Looking for new Mooc

First I must apologize to mozilla.org as I did enjoy teachtheweb but after week 2 and a laptop issue,  I found I could not get re-interested. I quess this is why I tell people, MOOC's are not for college students or at least not most of them. It takes a high level of self discipline and a passion for the subject matter.  I quess I am not that passionate about coding. Shame really, teachtheweb explained it well in week 1 "The more you put in/invest the bigger the return".  I could not get excited enough to invest much and it shows.

I loved mixing pages and boning up my html and css skills but missed not being able to make the weekly session due to logistics. Week three brought grouping and I came in late; no one replied to my Google Plus so there you have it.

I'm way to much of a connectivist to feel so alone and a little behind.  Different from Etmooc, where I had no problem catching up if I lagged off.  But the wierd thing is I finished all of my "assignments" from etmooc.org (though not a valid word for a MOOC I suppose).  Everyweek and day, I looked at my google plus others blogs and had a blast.  This is me.  Not #teachtheweb, which is a total bummer as I really need PD hours after a year of working at the post-secondary  level and doing social media.   I have lost the focus I had for etmooc.  But I'd like to try again.

Anyone of my fellow MOOCer's have a new MOOC or course to suggest?  I need a new MOOC for the summer.  I am a connectivist at heart and have become a strong believer in connectivism and rhizomatic learning. Thanks to Alec Couros  and Dave Cormier for opening my eyes. :)

And to my followers, I missed you, I'll blog more, I promise, or better yet, I'll comment more!

WebMaker's Thimble - Week 2 of MOOC

Well as you may or may not know, I am now participating in #teachtheweb sponsored by Mozilla.org.  Week 2 has begun and I have found some interesting changes from my last MOOC, etmooc.  More about that later….Ok, This weeks assignment, to create a “webby”.  As put on the home page of #teachtheweb the goal was to: create a webpage or video using Thimble,Popcorn Maker or Xray.

Please view my very simple Thimble project here.

Good thing, my link was in my browser history as I couldn’t begin to tell you how one goes about finding their projects on Thimble. At first I thought this would be a great tool for teaching html but I find myself on the fence.  Here are a few of my issues and remember, I love to jump in and play and learn as I go so I created a "persona", required by Mozilla and off I went.

 1. Once I picked my template, I did not like the font. Nothing in the documentation to help you there, umm, where is the Q and A ?

2. I found myself using the html code I already had knowledge of in order to make some adjustments. This would be cumbersome for a newbie to coding, there is no way to find out how to do things your template does not allow, such as center, enter or remove a page break, change columns etc.

3. Once you sign in, I literally could not find my project.  There was nothing under my login name except the option to logout. I have left a screen shot below. I was surprised that not only could I not find my project, that meant I could not edit it nor do I have any html for embedding.Does it have that option?

On the plus side, using the templates provides does help a student learn html and some css as long as they are willing to read the comments thoroughly and be willing to do some googling for features, fonts, colors, headers.  I think that it is great that you can see the changes you make to the html and css directly on the create/edit page which does help the beginner a great deal.  I believe if you can immediately see your work it makes more sense and their I give Thimble huge kudos.It was great to be able to see how your changes affected your page in a dynamic creative environment.

On Moocing, I feel bad as I do not nearly have the time I had during etmooc.  I think it is funny that people are worried about due dates and such.

The MOOC experience is just that an experience and you will get highly stressed out if you look at all the posts and feel behind.  My advise, take it at your own speed, digest it, it's Ok, not to be right there with the tide, you will catch up and if not I am sure what you will find that what you have learned you have also digested, analyzed, created and shared.

The connectivist approach used in this type of MOOC allows for a NEED FOR TIME. You need to have and give the time to read other's blogs, look at their work, comment comment away and then find yourself amazed with all that you have learned when you do have the time to sit back and reflect and blog (hopefully).

As we move into week 2, connected learning, I urge you to look at Rhizomatic Learning by Dave Cormier. It is an amazing concept and to give you an idea I will quote Dave's Blog post

"The rhizome is a stem of plant, like hops, ginger or japanese bamboo, that helps the plant spread and reproduce. It responds and grows according to its environment, not straight upwards like a tree, but in a haphazard networked fashion.  As with the rhizome the rhizomatic learning experience is multiple, has no set beginning or end, – “a rhizome creates through the act of experimentation.”   The idea is to think of a classroom/community/network as an ecosystem in which each person is spreading heir own understanding with the pieces the available in that ecosystem. The public negotiation of that ‘acquisition’ (through content creation, sharing) provides a contextual curriculum to remix back into the existing research/thoughts/ideas in a given field. Their own rhizomatic learning experience becomes more curriculum for others."

Looking forward to week 2 and miss the online meetings.  They really help me to stay motivated and focused when I was in etmooc.

My MOOC Experiece: Etmooc

This has been an amazing journey. And I really wanted to sit down to see what I have learned or contributed during my time with etmooc. Well, please excuse me as I will discuss applications as they relate to concepts.
Session one already had me. I had a great time watching the etmooc sessions on blackboard; I switched my social bookmarking from delicious to diigo. I installed scoop.it and I love it. My switch in social book marking allows me to underline text, make things to “read later” and well, I really like the lists. Scoop.it, well, what an easy way to share. I have also enjoyed buffer for tweets and have become slightly addicted to pearltrees. See my social media pearltree here. I like that I can organize information in a visual manner and I like the branching, it reminds me of mind mapping which I have always taken too.
I ended up installing silver bird to twitter chats (see my post here). Oh, I learned I am not a fan of twitter chats and that’s ok, but I had no idea they even occurred.

I actually use my twitter account at least three or four times a day during what I have termed my “blogsphere” time. I literally went from tweeting 3 times to having over 120 tweets. That means I shared 110+ times, not bad. Oh, and I now dedicate 1 hr a day to commenting, blogging or reading and I love it. Why I did not take this time before is beyond me.

I learned to blog again but with passion. I’ll be honest, I was a disenchanted blogger, it’s the darn comments, I feel irrelevant if I share but no one is reading, That's me.

The topics we have covered really leave for reflection and in-depth learning if you choose to do so, but how could you not. We had/have great teachers/facilitators that engaged us in new ways to share, learn and engage. I was the disenchanted blogger which is a shame as I have taught it for years. I love blogging now and am really enjoy just opening up a post and considering what I have found to be significant or fun information I might like to share. Sue Water’s gave great presentations that reminded me to be a better blogger, link to people and reflect, some of the things I had forgotten. My blogging community has grown and I really enjoy commenting on blog posts, I find the more you comment, the more you learn, but that might be me. I’m a reflective learner.

I have come to know the power of comments and a community sharing thoughts on the same subject. It is a truly powerful thing and you cannot teach collaboration, you can only guide it.

I truly feel that my social media skills have been given a full make over. I learned that I love Google plus communities and it’s an amazing way to share and create circles of knowledge.

I finished my course proposal for Social Media and Responsibility in Education. I could not have done that without all of the sharing of knowledge and great content that was provided to us. It gave me and extra nudge.

Ah, and rhizomatic learning. I am a rhizomatic learner and the topic is so in depth and interesting that I could research and write about it for hours, luckily, Dave Cormier has already done that and I have read and blogged a great deal about this fascinating concept that makes so much sense to me. We spread so many different ways when we learn, we shoot off in different directions and we all take various paths when we are allowed to have a say in our learning. Each person will have a different outcome but it will definitely be in depth.

Digital storytelling took me down a very familiar road and reminded me why I love it so much, again, so many resources and great content, that I reframed a digital storytelling course proposal that span’s 12 weeks. Thanks Alan, your work in this field is already amazing. I redefined digital storytelling and have decided that if you really need to stick to the basics of a “story” before you digitize it. I’m sure many may disagree. I feel we are doing an injustice to ourselves and our students if we let them think any words with a set of pictures are a true story. It may be fun, it may be explanatory, but the story as the literary component and story boarding cannot be ignored.

I went outside my comfort zone and created a story about a very unpleasant experience. I haven’t done so much storyboarding in a while and it so reminded me of how important it is. My digital story took a lot of effort, time and pain but I think it was very therapeutic. Feel free to see my goanimate story here. I shared so much of myself, some may say too much, but I needed it and I was hoping to inspire some or get suggestions, I didn’t and that’s OK. I have to deal with things on my own terms.

I made animated gifs and played with gimp again, something I had not done in years. I like animated gif’s, I think they are fun and a great way to express an idea, thought, emotion.

I’ve decided to make this a series of blog posts as I had no idea this had become so long. I have so much more to reflect on from the past few months with etmooc, stay tuned. Thank you to Alec Courosa and friends for making my journey possible.

A thought on MOOC's and ETMOOC

Today I tried to catch up with google plus. With over 1200 in my email's I figured it was about time to catch up. As usual there are 5 posts I have put in "read later", thanks diigo, a few I commented on and one that took me on a journey I did not expect and I wanted to share:

I found the following post by..Alan Brady called tree sitting. Now unless you completely want to hear an argument as to why the idea's of MOOC's is a bad one and well written with many great points and logical sequence, I suggest you read it. I read it three times and as he disagrees greatly with MOOC's. He discusses these views in his post while addressing a blog post by Clay Shirsky regarding Clay's thoughts on Mooc's as suggested at Mr. Shirsky's blog where he consider's the MOOC a lightening rod, an explosion in this open world, MOOC's will help with expenses, will open how we view what we are learning. I agree completely Mr. Shirsky, thanks for the great post and books.

Mr. Brady's arquement is that "the word MOOC is misused and that certain colleges will make a profit or misuse it's intentions".

When he references MOOC's and the self directed learner that is required, he states: you would be getting a special kind of online text, one which is slightly more interactive than a web-site, but basically not distinct from a well-organized blog. Such things can be a wonderful addition to the universe.But calling them “classes” is begging the question that a class is no more than that, and I am consistently amazed that anyone would make that mistake."

I can in earnest tell you I am learning more because there are no time lines really. I am learning rhizomatically and that's OK. I have the time to explore and my stomach is not in a knot because my digital story isn't complete. I have enjoyed so many different paths that I feel that I have learned more. Don't get me wrong, I spend at least 6 hours a week actively in etmooc. I don't worry what path I end up going down as it is usually in great detail and with thinkers similar and very unsimilar to me, which enlighten's me and helps me to grown.

“He states that the term online” has performed some strange alchemy, turning a digital lecture class into pedagogical gold. And this is the entire structural logic of the MOOC as a concept: with great technology, comes great student to teacher ratios. There is no MOOC without this imperative to shed pedagogical labor."

Wow, now I am pretty sure he is not connected as I have learned that I have a community of over 1000 educators to help me. That's an awesome ratio in my eyes. Now I've seen Alan's work and Sue's many comments, I find that so hard to believe. Did we get lucky?? Every facilitator has been wonderful in sharing work, reviewing comments and reading our blogs. It is evident in the comments and in our blackboard sessions that they know who we are and really care about the content provided and well "re-created".

I think we know who our connections are by now. We know that there are over 1000 people willing to help in our #etmooc community. Am I wrong? I think that those who need to be nudged or pushed to listen or in some cases talk are what we call lurkers. Not slackers. They see the information and hopefully they will try to play with one of the many great tools the community provides and contribute too. It's ok, 80% of the information on the internet is learned because they are looking for it. Even if they don't contribute, does not mean they did not learn.

Point is, As an etmooc'er I got upset. I got upset that the views he presented appeared to be well, without experience plain and simple, it is so easy to judge or give view points when you have not participated in both types of learning. I have worked my but off it my MOOC experience and I have learned more than many college classes combined. I can go to a lecture with 200 people and walk down hallways and not experience the conversations and reflections that I read, discussed and listen to in #etmooc, I think Alan and our other facilitators our providing a great path with topics, communities, blackboard sessions that are enticing and educational. One of the major arguements is that a MOOC is not quantifiable. It is not known who is actually participating and how much. Again, I disagree, I believe if you ask Alan or Sue of etmooc, they could tell you there top contributors, those that have blogs, tweeted, participated, lurked, and learned. I'm sure if you really wanted to you could count how many times I shared on google plus and twitter and how many blogs I wrote and if you really wanted you could even get feeds to my comments as technology is a wonderful thing.

We self directed learners do not need the quantifiable. Maybe any MOOC need's a disclaimer,

Must read "rhizomatic learning".

Must define your own goals.

Must be willing to be a provider and sharer of information in an online environment and be mature in nature.

Warning: This is a MOOC, We do not hold your hand but welcome you on a great journey!"

As I finish this post, I just read another great post on MOOC's were they are broken down to an actual online course by Joe Dillon, "Course camparison,f2f vs etmooc". A great read.

Rhizomatic Learning and Comments are How I Learn

Had to add this picture, I love it!

I left this as a comment on a blog today, but realized it makes a great post so here it is.... Ah, the power of comments is a lovely thing. Watching the exchange on the subject on rhizomatic lerning from Louwarnoud van der Duim's Blog has helped me put rhizomatic learning in perspective.

Thanks you to both @louwarnoud, as I had similar notions until I kept on looking and reading Dave's Blog. I no longer think that rhizomatic learnging is just for those empowered or smarter. It does not need an internet connection. It truly takes a facilitator with an open mind. Please feel free to see my blog post which stemmed from similar thoughts until I came upon the blog post on classroom20.com, Who is Educating Us.

You see when "formal education" is introduced to a community that did not have it, they do lose out, and I quote

"One of the most profound changes that occurs when modern schooling is introduced into traditional societies around the world is a radical shift in the locus of power and control over learning from children, families, and communities to ever more centralized systems of authority.Once learning is institutionalized under a central authority, both freedom for the individual and respect for the local are radically curtailed. The child in a classroom generally finds herself in a situation where she may not move, speak, laugh, sing, eat, drink, read, think her own thoughts, or even use the toilet without explicit permission from an authority figure. Family and community are sidelined, their knowledge now seen as inferior to the school curriculum".

Now if that is not proof that we are at our hearts rhizomatic learners, I'm not sure what does! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Many have expanded my mind when it comes to rhizomatic learning. I still have questions, see my last post..but I think we are wired for rhizomatic learning and if not it is because we were told that's just not how things work! What a shame. I have come to terms with the rhizomatic learning and the power of backtracking and commenting on blogs have helped me to form my own roads. Actually I don't think I have enjoyed a journey like this in a while so Thank you Dave Cormier, because well your awesome and I'm pretty sure I'd like a "badge" for being a rhizomatic learner. Thanks to Lou as I enjoyed your blog and posts immensely. To Carol Black for the amazing paper/post on "Who controls what you learn", and to Sue, as she always comments and has shared and confirmed that looking back and commenting really does add to my knowledge; and last but not least thank you ETMOOC as you have helped me grow and connect!. Thanks for reading.. Love to hear your thoughts.

Who Controls What You Learn and Rhizomatic Learning

Today, I sat down and tried to wrap my brain around Rhizomatic Learning w/ Dave Cormier which I watched last night in the etmooc archives. Ok, so let me get this straight.. "We, as in all of us, or those in a class or Mooc" decide what the learning goals are?? Or is it that we are just introduced to a concept and end up going where it takes us? I must admit, I did not join etmooc without two goals. 1. To me more connected with like minded people. 2. To get and share great ideas in emerging technology and digital identities" as it pertains to my own curriculum design pursuits. I teach/facilitate in Computer Technology and that is why I am connected. I don't think I would be a very valuable teacher in the 21st century if I did not keep up with technology, technology is connections, new applciations, freedom on knowledge, blogging for reflection...sharing with wiki's and learning how to do it correctly(at least that is what I see).

In a Rhizomatic learning environment, do you sign up for a course that states "you decide what you will learn"?? Wow, would'nt that be great! I love etmooc and I love online learning, blogging, wiki's, new apps to play with. So the sad news is while I do teach these courses, they still have very specific standards which I must state in my syllabus and my goals for the week/unit must be detailed in our online CMS. I am blessed as I get to make my own curriculum as it pertains to the standards but that was not the case when I was in public education.

So I am grateful but yet I am stuck. What could be and what is reality is so different. Those of us that share and connect learn so much more than those who follow the conventional models of being educated but they do not have a choice. How do we get that to change?? I love the concept, I love that it has a meaningful name but how do we help others see the light??

Visit Classroom 2.0
Today, I tool a small break and moved over to my classroom2.0 community. There I found the longest and most powerful blog/paper I had read in a long time. Carol Black will be speaking to the classroom 2.0 community on FutureofEducation.com February 5th. The topic is "Who is Educating us", Please read her blog post On Power, Knowledge, and the Re-Occupation of Common Sense. It was after I read this powerful change seen in communities that go from community education to "formal" education that I realized they were essentially being stripped of great lessons and being removed from their culture of learning. You see we need rhizomatic learning, in is in our nature as human beings yet we strip in away as soon as we empose "standards", or "goals as deemed by others". The most powerful thing I received from reading the whole blog was the following:

In “developed” societies, we are so accustomed to centralized control over learning that it has become functionally invisible to us, and most people accept it as natural, inevitable, and consistent with the principles of freedom and democracy. We assume that this central authority, because it is associated with something that seems like an unequivocal good – “education” – must itself be fundamentally good, a sort of benevolent dictatorship of the intellect. We allow remote “experts” to dictate what we must learn, when we must learn it, and how we must learn it. We grant them the right to test us, to measure the contents of our brains and the value of our skills, and then to brand us in childhood with a set of numeric rankings that have enormous power over our future opportunities to participate in the economic and political life of our society. We endorse strict legal codes which render this process compulsory, and in a truly Orwellian twist, many of us now view it as a fundamental human right to be legally compelled to learn what a higher authority tells us to learn.

You see in her blog and I quote: "One of the most profound changes that occurs when modern schooling is introduced into traditional societies around the world is a radical shift in the locus of power and control over learning from children, families, and communities to ever more centralized systems of authority. While all cultures are different, in many non-modernized societies children enjoy wide latitude to learn by free play, interaction with other children of multiple ages, immersion in nature, and direct participation in adult work and activities."

They had rhizomatic learning and it is now gone. They are forced into classrooms where the state/government decide what they must learn. If you have made it through reading the longest post I have writtent to date, I would love to hear what you think.. How do we move more towards a Rhizomatic learning model? Is it possible? Do you see why Carol Black and myself are so upset that natural learning has been replaced?? Your comments as always are appreciated. :)