The Tao of "isms"

(cross posted in shorter form to my Personal Learning Landscape)

It has been an educational weekend, to say the least.

While I've taken the opportunity to start reading my texts for the upcoming pre-residency, I was doing so without the context of a specific assignment or deliverable. I was okay with that. I ignored my good little educator voice and forged ahead, if for no other reason but to get myself into that academic frame of mind.

Saturday AM: my official reading requirements and initial assignment arrived.

To say that I was, after reading the assignment, well in the throes of cognitive dissonance would be a significant understatement.

The initial assignment is daunting in its simplicity: 1000-1500 words (suitably composed following the APA style guide) on my assumptions about learners and learning, and how those assumptions are reflected in the readings. I will, apparently, receive constructive feedback on the submission and we'll revisit it as the residency progresses.

(Sidebar: Hmmm....academic writing. Pretty much diametrically opposed to the business writing I've been doing for the past 10+ years. Even the practicum for my Adult Training & Development Certificate was pretty business-like. The last real academic piece I submitted was probably the better part of 12-13 yrs ago, and I don't think that my treatise on Bismarck's role in 19th Century European/German history would have much value here.)

As with most things, some of the reading was straightforward enough and some of it was like reading Greek. I found myself barraged by a slew of "-isms", "-ologies" and theories and approaches as I valiantly waded through the first (of two) required chapters in my Perspectives on Research text. I haven't seen this much brain theory this side of a Psychotherapists Convention. Everywhere I looked, there was a new term to research, which led to more research and linking. I mean, there was an "-ism" and an "-ology" for almost everything! I was absolutely surrounded and about to be overwhelmed. I'm certain that if I hadn't left a mental trail of bread crumbs I'd be basting nicely inside someone's oven. Just to make things interesting I still had this paper staring me in the face with no discernable starting point. In fact, I felt more lost than when I started.

However, if I may mix my metahpors, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. No, it was not the oncoming train. We were required to download a study paper which dealt with learning and professional practice. About 4 paragraphs in, I was hooked. I finally saw the connections. Meaning was given to my learning/learner assumptions, and I actually saw a starting point for my assignment paper. Associated reference papers were sought, found, and saved for future reading.

Eureka!*

The afternoon definitely went better than the morning. Yes, I still have to get through the research text, and I still have to re-read the first 2 chapters of Making Sense of Adult Learning but I feel a lot further ahead than I did yesterday morning.

I guess it illustrates one of the assumptions that I do make about learners: we need relevance and meaning in order for 'information' to become 'knowledge', and occasionally we need a push in the right direction.

Technorati Tags: Royal Roads, education theory, cognitive dissonance, learning

Translation: Holy crap, I might just have a chance at making this thing work!

Treasure Hunting

Today's quest is all about collaboration and connections. Okay, maybe not face-to-face collaboration and interactions. But learning from others' experiences and seeing who else is out there.

I guess its my own "best of breed" program.

Tagging my posts with the relevant keywords was something I had left alone in more recent submissions, but I played catch-up and added a few here and there. I figured that Technorati was probably a better way of making those initial connections than just blindly googling my afternoon away. So you may see a few more links here and there on the sidebar from sites I found particularly compelling or relevant to what I'm trying to accomplish.

My hope is that traffic will grow. Comments will appear. Dialog begins. Learning and change can happen.

After all, learning is supposed to be an instrument of change.

Technorati Tag: e-learning, collaboration, dialog, blog, technorati, tags

More e-learning for Northern Ontario

I'm more focused on the corporate learning end of things, but this announcement for Northern Ontario was nice to see. To say nothing of being long overdue (and don't go dredging up your favourite boogeyman, Mike Harris....the blame list is long and distinguished)

"20 new e-learning centres to open"

Technorati Tags: e-learning, Ontario, Distance Learning

Today's challenge

Adding interactivity and dynamic content to a process/best practice learning package.

How do you take a common-sense 'book' and turn it into a self-paced learning package?

In classroom settings there are opportunities for discussion and anecdotes and peer-level synergy. Even practical scenario exercises have a place.

Can this be effectively replicated in a self-paced environment?

Such is my current challenge.

Technorati tags: e-learning, interactivity, e-learning development

Off to the Wild, Wild West

Yes I know its been a while. I have no-one to blame but myself.

I will be starting the MA in Learning and Technology at Royal Roads University starting in early August. Needless to say, I'm excited about the whole thing, despite the sheer blunt force impact it will doubless have upon life, work, family, etc.

A strange feeling is coming over me as I head back to the land of serious academia for the first time in over 15 years. Granted, its not as though I haven't been in classes of any kind over that time, but the full-time, long-term pursuit of something other than a class completion certificate is daunting and exhilarating, all at the same time. OISE is largely to blame credit for my desire to get back into a real 'learning' mode. While I was there, I really got the 'school bug'; which is somewhat surprising considering my somewhat laissez-faire attitude while I was in University the first time around.

On the personal side, I see this program as somewhat making up for my long-incomplete undergrad. On the professional side, its a way for me to advance with a real credential in hand. I'm really just about as high up as I can go with my hard-won 'nuts and bolts' experience and achievements.

I really wanted a different way to manage notes and references and, more importantly, the relationships and links between them, So I'm adding a couple of elements to the process.

• First, I'll be more active on this blog. I'll be recording class and program-specific thoughts and experiences.
• Second, I've established a Learning Wiki. I'll do some experimentation with the Wiki concept with my own readings and writings. I have also set up a little 'Learning Landscape' through Elgg.

I have to say, to the second point, that this PBWiki is a neat little tool so far. ("PB" referring to "Peanut Butter", as in, "it should be as easy to make a Wiki as making a Peanut Butter Sandwich.") Many thanks to Mark Federman - via Google - for the pointer.

Elgg also offers, at first blush, some very interesting possbilities for connections, social networking, and the learning opportunities therein.

So there's the latest. My first two texts have arrived and I'm diving headfirst into the first one. ("Making Sense of Adult Learning" - Dorothy MacKeracher)

Only four and a half weeks until I'm off to Victoria!

Technorati tags: e-learning, Royal Roads, PBWiki, Personal Learning Landscape, Elgg