My Learning Contributions in EC&I 831
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At the start of EC&I 831, I wasn’t sure how much I would be able to contribute to the learning of others. I saw myself as a learner — someone still figuring things out, especially when it came to open education, social media, and networked learning. But over time, I realized that learning is a two-way street, and even small acts — a shared resource, a blog post, a conversation — can help others grow.
In my video, I showcase how my contributions evolved throughout this course. Here are a few highlights I included:
1. Blogging My Learning Journey
Each week, I documented my sourdough learning journey with Dough-na-tella. These posts weren’t just a way to track progress — they became a resource for others. I shared recipes, honest reflections, tips for troubleshooting, and links to helpful videos and open educational resources (OERs). I even had people say they tried baking because of my posts — which felt amazing!
2. Engaging on Discord (Eventually!) 
I’ll be honest: Discord was intimidating at first. I had never used it before this class, and I struggled to engage. But once I got the hang of it, I started jumping into conversations, asking questions, and replying to others’ posts. Sharing struggles — like when my starter overflowed all over the fridge — sparked some funny and supportive dialogue.
3. Sharing Resources
Throughout the course, I made an intentional effort to share the tools, videos, and platforms that helped me learn. From Canva templates to TikTok recipe creators, I posted my go-to guides for anyone else learning alongside me.
4. Creating Accessible, Visual Content 
When I realized how much I enjoyed using Powtoon and Canva to present my learning, I leaned into that strength. I started creating tutorials, how-to slides, and infographics to make my content engaging and easy to follow. Visuals matter — especially for those who learn best that way.
5. Encouraging Others to Jump In 
A few classmates mentioned they were inspired to try new platforms or share more of their own learning after seeing my content. That’s the ultimate win in a course like this — seeing how your own vulnerable sharing can empower others to do the same.
Final Thoughts Contributing to the learning of others didn’t require me to be an expert. It just required me to show up, be open, and share what I was learning along the way. That mindset shift — from passive learner to active participant — is something I’ll carry with me far beyond this course.
Edited with ChatGpt
hello Shasta
this is amazing compilation. i loved the animation you used, very beautiful.
what tool did you use to create the video?
well done, thank you for your support in this course.
I used a platform called Powtoon. I actually found out about it because I prompted ChatGPT to find a platform that would work for the kind of video I wanted to create. It gave me a few suggestions and this was one of them, and then I tried it and liked it, it did take some time teaching myself how to use it but once I got the hang of it I was off. Inserting voice overs was especially easy.
Okay, I’m going to need someone to walk me through Powtoon again! Every time I use it I get frustrated – but your video looks great. Thanks for sharing resources, your class conversations, and blog comments this term. Best wishes.