Self Reflection Dilemmas

Hi bloggers,
I hope everyone had a great easter….well I had a grand one…when around the island…and was wasted the whole of the week. Despite this, I had managed finished writing the Assignment 1 (Item 2a) and have now started working on the self reflection of discussions in the course neviroment.

Just today, I had finished drawing up the concept map of the software I have and use at the workplace using MindMapping. It was easy…but not exciting. I still wonder why did use Mindmapping…I could have done it without…or perhaps I very good to paying attention to details or may be I always look at things from a holistic point….but for my mindmapping didn’t make any sense….

Isnt it difficult to self reflect ur own work, I mean choosing the best of ur discussions which I have contributed into the course discussion forum. Well for me, I think its unfair to all my other postings to just pick some from there and say that’s my best of the contributions…..well I have to do this.

I just realized that I also have to state the pros and cons of online discussion forums ….thus I have to do some more readings on that subject but I guess it will be easy and I should be able to finish my Assignment 1 by the end of this week….well I hope so…considering that I have to migrate 27 course from WebCT to Moodle LMS and then reformat it to the new template…
But I think I can manage.

I have noticed that the discussions in the course forum is getting very quite….very few postings per day compared to how it started off…..i guess fellow students must be busy with Assignment 1 or ?????

Anywaz, I am anticipating to be wide awake once everyone is ready…I m eagerly awaiting the discussions in the online debate sections……long live the forums.

Well that’s it for today….

Javed

Mind Mapping

Hello!!
Mind Mapping?....over the last few days I had downloaded the MindMapping software….it is a fully functional 30 days trail version. Had it installed in my work and home PC and have started to use it (well actually trying to)

Yea….just going over thru the functions and features to use the mind mapping program….i find it rather easier to learn by doing it rather then reading the screen of “help” text…whilst I am thinking, how well it can map my mind? what Iam thinking? To extent it can map my mind? Can it really automate my mind? Well I m yet to discover these thinks…..but I have done some reading on data mining…..and once I master the program (or should I say know its basic functionalities) I will post up my comments for activity 2.9

I have started writing the Item 2 (a) of Assignment 1. Well Easter weekend is jus near so maybe I will finish most of the writing part of the assignment (unless my friends takes me to this round the island beerfest trip)..

So…yea till then Happy Easter.

Thanx
Javed

Why build discussion forum if we want to destroy it”….

Hi blogger/reader,
The rugby fever got me this weekend…as Fiji team was taking part in the Hong Kong Sevens competition……did some readings on the Ergonomics issues in education. I also managed to post my comments in the EDU5471 Course Environment regarding Ergonomics at my work place and also what is available to the students at the university I work at.

Currently, I am working out the proposal regarding ergonomic issues of staff at my work place as part of Activity 2.4…..I have also been diverting my attentions towards the completion of assignment 1. Started reading on online discussions and discussion forums which can help me to write a report on the significant contribution to the course discussion forum.

Iam a bit disappointed about the fact that the external discussion forum I was involved in (ie.elearnenable) has become “dead” suddenly…..This forum was made up by my fellow colleagues of the EDU5471 course and sad to say that they are not contributing to the discussion at or maybe I am being a bit vindicated. The assignment 1 requirement was to submit contributions to the external discussion forum from week 1 to week 5……but it seems like students or members of the elearnenable just posted discussions fro assessment purposes….that simply defeats the purpose of the discussion forums and the discussion itself becomes useless. It should be seen as an on-going process of knowledge sharing.

Apparently, I had found the same thing in USQ knowledgegarden (kg) where previous semester students have been quite actively involved in the discussion forums during the course of their study but after that the discussion forum seems to be “dead”………

After these experiences I wonder “why build discussion forum if we want to destroy it”….

Well….i hope some one can answer my wonders….perhaps its best left unanswered.

Aiidous,
Javed

Moooooodle and My Assignment 1

Hello!
I have been very busy at my work the whole of this week. My employers ( University of the South Pacific) have decide to use Moodle Learning Management System from Semester 1, 2008…so currently I have been busy migrating all the courses in different LMS such as WebCT & Edison into the Moodle LMS. Moreover, I have to take triaining of various faculty staffs in Moodle….basically have to teach them about how to use the Moodle LMS….so the next few weeks in my life will be all about Mooooooooooooodle…….pretty crazy stuff but I love it.

And yea….also trying hard to cope up with my EDU5471 Assignment 1….There as an overwhelming amount of discussions being generated in the course web environment…..really difficult to cope up…..many students in the same course suggest do not read all the messages….but how do we prioritize them…..there is simply no mechanisms stating which message is of utmost importance…..however I like reading all the messages….I always learn something….though at times it’s a bit corky ….

I managed to sign up at a discussion list calledelearnEnable which actually consist of the students in the same course (EDU5471)…I like the discussion list coz lot of interesting discussions being generated. I have been adding my comments in the Web Harvesting, Mobile Learning & Online Collaboration Activities discussion topics.

I have been doing my research on podcasting which will be my topic for the assignment on communication tool…well that’s it for now….i gota creep back to my work…….oh no Moooooodle again….

Bye
Javed

My Studies so far…..

Hello Bloggers
I just broke a light bulb and managed cleaning it up before I started writing this blog. Last week went extremely fast…..had to settle in a new place, got to know new people, manage to understand and practice my new job responsibilities and of course catching up with the EDU5471…tremendous and healthy discussions taking place……

I also managed to register for a discussion list which was being organized by one of the fellow student (Arthur). Also great discussions taking place…I have been involved in the Online Collaboration and Mobile Learning (m-Learning) discussion topics.

Amidst all these I have managed to finish the Module 2 readings but yet to read the Selected readings bit…however I knew most of the stuffs as it was about the computer hardware. I enjoyed readings about ergonomics and the mind mapping software…apart from that....i have been trying to concentrate on Assignment 1 particularly where I have to write a paper on a contemporary online communication tool….i have decide to write about podcasting and its use and implications in the Education…..this one of the ways of m-learning.

Untitiled

I was thinking of a good title for this blog …but I couldn’t put my thinking cap any more after hard day at work, so this blog is titled Untitiled…….well new city, new place, new people, new job ….a new life……that’s what iam currently undergoing in my not so stressful (perhaps) life….trying to get to know things quickly but sometimes iam hasty and end up doing things wrongly……but life is a long learning process…isn’t it……have quickly managed to settle down in the office…….

Well trying to cope up with the USQ EDU5471 Discussion Forums readings……isn’t it amazing that just only 4 weeks into the course and more than 400 messages have been generated. (infact a course I did in sem3, 2007 only generated 480 messages over the whole of the semester)….so yea this is one of the most active forums I have ever participated in….The content of the discussions taking place is with max depth and breadth. Every discussion, I sort off learn something new….and its very enjoyable…..

I have started working on the Assignment 1 ….actually started reading on stuffs relating to podcasting as this will be my topic of discussion in Assignment Item 2A…..and its implications and uses in the educational context…..Have also joined a discussion list consisting of the fellow students….rite now discussions are going on online collaborations and m learning.

Anywaz I will go n write a something (probably a good title ) for the next blog

Thanx
Javed

Back in the Business

Its been quite some time i have been out of touch with my blog...actually i have just reloacted to a new city which is in the different part of the country...so yea.....iam sort of back in the biz.......will update my blog asap....have been tring to catch up on the discussions at the forum and it s quite a lot....
Later