ClappingTree’s Web 2.0

IT’S WEEK 13 OF “Teaching Online: Strategies and Tactics”. Another five weeks to go before the course ends. Still struggling with Assignment 2 which is due end of last week!

In a twist of fate, yours truly (normally highly motivated and studious) is now behaving like a proverbial unmotivated lazy student in our institution.

First, went on a long-awaited six-day holiday (this is for family bonding) in Hongkong and Bangkok in mid March. Came back in the midst of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) scare. Was confined to work at 56kbps at home (and up to 10 hours per month) instead of 100Mbps at office (unlimited!) for six days in Week 4 (bcos i just returned from a SARS-inffected country) and Week 5 (bcos a student was down with SARS).

LOST SOME momentum there, but managed to squeeze out Assignment 1 with a one-week extension after the official deadline. Then, went on a long-overdue four-day retreat (this is for spiritual renewal) at the local Ignatian centre in Week 12. Felt wonderful upon my return, but for a week or two was most reluctant to get into study mode.

Quite an experience! i’m beginning to understand how an unmotivated lazy student might feel as untouched learning material accumulates with the rapid passage of time while other activities beckon so enticingly. Almost wanted to give up! :-p

And quite an irony! Just a few months ago, i had put the finishing touches to a Blackboard course entitled Top e-Learners’ Study Strategies — specifically designed for students in our polytechnic. Got great reviews from boss, colleagues and varsity tutors earlier. Now, i can’t even apply them myself — these strategies have become Strategies That Don’t Work.

But wait! i chose to take this course, i wanted to learn to set effective online teaching strategies and tactics, and this skill is useful in my work. So, okay, grit my teeth and hang on!

And inspired by blogs shared by an online classmate Adam L. and ex-classmate A.O., i hereby start mine….

(imported from Blogger.com)