Mike Bogle's post made me realize that, instinctively, I look for people with a similar view to share what I know and ask what I don't. My reply to his clear post was:
"Your idea of connecting with a goal, to be honest, produced relief. I struggled with the idea of "using" others. Though I have seen that is beneficial for those involved, somehow I was not quite comfortable with it.
Only after reading your clear exposition I understood better what I do with my connections, I have a clearer picture of why people follow me and why they stop doing so and vice versa.
I am too far from you, the tools I use to connect are few, I invest long hours learning how to use them. I guess that as soon as I learn how to use them comfortably I will add more."
Jeffrey Keefer's presentation about the aim of Social Media & Web 2.0 tools points out that there should be an intention, permeated by a mission or vision, along with a message to transmit.
Is this course considered as Social Media?, Do I have to seek for an audience?
As student, my target audience would be the facilitators who would assess and shape my work. I don't even know if I reached them, if I am doing what I am expected to do, if I posted where I am supposed to post or if they are following me. Total Isolation. Jeffrey's questions ring in my head. What do they want from me? What do they think about me? Among so many participants they probably don't know I exist, no one from the staff has contacted me in Moodle.
This bothers me deeply. As a trainer I am quick giving feedback to show that I care and I am listening. Of course I have not had more than 2000 students! I have to admit that I miss the Webheads kind support. I will continue taking responsibility for my learning disregarding audience; though, one of the reasons to take the course for credit was to have regular feedback.
I know that the moderators of the course have a clear idea of the message they want to transmit though I am still lost in new concepts, tools and procedures. As far as I understand we are supposed to make our own learning connections or networks but as I don't have a clear idea of the message I cannot engage yet in serious conversations.
2 comments:
Funny coincidence... With your wondering "Among so many participants, they probably don't know I exist" let me share with you a brief connectivism story.
I was drawn to Mike's post about building a network and found some engaging comments and questions had been added below the post. After adding my own brief note, my email pinged and I found out that you were following my Twitter feed (thecleversheep). Your Twitter name struck me for I had moments earlier read your name over on Mike's blog.
Naturally, I'll be following you, but I think it's a lesson in connectivism that this mini-web of hyperlinks among nodes is but a fraction of what is taking place within the CCK08 course.
Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment. At the begining of the course I visited you blog to add my pin to the map, which by the way was incorrectly placed later by someone and I could not place it again. I already had made contact with you. :-)
I see how participants are connecting, I have been making connections myself. I added you in Twitter because you were following me there and I thought it made sense to correspond.
What I do not see are the "formal" facilitators connecting with registered students, I received a letter from the University accepting me as credit student and another from my bank requesting to confirm the deposit. That's all.
I undestand that this huge course will generate PhD thesis, journal publications and books, that in a sense it is an experiment.
What I don't get is the lack of follow up.
I left another comment in your blog. Love: Maru
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