Contributing to others learning experience is not locked to teaching them things, and EDTC 300 has given me an opportunity to learn that. Just by engaging others with enthusiasm and compassion you can contribute to others learning process by reinforcing them, and bolstering them with advice and compliments. This blog post will go over online interactions I have had with others throughout the semester that I think exemptlify this passive, positive approach.
Commenting on classmates blog posts.
It is extremely important to pass on helpful information, especially if it can make someone else’s life slightly easier!
Commenting on blog post to help someone memorize finger positions when learning guitars. I have seen this product help before!
Positive reinforcement is incredibly important. Even when people think they are failing, having their peers cheer them on often is enough to bolster morale.
Deepening the discussion of the blog posts original purpose. Expanding on the topic material, and engaging in conversations.
Tweeting
Tweeting was hit or miss throughout the semester. This was a completely new concept for me, and I had to learn the ins and outs on the fly. I was able to find a ton of resources that I shared with my classmates throughout the semester, and interaction was good as well.
I struggled tweeting everyday, but made an honest effort to try.
It seems like a good platform to network on, and participating in the SaskEdChat was a positive experience.
Responding to comments on my posts.
Reached out to other social media platforms outside of twitter.
This course gave me a chance to hone my 3D printing skills, and because I had the extra time to be creative I used that momentum to mesh my painting and the new models. Twitter wasn’t doing it for me, and I was always lurking on Reddit so I decided to take the plunge and post on there.
The reception of the 3D printed model was way more far-reaching on Reddit than it was on Twitter. Within three weeks of printing and painting the robot suits for the class I had recieved 5 thousand upvotes, and hundreds of comments to respond to.
Although it was not primarily focused on education, having positive reinforcement on the internet really boasted my morale and encouraged me to continue this side of my hobby life.
I also branched out to Youtube with less success, however the videos were intending to show my classmates that 3D printing is not as complicated as it is led on to be. I made two seperate videos breaking down the steps, from finding files to the completed, painted product.
Final thoughts.
Overall it was a positive experience. I learned a new skill, was taught how to make my own website/blog, and had a chance to network and better understand the importance of social media. It was a change of pace because I am not a tech savy person, and purposefully avoid social media. That being said, it is better to understand these things so I am more in-tune and up-to-date in any professional/casual setting.
I love your reflections on how beneficial is was to connect with others throughout this experience! 3D printing is so cool and such an interesting skill to learn. When doing your learning project did you ever think about how you could bring this into the classroom? I feel like this would be so exciting for you and the students!