Returning to postsecondary education after 20 years, I am highly aware of how the education landscape has been changed by technology and digital applications. To put it in perspective, it wasn’t until I’d completed graduate school that I first used Google.
As I settled into being a student again, I definitely feel the impact of being hardwired in an analog world. I feel I’m moving at a slower pace as I learn to communicate through technology that is less familiar to me.
However, I am also experiencing how the assistance of technology is supporting my ability to learn in areas that I once found challenging. Being able to take notes by typing on a laptop, quickly formatting content to make it more readable and digestible for my brain, and using text to speech applications has made my experience as a learner with ADHD far less challenging. Having access to slides, notes, and resource links for courses through UR Courses has been a game changer!
Seeing this impact on my own learning has me eager to gain fluency in educational technologies so that I can best support students in my future classroom.
This blog is my first experience in creating a personal site through which to connect with an online community. I’ve been reluctant to build a website due to a lack of knowledge. The task, and learning curve has simply felt too huge to begin. AND – I’m not someone who is comfortable with putting myself into a public sphere in this way. I generally like to be ‘behind the scenes’ and both a blog and a personal website feel like a public showcase that I’m not completely comfortable with.
That said – this is exactly why I’m taking EDTC 300, diving into critically thinking about the applications, benefits, and opportunities of learning and community within a digital community.