CEdO 550 Post#2

This week we had the opportunity to grab the reigns during an Elluminate session. In one sense, it is amazing at how fast time passes when participating as a students in a session, but the pace quickens when and individual tries his/her hand at leading an activity. I enjoyed the opportunity, although I wouldn't hang my hat on my performance. I think that as teachers, it is easy to have confidence in what we do in the classroom. This experience left me rather exposed, and I feel that I learned a lot in a brief period of time. I do not like feeling that I am not in control when I am leading an activity, so my fumbling around prompted me to perform a few practice sessions in a Vroom. I know it will take time to get the hang of the Elluminate controls, and I also know that this class will help me continue to develop my skills.
My initial contact exercise left me somewhat befuddled. I know that we looked at some examples, but I was trying to find the right structure for my style. I wonder if the initial contact should simply be a hello and welcome, followed by some information about me. A quick follow-up contact could perhaps delve into content related to the course. Having both on a page seems a bit overwhelming, but it is probably the most efficient way to get started. Thinking more broadly, I have started to wonder if I would like to teach in the online environment. I like the fact that the class would not have the same interruptions seen daily in the traditional classroom. At the same time, I would wonder about the opportunities to really get to know students. I think online learning provides ample opportunities to be in contact with students, but the lack of the physical contact is intriguing. Being able to put a face to a name is a nice feature of the traditional classroom, and I am not sure that online learning could ever achieve the same level of contact as a face to face classroom. But this musing is coming from someone who is new to the online classroom. Perhaps strong relationships with students could be forged in the online environment. I will need to revisit this line of thinking at the completion of the course. :)