As you know form my previous post, I was doing the Going Mobile course by TheConsultants-e.com and well, it's come to an end now and I'm sad it has finished because I loved every minute of it. Module 2 of the course was very hands on with lots of articles, tools to explore, pair and group work, and so what better way to learn than to do things yourself and then share your own experiences during the process, what your context is and what you're doing while also learning from others on the course about the same things. What I Iike the most about online learning and from good online courses is that they provided you with the opportunity to learn with and from others while acquiring new knowledge through the exploration of content, tools and theory via experimentation.
Module 2 also offered the possibility to meet virtually at a video conference to discuss the different topics and tasks, share experiences with both challenges and triumphs. It is not always possible to participate in these VCs because of last minute obligations or unforeseen circumstances, but they are recorded and then shared tin the Moodle so it is possible to then watch the meetings and still get to feel a little closer to the other participants.
What have I taken away? Lots of new ideas about how to use mobile devices in my classroom. These ideas came not only from links and resources included in the course but also through the experimentation with them and also through the generous sharing of participants' ideas, contexts and support. Mobile devices are here to stay and get better and more powerful every day and we're more and more involved by them in our daily lives and so are our learners so why not harness that power to enhance their learning experiences in the classroom? I'm a learner myself having just recently resumed studying French and learning Basque by myself and mobile devices e.g. my iPad and Samsung smart phone are key to what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. Being a teacher myself allows me to see these devices both from my own student role and teacher roles and get the best of both to bring useful ideas of what I am doing already in terms of learning to the classroom for my students!
So, what's next then? Thirsty as I am for learning, I'm already on the look out for my next adventure! Stay tuned and you'll soon find out!
(Picture taken from https://pixabay.com/en/confetti-paper-birthday-blank-3182653/)
(Picture taken from https://pixabay.com/en/confetti-paper-birthday-blank-3182653/)
