderful and many of them are so experienced that it is real pleasure learning from everyone. The diversity of experiences is overwhelming. I have the impression the whole world of teaching is at my fingertips.
This week, I noticed this training will not be easy for me. It requires much presence on the internet (I think more than the 4 required hours everyday recommended by the university) if one has to read all the posts on Nicenet, read all the resources made available by Robert and other training mates, read all the blog posts, etc. I know it is not compulsory to read everything, but whenever I find myself unable to do so I have the impression I'm missing so much! Anyway, that(s the way learning is. It requires a lot of time and I hope I will survive.
I am a full time language teacher at the moment and I head the Distance Learning Department of our language center. Apart from teaching, there are many other tasks like supervising students' end-of-training write-ups writing and presentation, designing new courses and teaching them as we also deal with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Français sur Objectifs Spécifiques (FOS). So, I struggle a lot to find time to meet the deadline for the various tasks on this course. But, let me say it once more, it is very challenging and I like it.
My other worry this week has been the way some mates have answered questions. Let's take the conference on "web search". I have the impression it has gone in all directions. It should be made clear that there is a difference between search engines, webpedia, social networks and other websites. Phil Bradley has listed some 150 search engines and the list can be found here:
All in all, I'm learning a lot here and I can already imagine how webskilled I'll be at the end of this training.
Hi Roland: Indeed, many people have the same experience as you and find themselves a bit too busy with this course. You have mentioned some strategies for coping but let me say this. 1) It will get easier and not be quite as time consuming as we establish and you get used to our weekly routine, and 2) many participants use delicious or other ways to keep track of the stuff they want to go back to *after* the course closes and re-read closely or look at again.
ReplyDeleteHope that the load gets better for you! -Robert
Hi Robert,
ReplyDeleteIt's true that I'm already getting used to the weekly routine and I think my body alarm clock has set itself to wake me up at 03.00 a.m. (Central Africa Time) everyday now for me to have a close look to the weekly tasks.
Thanks very much for the encouragement.
Dear Roland,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment, that it is hard for your to get your work done and handed in before the deadling - it is the same with me.
I is not that I am overworked, it is just that all participants deliver and compose such brilliant work, and reading most of their blogs and ideas takes time. But reading their experiences is absolutela important, because I get so much inspired by my classmates ideas, as well as I have already started to question some of my way of teaching. A lot of thinking-work needs to be done and this takes time - time in which I have learnt a lot - the same as you.
I absolutely like and appreciate the list with all the links on Robert's wiki, it is amazing and very enriching work, that has been done by all the participants, and it seems, that the list is still growing!!!
good luck
Brigitte