I was hoping to get to this blog posted last week, but I have to be honest, life got in the way.
I even admit that I am an “over-the-hill” learner, one of those "digital immigrants" (Prensky, 2001). Now I will tell you something you might think is crazy—I have found that it is much more fun to learn on this side of the hill! This is most likely because I have been able to choose what I want to learn, how I am going to learn it, and I get to share my learning with others.
Online learning, distance education, e-learning…it does not matter what name you give it, I use the Internet to access my school. I attend Walden University. Every aspect of my education thus far has been online and I love it. Many people say they cannot do it online. Some believe they do not have the motivation. Others feel they need the face-to-face interaction offered in more traditional brick and mortar schools. For me, it is about getting up in the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, and sitting down to see what is happening in my class. I do not have to worry about how I look, the drive time, traffic, or if I need gasoline. Then there are the really fun and exciting points.
One attraction is the writing. I love to write. It is who I am, how I communicate, it is what I know. Writing is much easier for me than verbal communication. I can share my feelings without having to “see” another person’s reaction before they have even let me finish my statement. I do not worry about being judged. I can think about what I want to write and take my time writing it. The more I write, the better I am able to express myself.
I am also an avid reader, although outside of school it is my inclination to read fictional novels, in school I relish reading the discussion posts by other students. Their insights and personal experiences really help define the topics that are being presented. My classmates, who I may never meet, whose voices I may never hear, are my mentors, my challengers, and my support. They offer questions, observations, and thought-provoking ideas that allow me to apply real-world solutions to my own questions and observations. Their responses to discussion questions are not just like mine. There have been times when I have been so enthralled by a classmate’s comments that I cannot find the words to express my deep appreciation for what they have written. At other times, I have spent hours researching information in order to support my disagreement only to find that I am wrong in my evaluation. Ah, but here and there I will disagree and get to prove my point. This is true learning. Whether it is reading the assigned resources, sharing knowledge and opinions in the discussion area, completing individual assignments, or working on group projects—it is about learning and using technology to achieve my goals.
Some say they need the reward of immediate feedback. Okay, sometimes I would not mind a quick response; but if I believe in the more thoughtful approach that writing offers me, then I must believe it is necessary for the instructors to have their time to reflect as well. There is also the added benefit of anticipation. I love anticipation, the excitement of waiting for the response. Sure, sometimes it is not the feedback I hoped for, but it creates a challenge and I respond (in my mind): “Okay you want to see me do better, well you got it!” It just makes me demand more from myself, to prove that I can be better than what I thought was my best. But then, my friends, there are those times when an instructor writes: “This is exceptional.” Wow! What a thrill. I can breathe a sigh of relief, go on to the next assignment, and try to make it better than the last.
So what is it all about? It is about technology. It is about learning. When you put them together it is about the thrill of having knowledge. It is about taking a few small steps and then suddenly realizing you have climbed a mountain and touched a star.
Reference
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Reposted from http://polsonpositivity.edublogs.org/
