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.

Thankfully still pre-Gattaca - a reply to a forum post

29 Sep 2008, 03:08

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 29 Sep 2008, 03:40

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A reply to the post by:
From: Philippa Perry 2 28 September 2008 15:39:44
Subject: ePortfolio focus
To: H808 ac6 UNIT 2


Hi Philippa (and the rest of the group),

I've also been looking or hoping for more balance in our reading, so I'm glad to find your reasoned, "sceptical" point of view.

From my non-techie standpoint, I'm not concerned about problems of interoperability. To me it seems to make financial sense for major platform developers to work towards industry standards, though this may not prevent niche-market technology having compatibility issues. I'd agree with Jafari (2004) in saying that the main (technological) issue is ensuring that the eportfolio interface is one that the average enduser will want to use. This means complete integration with other school/university/company systems; transferability of data; and perhaps lifelong accessibility, among others.

An interesting and, I think, important point you've raised - one that I haven't come across in my (limited) reading, or even really thought about - is that of the effectiveness of the eportfolio as a recruiting tool. I had wondered about issues of artifact authenticity - which could be met with a lifelong university eportfolio address (Jafari 2004), but what happens when a student does a Masters or PHD at a different university or when the student enters employment, will they need a different eportfolio address, and different eportpolios, for each institution/company, thus defeating the ideal of a centralised repository of information? However, you focus on the employer's need to find truth/specific answers/the real warts and all underbelly amongst all the lies(?) and disinformation/prepared responses/dazzling presentations that most potential employees will attempt to fabricate.

I'm still unsure how eportfolios will prove to be more useful to most employers. Right now CVs can be 2 or 3 A4 pages long plus cover letter, and employers may receive tens even hundreds of CVs for each post. How much time would the employer/HR department give each CV? How much time would the employer/HR department want to give each CV!? Now, how much time would that employer/HR department need to invest in order to examine each creative, wonderfully presented, multimedia eportfolio? Could the employer/HR department be sure that time invested would produce sufficient/worthwhile returns?

Perhaps this problem may lead to the development of eportfolio scanning technology that can, in fractions of a second, automatically select a manageable shortlist of candidates' eportfolio applications - from a possibly huge and impossibly time-consuming list - thus selecting, and more worryingly, rejecting candidates without a human ever viewing their meticulously complied life story.

I think there is a general consensus that eportfolios can be an invaluable aid to learning, but perhaps HR departments may still favour CVs for most work placements. At least until efficient, cost-effective, eportfolio scanning technology comes on the market...or DNA testing becomes legal.

Jose

Attempted focused musing and rumination

27 Sep 2008, 22:53

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 27 Sep 2008, 23:01

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Do we need to prove something in our messages to each other?

Do any of us (students) want a sense of community? Or is it enough to simply comply with the course requirement to communicate with each other, since it seems that many of us have little in common and have no need, or desire, to befriend our "peers". When I talk about blogs I keep referring to a sense of community, but we're not here for community, we're here to learn/get a qualification.

Does professionalism breed contempt?

Does the use of 'professionalese' promote an increasing intectuallisation of our OU environment and manner, intelectuallisation that some of us need to in order to pass this course?

One of my first contributions to the forums was an attack on professional-elitism. However, now some days later, I'm wondering whether a professional can be anything but an elitist. And it's a fact that academia does have its requirements for precise language use - a precision that does make sense to me.

Hmmmm...Ok, maybe I should think about things that are more relevant to the actual course...

Blog-intellectualitiness

27 Sep 2008, 03:12

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 27 Sep 2008, 13:47

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This is a copy of my reply to blog post on another blog:

X,

I'd hardly say that keeping a blog can be called "vanity publishing". My idea of vanity publishing is someone using their own money to print their manuscript/composition (that has been rejected by publishing houses) for a very limited public distribution. Though blogging may have some similar characteristics, can it really be called the same?

I would agree that probably more often than not, blogs one may come across (out there in the world) will be of little interest. If that is the case, I would suggest you follow one simple rule: don't read them. However, I'm sure you wouldn't propose the creation of a "Blog-Police" to ensure that standards of ... what?... "intellectualness" are kept up.

You mention 2 overriding, fundamental questions:
* Do I have something important to say?
* Is a blog the most effective way of communicating what I have to say to my intended audience?

I think few of us ever know if we have something "important" to say or blog. And what's the definition of "important" here anyway? And "important" to who? I would be willing to bet that if all the bloggers in the world were asked the question, "Should you always blog about something important?", the vast majority would say no. Blogging is often about being a part of a community; sharing oneself and learning about others. I'm not sure that a blogging community would last long or be very popular if the only posts written were strictly to the point with no human references or touch allowed. I'd say that blogs are often written and posted at those odd little times of the day when one can put work/study/the kids aside for a moment and escape to that virtual world were one can find real understanding. For me and my H808 blog, those times of the day are breaks in my study, a time to let my mind relax, explore, let go, and that is reflected in the kind of things I've blogged. Admittedly, a lot of what I've written may not make sense (to you), but I wanted to write it, and so I did. And you can read it or not read it, that's your choice. What I wrote was important to me, and that's enough.

As to whether a blog is/can be the most effective means of communicating with an intended audience, I suppose that depends. One could send emails, but that's personal not public. One could post a reply in the group forums, which are public, but more impersonal. When I read a blog I get the feeling of entering a private-public space; a space that is private, yet open to the public. The blogger's views are not thrust upon me, as an email invading my private space would be, and their posts have (I like to think) a more human and sometimes more intimate quality - not usually present in forum posts - that I feel is necessary for a sense of community. So, blogging may not always be the most effective communication tool, but is being effective always that important?

Jose

Belt and braces

26 Sep 2008, 04:12

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 26 Sep 2008, 04:17

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A couple of days ago I learnt how to make notes on pdfs
Over the years I've come to gradually accept technology more and more in my learning

From outright hostility
To a willingness to at least try
Moving through trust and
Ultimately
Reliance on technology

When IT works it's great
When it doesn't work it's essential to have a backup
Of your both your info and
Of your study methods

I keep pen and paper handy

Metacog-what??!

25 Sep 2008, 23:29

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 26 Sep 2008, 00:02

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Before starting H808 I had no idea what PDP (as "PDP") or eportfolios were.

A few years ago I did an art and design foundation course and for the first, and only, time put together a portfolio - a showcase portfolio for my interviews at universities/art colleges. Now, having done some reading on both subjects, I can see that my uni tutors did employ techniques aimed at helping me to "own"/take responsibility for my learning, though I don't recall them ever clearly stating that that was what they were doing; it was simply that that was the way things were done and I, as a student, followed their lead. And the closest thing to eportfolios we had were the sketchbooks for ideas and work in progress that all students kept.

So, this is all new to me. And, as a teacher of English as a foreign language, I'm actually quite surprised that I have never heard of PDP and eportfolios (or even the use of portfolios in education) before. Though it may simply be the case that I had no (reason to take an) interest in them so I took no notice of them (in my wanderings about the internet and various books on teaching methodology). Now that I am sitting up and taking notice I can see that there is this (huge?) movement extolling the virtues of PDP and eportfolios.

Is this all just a fad? I hope not, and I would think not. (Rigorous?) Studies have shown that PDP - systematically thinking about and then planning one's own learning, life, future - does (significantly?) improve an individual's motivation, and thus, participation in their own learning/development. I've always been a contemplative kind of person so this idea of reflection-helping-development isn't a hard one for me to buy into (hmmm, looks like I also need to use the word "metacognition": awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes).

But of course, all because something is a good idea doesn't mean that everyone will do it. Could the difficulties involved in integrating PDPs/eportfolios into the various academic/work environments tend to turn potential users (academic institution/employers) away? I suppose that when governments get involved and issue policy that should or must be adhered to, then problems will get solved or circumvented. In the business world, I imagine that if CDP programs result in greater productivity/profit then we'll see an increase in their use.

Are there nay-sayers? I've only read papers "for" PDPs and eportfolios. Obviously the OU/H808 are "for". What do the people "against" say??

To be continued...

Shared blogs to date

25 Sep 2008, 23:16

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 25 Sep 2008, 23:23

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Peter Cheer's blog

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=440718

Julie Carle's Blog

Nigel D K Roper's blog

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=29255

Keely Laycock's blog:

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=440915

Jose Martel's blog

Karen's blog:

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=349663

Nigel S's blog link (is that a "blink")

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=476982

Jianfan Xie's blog

Tanya McEvoy's Blog:

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=474428

Nicola Robinson's blog

http://learn.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?user=35245

Posting: Safari Vs Firefox

25 Sep 2008, 23:14

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 25 Sep 2008, 23:38

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Mac relateted post. Seems that if I try to post from within the safari browser then the edit box/toolbar doesn't appear with the new-blog-post -box, and formatting is ignored. But if I post from within Firefox then all is well... (So why am I posting from Safari?? Coz my blog page isn't opening in Firefox!!!)

Technical issues and happiness

22 Sep 2008, 22:27

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 25 Sep 2008, 01:48

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I just managed to add my blog url to my group page (Alan's) and make it look pretty (!). The edit page opened onto command lines (?) instead of the table like last time, which was initially scary. But as I'd done with my blog link on the wiki page, I just looked at what I like in other people's entries and then looked up the corresponding entry/command lines on the edit page. Then I copied those command lines, pasted them relative to where I wanted the result to appear, and (very carefully) substituted the other people's info for mine. Then I previewed and altered as needed (and saved when I'd finished!).

Yesterday evening at about 7pm GMT the OU website was very unstable for me. So I decided to wait till this morning to see if things improved and it's now ok.

Oh, it would be nice to be able to change the default settings on this blog, e.g. anything I write here I'm ok with other OU people seeing, so it would save me a step if I could have that as the default setting - but it's just a niggle. What bothers me more is how the formatting get's messed up when I copy and paste or even when I write directly into the blog message box. I wrote a blog in the past and I came to like splitting sentences onto different lines instead of using punctuation. But if I do that here, everything just gets squashed together. Though strangely enough, my first post did format ok. Odd.

And oh, I don't like this "blog"platform. It doesn't have some of the features that I came to take for granted. Basic ones like being able to view a post/comment while writing a comment; being able to preview a comment before posting; or editing tool/key so you can be sure that your post will look the way you want it to look, etc.

Note to self:

22 Sep 2008, 01:36

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 26 Sep 2008, 00:10

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Do some reflective stuff
It's a course requirement

- ePortfolios
- PDPs and CPDs
- Drivers
- Other?

And sleep!
You can't reflect without sleep
Unless it's in front of a mirror...

Hmmmmmmm...

22 Sep 2008, 01:29

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 26 Sep 2008, 00:13

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I can see that I'm going to have to start appearing to be more "professional"
My current informality doesn't seem to be the norm on here...

Formatting problems

21 Sep 2008, 10:13

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Seems this blog doesn't like me to paste text into it It moves the text around To where I don't want it to go Stubborn blog...

Why do mosquitos hate me so?

21 Sep 2008, 09:38

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 26 Sep 2008, 00:14

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I must have been evil to them in a past life
Itch, itch (don’t scratch, don’t scratch)
Maybe I invented DDT
Itch, itch (don’t scratch, don’t scratch)
Or I was a fat, sticky-tonged lizard
Itch, itch (don’t scratch, don’t scratch)
Or…?
Well…better get back to eportfolios
Itch, itch (don’t scratch, don’t scratch)

If sleep is needed, why is it I can't?

21 Sep 2008, 00:09

Edited by Jose Martel Penate, 21 Sep 2008, 10:05

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I'm not sure how little sleep I've had in the last 2 months

And I'm even less sure of how little I've had in the last week or so

My beautiful little daughter is just 2 months old

I started this (little) OU course about a week ago

I'm surprised at how much I don't care that my daughter keeps me awake

I'm pleased that I'm quietly determind to catch up on my course

Ok, enough for now...