Sorry I didn't participate in the drivers template (@20th Sep08)

29 Sep 2008, 05:11

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 29 Sep 2008, 05:39

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From: José Martel Penate 20th Sep 2008
Subject: Sorry I didn't participate in the drivers template
To: H808 08I Alans Group


Hi group,

Sorry I didn't get here in time to help with the activity, but I can see that there's been some excellent collaboration and you seem to be making some ground rules. You seem a sensible and efficient group so I'm sure I'll agree with any rules you decide, but if I don't I reserve the right to offer alternatives and then abide by the group's decision.

Kim, I did notice (too late) that you suggested that I include some reference to China. While I appreciate the attempt to inculde me in the activity, I don't feel that my personal experiences and impressions over the last 2 years are enough to allow me to speak with any kind of authority about the Chinese education system. Yes, I have my views, that may or may not be shared by other foriegners here, but that still doesn't mean I have any real idea that is a true reflection of what the authorities are thinking or planning. That said, every Chinese teacher I have spoken with on the subject has agreed that the education system needs to be overhauled, but none seem optimistic that that will happen any time soon. And your average Chinese teacher doesn't want to disrupt the status quo. They NEED their pay at the end of the month, there is no welfare state and the pensions are not great. A wage earner can be supporting their spouse, child, parents and two sets of grand parents. Chinese teachers just keep their heads down and hope that their course leaders and school (Communist) Party leaders find no fault with them. I've heard it said that a major obstacle to reform in the Chinese education system is that those with the the power to make reforms or decide policy are Party leaders not educators.

So, anyway, I hope I'll be of more use in the next group activity.

Jose

What is an eLearning Professional: my thoughts (@19th Sep08)

29 Sep 2008, 05:04

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 29 Sep 2008, 05:07

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From: José Martel Penate 19th Sep 2008
Subject: What is an eLearning Professional: my thoughts
To: H808 08I Alans Group

Hi all,

I’m going to try and write down my thoughts on what I feel being an elearning professional is.
It’s quite hard because up until a few weeks ago I’d never really thought about elearning as a profession at all.

Like Robin Goodfellow, I ‘tend to view elearning as primarily about teaching”. It seems to me that Gill Kirkup shares that view when she states the UK Acadamy’s set of 5 professional values. However, I’m not sure that I fully agree with Robin Goodfellow’s “big P, little p” distinction. Is actually belonging to some self-regulating professional body a guarantee of professional conduct or of a particular learning outcome? Couldn’t a little p professional be just as, or more reliable, or effective a practitioner, as a big P Professional with all their pomp and circumstance?

Of course, if, or should I say, when, I become an elearning professional I’m sure I’d prefer to be able to set a clear distinction between the proficient amateur and their more learned counterpart represented by yours truly. After all, how else could I justify my fee?

But, yes, I would hope that the knowledge and expertise I gained, from the money I paid, for the education I received, that with some effort I converted into a sheet of paper, does make me stand out from those with lesser knowledge and skills.

So what is an elearning professional? I suppose, since there is no regulating body, it’s whatever you want it to be. However, I have the sneaking suspicion that I’m expected to give a less flippant reply. So I’ll say that an elearning professional is what I’m going to be.

My forum introduction (v1.1) (@19th Sep08)

29 Sep 2008, 05:00

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 29 Sep 2008, 05:11

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From: José Martel Penate 19th Sep 08
Subject: Fwd: Jose's introduction v1.1
To: H808 08 ac_UNIT 1 INTRO


Hi all,

Firstly, apologies for my late arrival; hope I can catch up fairly soon.

And now the intro...

I'm Spanish, and grew up in England.

For the last couple of years I've been employed as an oral English teacher in China. Currently I "teach" 2nd year students at a university in Shanghai.

My doing a MAODE stems more from wanting to move onto a different, hopefully more satisfying career path here in China.

Why China in particular? Well, my wife is Chinese and we live in Shanghai with our lovely 8 week old, baby girl.

This is my first module of the MAODE. And my first time studying at this level. And my first online course.

I seem to be the least "professional" of my tutor group (Alan’s) which, initially, I find a little intimidating. However, this does mean I have a great opportunity to learn from my fellow members’ experience and expertise in related fields.

Some of you may have noticed that I'm having problems accessing messages on First Class. I'm not sure if this is because I'm (usually) using a Mac, coz I'm in China, both, or neither. But please bear with me while I try to sort out these problems.

By the way, you may already know that my being in China means I'm (usually) 8 hours ahead of UK time (GMT+8). This probably won't be too inconvenient for my tutor group and still allows for real-time IMing or talking over the internet at sociable hours if the need arose or the group decides it may be beneficial.

Over the next few months I hope we all have a stimulating, productive, and enjoyable time on this course together.

Jose

Ok, I've just read Alan's welcome and I think I need to expand this intro a bit.

Unlike most or all of you, I don't plan on using the knowledge and skills gained on the course at my current school/place of work. It's not that I think the kids wouldn't benefit from some sort of online support programme or PDPs, etc, or that my uni has any such programmes in operation or even planned (though a foreign oral English teacher is perhaps the last person to know about such things on a Chinese university campus, with any of the Chinese teachers coming in only slightly ahead). No, the kids would benefit from such programmes, and I might even say they (desperately) NEED them. The problem is that there would be no support from the administration on any level, and it goes without saying that the students would reject the slightest suggestion that they should take resonsibility for their own learning. And don't even mention the word "lifelong"!
So, at the moment I have a pleasant, vague sort of plan in which I hope that the MAODE can lead me away from state-run schools entrenched in their ways, while helping me steer clear of private schools obsessed with profit. Where I'll end up I'm not sure, but hopefully some place where learning is still or newly valued.