Summary and Reflection

In many online classes you have to be organized and willing to communicate with your classmates and your instructor; this class was no different. Being an effective communicator not only helped in this class but also is very beneficial in the working world; throughout your entire career you will have to be able to communicate well in a variety of situations. Working in groups for two projects put our communication skills to the test. Not only did we have to correspond with each other we also had to work together as a team to make sure that the assignments were done completely and turned in on time. Working in a group in an online class seems like an unusual request but because of technology we were able to reach out to one another and communicate back and forth on what needed to be done. We mainly used email as our main source of communication but could have used the discussion boards, blogs, live chats or texting. Working with a group can be difficult but because we utilized our time well and communicated clearly there was no confusion and we did well in our assignments. Much like in the “real world” of our careers we will use these skills everyday.
Besides expanding my organizational, communication and team building skills LTEC 3440 has forced me to become more in tune with the social networking sites that so many people and companies use today. Before this class I had never Tweeted or Blogged, two new adventures for me on the web. Using these web applications weekly gave me an insight on how valuable they can be and the many ways they can be used for communicating with friends, family, schoolmates or even employers and clients. Both Blogs and Twitter use the web 2.0 version of the Internet. Web 2.0 is something else that I didn’t know about until this class. Web 2.0 basically has changed the way we use the Internet making it interactive and constantly changing instead of just static information. Web 2.0 lets you control information without having to be a code writer or computer programmer. Other social networking programs such as Facebook and YouTube are available thanks to Web 2.0. Websites like Wikipedia and other information sharing sites allow you to update, change, and post information with just a few clicks. This type of technology changes the way we get information and they way we learn.
LTEC 3440 also introduced me to many new software applications that I had no idea existed. During the course of this class I learned about and used three new applications for presentations, Prezi, Xtranormal, and iMindMap. Say goodbye to PowerPoint! These applications gave me a whole new outlook on presentations. Creating exciting presentations is a good way to relay information without boring your audience. I had a lot of fun making a short movie using Xtranormal. I was amazed by the fact that I could chose a character to look the I wanted it to and then manipulate it’s motions, facial expressions, tempo of speech and angle of the camera all while my character was saying a script that I had written. Once I figured out how to make the application work, which didn’t take long, I made a short movie in a matter of 30 minutes, amazing! One of our other assignments required us to make a mind map, something else that I had not done before. Using the software iMindMap I created a pretty cool mind map full of ideas for a presentation. Using this application proved to be fun, quick and extremely useful. Now I know how to organize my thoughts and make great presentations instead of just scribbling down notes. I didn’t realize how limiting plain, traditional note taking could be; it is a vertical process whereas mind mapping allows your thoughts to flow more freely and randomly. As you are developing “branches” you might remember or want to expand on another thought. Mind Mapping allows to you move around in your notes and ideas. I really enjoyed learning these applications, and I’m glad they were introduced to me.
All of the applications and technology that was introduced to me in LTEC 3440 has made me think of learning and teaching in a new way. Rethinking how we get information across to students or even clients has allowed me to be more creative. Learning that information sharing doesn’t have to be boring black and white text opens the door to so many possibilities. Understanding that not everyone has the same learning style is important. Knowing how to reach all types of learners is even more important. LTEC 3440 has introduced me to new teaching techniques that use current technology. Tools like cell phones can be used for giving pop quizzes, pod cast can be used for students to listen to lectures on their iPods, Blogs can be used to turn in assignments and to share ideas, Twitter can be used for getting class updates. Each one of these tools presents a way of reaching a student or client that reading a textbook or email doesn’t offer. As a ‘designer’ I now have so many more options.
Intro to Instructional Technology (LTEC 3440) has been a rewarding class experience. I am glad that I took LTEC 3440; I know that I will undoubtedly use something from every assignment that we completed.