Getting There...

I have been wallowing around the various LT702 course links and I think I am finding my way. One subject that was discussed at the previous workshop was the preferred level of organisation of course material. I was complaining away, and Bronwyn asked a piercing question: "When you open a book, where do you start?"

It turned out that different people start in different ways. Some like to flick through the book, looking at bits here and there. These people also seem to like the web page structure of the course, with links going everywhere, sometimes duplicated and sometimes in circles.

I am not like this. When I start studying a book, I go first to the table of contents, where I like to see chapter titles with subheadings and, ideally, sub-subheadings. For this, Bronwyn called me Linear (that is even worse than being called a rebel!) whereas I would expect anyone linear to go first to either the first page or possibly the index.

In terms of preference for the organisation of information, I would rather think of myself as Hierarchical. These terms actually correspond to historical terms describing information storage in IT. Beyond Linear (originally called "Flat File") and Hierarchical, the currently preferred information storage model (for the past 25-30 years) is Relational; maybe I should start working towards thinking in that way. I am currently teaching relational concepts to first-year students, so that might help me.

(There is a more recent (15-20 years) information storage model around: Object-based; the jury is still out on whether this is a generic advance over Relational storage.)

Bronwyn told me at the workshop that she thought the LT702 web site was fairly well organised, and of course she is right, certainly at the top level of the Guidebook. I am still getting used to the plethora of links underneath, but as the material begins to sink in, I am becoming more confident.

The first two LT702 Workshops

Last year I failed to complete LT701 (Learner-centred Learning), partly because I was not able to attend the workshops. I have registered again for that course, so those of you currently following it will soon see me there too (although I am afraid I will miss the workshops again.)

With my Head of School's support, I promised I would do better with LT702 and I have been able to attend all three live workshops so far. The first two went by in a haze; I remember seeing some old friends and meeting some new ones, and my notes are filed in a folder that I need to pick up from work tomorrow afternoon. We saw Elluminate in all its warty glory and, despite my background in IT, I think I will steer clear of it until the technology matures a little.

I do remember learning that the definition of "flexible" in this context is, you've guessed it, flexible! Some attendees seemed somewhat unsure about this; I certainly find it disconcerting, and this is looking like it will be a big theme in my studies for this module.

Coming Up for Air...

I am just now trying to start to sort out the mess that is my LT702 study effort. I am trying to get my Google group memberships, Blogspot memberships, WikiEducator links and home computer accounts all lined up. When I have done that I want to read all the discussions.

I handed in my Learning Plan Template (Assignment 1) only a few weeks late, and have subsequently learned from Bronwyn's feedback that I am a rebel! Shortly after, one of my department colleagues accused me of being cynical (just because I volunteered for a Turning Point session!) so there you have it: I am a cynical rebel.

For what it is worth, I do not see myself as either particularly cynical or rebellious, but I do like the idea of combining the two, so thank you Bronwyn and Patricia. I have always considered myself to be a contrarian; what the difference is between that and a cynical rebel, is an issue that I will look forward to exploring at some point.

Hello World!