Time to catch up

OK, well I've been a little busy at work the past couple of weeks with our quarterly book exchange, so I haven't had the chance to post as much as I would have like to lately, in fact I think the most I've had the chance to do on here is upload a picture since my first post. Anyhow, time to catch up....

So I completed the first Induction Quiz in week two, I did better then I might have expected with a reasonable 7 out of 10. I remember posting on the course website forum my result and mentioning my frequent uses of abbreviated terms such as: lol, ROFL, brb and numerous others I can't think of off the top of my head right now. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to join in the MSN chat because at 4pm I'm still at work. While I am able to get some assignment work done at work, I am constantly called away or have to shift between programs, not a polite thing to do while having a conversation with someone.

Moving on to week two where the week's reading was looking at what makes a successful learning environment and the different learning styles that we would face in the classroom. I remember looking at these learning styles in depth in my first year of Uni, I am pleased to have read about them again as it refreshed my memory as to what traits, as it were, are unique to which learning style. I remember doing an activity that suggested that I am a Constructive learner.

Week three has seen the beginning of looking into using technologies in teaching. I remember while I was at school myself, the use of the Internet and computer programs such as PowerPoint's seemed like some of the only technologies involved, but we seemed to have entered an age where this is no longer sufficient, I guess you could say. Students today use many, many more tech gadgets then they did six years ago and in my opinion a the most successful way to teach these tech savvy kids is to speak the language they speak.

I once heard an argument as to whether students should be allowed to hand in assignments using the same spelling and abbreviations for words that they use in everyday smsing and such. I have to say while it is OK to want to speak the same language and keep up with the students today, for a teacher to accept anything other then correct English spelling and grammar is quite frankly missing, the point of teaching lessons such as English. Students still need to be taught when it is appropriate to use sms language and when it is not. If we as teachers do not teach students correct grammar and spelling, what will happen to these students when they go out into the world of employment and are asked to write a report for their bosses??

Anyway, this is already a very long winded blog post so, I will leave it here and post my thoughts on week 4's discussion topic later in the week.