Technology

This course was very similar to most of the online courses I have taken in the past at Yavapai College. Although there is one particular difference that this course required a blog forum. After much time and effort to learn how to set up and use the blog forum, I found it to be very similar to the discussion board, although it included and allowed for graphics and links.

I feel that online learning is different than in person learning in several different ways. There are the obvious factors; being in a class setting allows students to converse during the class time and allows for teacher questions in person during the class time, whereas online learning takes time for peer and teacher responses. Online learning takes more self-motivation and time management.

I have taken several online classes as well as in-class classes and I prefer online classes personally. I am not a very sociable person. I am focused on getting my education and I am self-motivated to complete my assignments when they are due. I enjoy getting feedback from classmates and instructors who are critiquing my writing. Since we do not see each other face to face, the criticism is strictly based off of my writing.

I found the benefits to taking both of my English classes online allowed me to get peer feedback without feeling judged because no one knew what I looked like. I felt like my writing was the only thing being reviewed and critiqued rather than me. The challenge I had in this class particularly was learning how to use a blog. Once I figured it out it was not that bad, but I had several challenges with creating and uploading a video.

I think that learning how to use a blog forum benefited me the most because although this course is the first one I have taken that required one, I am not finished with my degree yet and it is possible that I will need to know how to use one for another course and I was fortunate enough to have a nice professor assist me with learning how to use it.
A site that Mrs. Cline shared with me that helped me to upload my power point presentations is: slideshare.net