1/22/13
Sitting in a Starbucks
I'm sitting in a Starbucks thinking about PLNs.
When i am waiting to pick up my husband at work, sometimes I am early. There is a little strip mall- Canadian Tire centre - whatever one may call it. Inside there is a Starbucks. While I much rather prefer a Tim Hortons, the place to sit and sip has it's purpose.
I often take advantage of the free wifi. I'm still a multitasker and can't help but hear the conversations around me.
Today it was a man, chatting to a woman in a table diagonal from him. He spoke of his life, his family history. Why he learned to cook at such a young age. His collapsed family.
Both his mother and grandfather died of illness just in the years following world war two.
When he finished his tale of how he learned to fend for himself, he stood up, wished her well and began on his way.
Then he paused at the counter and a short informal chat became a full fledged heart-to-heart. He began speaking about his mother, shared his believed wisdom of day-to-day happenings.
Again, when he was finished (due to a lull in the conversation or disinterested - I can`t tell because I`m just listening) - he made his way across the room and out the door.
So in this short perhaps participation in a PLN (and cyberlearning communities) can be sometimes act like being in a coffee shop.
There's a lot of action, different people, purposes and communication. Everyone can lead or participate in a conservation. We all have knowledge and ideas to share. Sometimes we are leaders - centre of the action, and sometimes one finds a connection just by listening in.)
Everyone has a voice and can contribute. And sometimes one can choose when they just want to listen and learn.
Just a thought..make sense to you? Valia
When i am waiting to pick up my husband at work, sometimes I am early. There is a little strip mall- Canadian Tire centre - whatever one may call it. Inside there is a Starbucks. While I much rather prefer a Tim Hortons, the place to sit and sip has it's purpose.
I often take advantage of the free wifi. I'm still a multitasker and can't help but hear the conversations around me.
Today it was a man, chatting to a woman in a table diagonal from him. He spoke of his life, his family history. Why he learned to cook at such a young age. His collapsed family.
Both his mother and grandfather died of illness just in the years following world war two.
When he finished his tale of how he learned to fend for himself, he stood up, wished her well and began on his way.
Then he paused at the counter and a short informal chat became a full fledged heart-to-heart. He began speaking about his mother, shared his believed wisdom of day-to-day happenings.
Again, when he was finished (due to a lull in the conversation or disinterested - I can`t tell because I`m just listening) - he made his way across the room and out the door.
So in this short perhaps participation in a PLN (and cyberlearning communities) can be sometimes act like being in a coffee shop.
There's a lot of action, different people, purposes and communication. Everyone can lead or participate in a conservation. We all have knowledge and ideas to share. Sometimes we are leaders - centre of the action, and sometimes one finds a connection just by listening in.)
Everyone has a voice and can contribute. And sometimes one can choose when they just want to listen and learn.
Just a thought..make sense to you? Valia
1/15/13
Sharing the excitement
So, the etmooc.org introduction session last night was quite fun. I always enjoyed backchannel chatting heading, having access to use the online whiteboard well also being exposed to new ideas.
The side cow project, well multimedia Collective design pages were fun too!
I decided to share with my colleagues the benefits and future fun learning that could happen add more and more of us join in on this massive open online course learning opportunity. I think a few them will be registering soon.
The nice thing about all of the interaction going on online is that although some don't have time to interact in real time, it can all be located and found when you have a spare moment. Individealized and self directed learning! :) Just head to the Google Plus community, #etmooc on twitter ( where one can find links 2 recording archives.
The potential sharing is limitless. With friends in person or cyber buddies. Even looking through the introductions and the various software programs that participants used to create their introductions was a learning experience for me.
I've been motivated to blog more regularly and am currently using a blogger app...and my android's voice to text feature.. So apologies if there are some spelling errors or repeated words.
Man, this is going to be fun.
Next time I'll add pictures.
1/13/13
Entering 2013 - or where my head is at.
Starting off 2013
I've had an incredibly sad start to the new year 2013 - losing my beloved mini-schnauzer Octavian - too young and suddenly to an aggressive blood cancer on Jan. 7. He shared two homes - making both me and my parents' his castle.
He was supposed to come back to us on Jan. 25 to stay for the winter.
Sadly, he will not.
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| Octavian Reinsalu July 7, 2000 - January 7, 2013 |
But here I start the MOOC without him sitting by me and my husband's side as we both tinker on the computer.
#etmooc - it's the Massive Open Online Course regarding educational technology and media.
I am interested in learning - always - and during this time of grief, I hope that I retain the information and incorporate it into my best practices. I think learning, reflecting and writing is quite therapeutic and helpful. Photography helps too. But I'm sad to realize that my favourite subject won't be posing for me again.
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| Time moves on and that is difficult. |
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