[doctorjen]

Scott,

“What fires my imagination seems to be that part of my brain that thrives on reading and responding ” – I couldn’t agree more! This is one of the reasons I find I have a block to blogging.

Responding seems like a “real world” activity and not confined strictly to imagination–I think:-)
I think too 😉

J

 

[doctorjen]

Hi Scott,

Yes, I’ve read that too somewhere that MOOC organisers think that discussion/artefacts carry deeper meaning/learning potential if they are in your own space. I can see the arguments that you can ‘keep’ it more easily. But, the thought of having thoughts on a blog terrify me! Performance anxiety perhaps? I also need people to nudge me into thinking, so staring at a blank blog with only my own voice for company isn’t going to work!

 

[doctorjen]

Happy to move to Moodle or FB. Slightly prefer Moodle  – if that’s not too much hassle for you to set up SolentRoger?

J

 

[doctorjen]

Hi Shuna,

The forum isn’t the easiest to use . . . this is why I’d wondered if we wanted to scoot off and find a better space. Not sure whether the plan was for us to work in a small group for this induction activity, or to form a small group which would see us through the rest of the MOOC. If the latter then one forum thread is woefully inadequate, and will become very confusing very quickly I think.

We could just colonise the forum and create new threads for us to easily navigate our own ‘private’ conversations, so for example prefixing new threads: ‘Mongrels: our big question’ or ‘Mongrels: what we had for tea last night’. We might annoy about 986 other MOOCers though, and it would mean we would have to subscribe to each thread as it was created to keep the emails coming.

Dranners, I know what you mean about seeming like we’re waiting for the teacher. But SolentRoger and I were in class when the teacher arrived yesterday and I still sat at the back gossiping and forgot to listen. 🙁

Shuna – your comment ‘we’ll all learn stuff – but whether it’s a positive and useful learning experience I’m less convinced’ made me think of two things:

I’m often troubled by the uncomfortable thought that I don’t actually know what learning is, or recognise when I or others are doing it? (Don’t tell anyone this is a shocking admission – my dark secret). If anyone can help me out with this that would be comforting.
The debate about whether MOOCs simply encourage people to rehearse what is already known – or even to transmit (!) what is already known to people who don’t already know it, but they can’t create new knowledge.

 

[doctorjen]

Hi Belinda, looks like you’ve been accepted by the pack 🙂 We are 14 strong now, so not quite in the 101 dalmatians bracket yet.

 

[doctorjen]

yes, the GOTO business was a ‘computing’ lesson rather than learning about something using technology.

We used to have ‘films’ at primary school at the end of term, sitting cross legged picking the rubber off our plimsoles whilst a documentary about volcanoes in Iceland played on the ‘big screen’. We used to have a weekly TV programme, on a regular sized TV with big black flaps surrounding the screen to prevent glare – programmes for schools watched in schools. I always coveted a ‘speak and spell’ machine but never got one.

My experience of using computer technology for learning a subject would probably have been using a library catalogue terminal at University, I suppose. Certainly no TEL at secondary school, or to deliver course content at a UK Russell Group University in the early 90s.

I guess then, the first ‘proper’ engagement TEL was shockingly recent, probably some ECDL quiz then an online Masters with the OU in 2005ish! Crikey! What a sobering thought. (Brings the whole digital native/immmigrant/debate into a slightly different focus for me)

[doctorjen]

Right then gang, we have our 12, shall we continue the conversion here or decamp to some other space? What do you reckon?

[doctorjen]

Hi Scott, happy to welcome you to the group.

 

[doctorjen]

Shall we go out and gather some intelligence on the range of experiences and preferences on the ocTEL mooc by nosing around the other threads on this forum? We could spy on a thread each (this is my inner spymaster asserting itself)?

My first impression is that most people on the MOOC have some experience of TEL – as learners or teachers, more often than not as both. They come from a variety of different discipline areas, and are as likely to think about textiles as technology. They define themselves primarily through their work – so perhaps we can assume they are always busy, and possibly always connected.

The early indignation about the deluge of emails from the JISClist also suggests that most participants are welded to their emails. The fact that the deluge existed could signify – what? That people are keen to connect; that people don’t mind inihilation by inbox; that people don’t use JISC; that the other communication mechanisms weren’t clearly signposted?

J

[doctorjen]

hi Phil – yup yap, you’re in!

 

[doctorjen]

Hey Sian – no cats allowed, happy to have you in the mongrel team.

 

[doctorjen]

Hi Shuna, welcome to the kennel 🙂 sounds like you’ve had a good long walk and now your ready to settle down with some nice elearning . . .

 

 

[doctorjen]

Hi Ruth(?) – lots of creative arts at Huddersfield I think, so I guess online/distance/flexible is challenging?

[doctorjen]

Hi dranners, welcome to our mongrelly group – or muttley crew (sorry ;-)) I’m really interested in how MOOCS work, and how people make them work even if they shouldn’t and not work even if they should.

Also intrigued by xMOOC/cMOOC (think that’s it) distinctions. This one seems brilliantly chaotic so far, but nice forums make life easier, sure having a team will help even more.

 

 

[doctorjen]

Hi David, great to have you in the group!

 

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