In a perfect world.

In a perfect world, things work when you hit the right key, everything is accessible 24 hours when you need it. In my world however, my home Internet access was wiped out for ten days and then another four days. I spent longer hours at work and my parents’ house trying to stay on top of schoolwork. While there was added frustration to losing access (and waiting on repair), there is something sacred about using your own computer. Using someone else’s is taboo-like wearing someone else’s underwear. While I am “bilingual” with computers-PC at work, Mac at home, I was somewhat vexed that I had two different organizational schemes for my course materials, so I changed the tasks each computer performed.

Outside of work and classes, I felt a little lost without Internet connection. I rely on being able to look something up in a heartbeat. I relied on being able to connect to a complete array of facts and people when I could and as I could. I realized that I have an OCD nature about my mailboxes and outstanding email. It is amazing how paralyzing work can be when the Internet is down. I realized that I have a tolerance for a particular length and breadth of email. Too long (and hence, too detailed) of an email gets tabled until I have time to really look at it. A long email requires attention to detail, problem solving and counseling that loses some context in email. Normally, I run into the student or instructor who wrote the email within a day or so and am able to solve the problem face-to-face. This course has had me thinking about how I could translate what I do “live” to online facilitation.

In order to successfully facilitate online interaction, there is a technique of attending to details or threads of communication and redirecting the communication to the group or a specific individual. There is also the skill of “chunking” themes and proactively communicate to learners A significant time commitment is required for this type of interaction. I felt that was not communicated accurately initially in class. Literature shows us differently.

No matter how much faith you put in technology, you have to have a work around, records, back up. I expected some difficulties with course management software but I was surprised with a few of the wrinkles experienced in during Fall 2007. Depending on which computer he is using, Dr. Barbour not being able to see certain responses to the blogs. I think that I am pretty good with technology and learning software pretty quickly. For whatever reason, I do not particularly care for the blog set up. I had a hard time figuring out how to configure all the student blogs I was responsible for. Fortunately, the FIT course offered a crash course for me to catch up.

Blogging in general was difficult for me. I was hesitant of my “feelings” documented and not really sure about what on what to write. Live discussion is different than documentation. I take things too seriously so I will chalk this up to experience as well.