I have enjoyed the online learning strategies class because I’ve really picked up some good information to use both as a student and a mentor for the future.
As far as technology goes, I was very computer literate coming into the course. I’ve been using a computer for nearly two decades now, growing up in the infant stages of the internet, I’ve always been the one in my family to deal with “computer issues.” Having said that, I have learned about a decent number of online tools. One of which are online wikis. I was aware of their existence, and I’ve often used a “how-to-…” wiki, but wasn’t aware of their uses for collaborations on projects and the like.
Other online tools I see myself using are the youtube educational videos and some on Kahn Academy, they are good refreshers and offer a different viewpoint on concepts I learn in class. They are good for refreshers and for more in-depth explanations of concepts that I’m struggling with.
I’ve learned more of what I already assumed about myself in terms of learning styles, but I’ve also learned the depth of my procrastination woes. I learned how much I rely on the visual and active styles and how that effects the way I process information. I always knew I had that tendency, but it’s always good to see a test spell out how heavily I rely on visual cues.
I continue to seek out active expressions for studying. I explain a lot of material to students daily, and this is what helps me really nail down individual strategies. I also was informed about how I am more of a sequential learner, which makes sense. I find myself thinking, yes I know I have the tools to solve this problem, but where do I start?
As far as the procrastination goes, I really have to force myself into a rigid schedule and structure to prevent it. I think it’s more about desire and determination than anything else. I will try to work through some of the online tools to help me deal with this. The biggest help has been filling out a calendar.
My most meaningful experience was the library section. I believe the library.osu.edu website has really come a long way since I was taking classes here 3 years ago. I found it much more straightforward to use and found that there were more resources available online. This will undoubtedly be priceless information in future classes and dealing with the students I work with from day to day. They all have papers to write and need credible sources. Being able to help them navigate the process will be advantageous for me and them.
I also really got a lot out of the note-taking advice. I was amazed how much I was leaving out of my notes. Writing questions on the page, using different colors, and drawing circles, boxes and arrows around different steps has really made my notes easier to study with.
In the future, my notes will be clearer. They will have directions, arrows and use color when appropriate. I started using a red pen in conjunction with my black pen after that module. When I reviewed the material for the exam it was much clearer and easier to follow than previous notes.
I will continue to look online for alternate teachings of concepts I struggle with, and I will be confident when going to the library home page. I will also help students improve their studying, note-taking, and learning skills with the information I have used in this course.
Overall, this was a great experience and I feel I will be a better student as a result.