Welcome! Get to know me.

Welcome to my web log!

My name is Pat and I am an instructor, and now a student, at a university near Chicago. I am creating this blog as part of a course requirement, but also in an attempt to develop my technosavviness (note my creativity in making my own language for this endeavor!).

The course is part one of a certificate program in online learning. To understand the online environment it is important to participate in it at all levels. So I am beginning at the explorer level. You are welcome to join me in my journey and share your thoughts with me as I become more computer and cyber literate.

I am curious about how online learning can be used in higher education. Note that I have reframed my "anxiety" about online learning to "curiosity." I am part of the generation that did not grow up with a computer in my home. Computers were owned by NASA, not by individuals. Like many of my generation, I was dragged into computer use through necessity. I am now somewhat hooked by e-mail, and find myself peeking at it when I should be doing other things, like cleaning house, writing papers, etc. There is always that sense of urgency... is someone sending me an e-mail? Will it be interesting? What's going on online that is better than what I am doing right now?

Of course, the messages most often are spam, or the modern version of chain letters, guaranteeing that I will receive a miracle if I only pass on the story of the angel. Still waiting!

I was introduced to the concept of web classroom teaching (webct) through my university, and I have adopted webct and actively use it for all of my classes. As I become more familiar with the program, I find that I am becoming more creative and am adding more files, making it look sharper, and engaging students more in online discussion. I was resistant to webct at first, but now I find that it is a great time saver. I don't have to grade individual papers; instead, students discuss and reflect online, and I can contribute to the conversations in ways that address several students' discussions at once. I also have found that students are more accountable for their work when they are responsible for posting online. In a classroom, students can "hide" from the teacher and disengage from classwork. Not true in online classrooms!

I teach counseling classes, and I am working on my doctorate in counselor education. I believe that some counseling classes are well suited for an online environment - theories, for example. On the other hand, I also believe that it is important for counselors-in-training (CITs) to personalize their learning. It is through this personalization that CITs understand their clients' experience in counseling. One of the things I am hoping to learn through my own online training is how to personalize the learning so that it goes deeper than just reading text. I want students to be engaged in discovery. I want them to experience the AHA moments that come from truly "getting" not only the material, but the concepts underlying the material.

As I get more comfortable with the online environment, I find I am enjoying it more. I am planning to write my dissertation about online learning in counselor education. As I pursue the certificate I am looking forward to learning about faciliation and design. What makes best practice in online teaching? What are some of the challenges an online learner, or instructor, face in this environment? (Locked up computers come to mind...)

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you have enjoyed this peek into my perception, and your comments are most welcome!

Pat