I’m glad I took this course. It got me to look a little more closely at personal learning environment software and the issues which they raise. I am by nature a self-learner. I don’t mind reading and reflecting on my own – with a little direction and some framework within which to cast my thoughts. The course format was then more or less in tune with my own preferred learning style.
The hands-on part was also nice – having to create a blog and add posts … Though maybe we could have done a little more hands-on: some short activities involving using this or that software. I think it would have been good to have had a look at a few case studies (in an Estonian context) as well. We could have considered them in groups …
I don’t buy into the whole constructivist view of learning. I don’t like the idea of imposing this philosophical-pedagogical framework unquestioningly on all learning contexts. A more pragmatic approach is look at each learning context individually and then choose the tools (whether they be web2.0 tools or something else) which suit the learning context and help you achieve your teaching goals (whatever they might be). If you’re a more-than-methodical instructor and consider the learning process from all points of view (including that of individual students), I think you will find the optimal solution. If this happens to carry along with it some constructivist assumptions, then why not? But a thorough analysis of the learning context, it’s limits, givens, constraints, needs, etc. must come first.
Thanks for the course and the attention paid to my blog!
It was nice to have you in this course. I am glad that this course gave you some impressions. I think the worst case is to be neutral. Either you have positive feedback and you are satisfied or you have some critical or even angry comments
We will try to take into account your suggestions in terms of making the course better. I think you are right, some kind of group work or group discussion and more hands-on activities would have made this course more lively.
Nevertheless I think we achieved our goals – to introduce alternative options, to show that there are also other possibilities out there…
Thank you and good luck!