Where to start with this blog? It’s been quite a journey with my ONL group. The biggest take away is probably that students or participants shouldn’t be afraid to participate. It seems a little daunting in the beginning, being put into groups with people across the globe with different experiences, levels of education and not knowing what to expect.
In the last topic we touched on how much emotion plays a major part in the learning journey and an individual’s progression. In our group we’ve always tried to keep an open mind, bring our own opinions across and respecting the opinion of others to make them feel comfortable, valued and help in their growth. It was quite interesting to see the opinions, viewpoints and trains of thought of other members in the group. Testament that there are many different things to consider. It’s a learning curve and helps me realise that everyone’s thought process is different. During the journey, I’ve seen multi-dimensional thinking and just how vast topics can become when looking at it from all angles.
The framework and guidelines are important in settings like these, simply to make sure that the group doesn’t go off track. This is something I’ll take with me in my learning, online and offline. Guidelines need to be focussed and specific, lack of focus could quickly lead to a scramble.
One thing the group has also done was introduce me to new online tools which I’ll use in my professional life long after the course. The tools made things fun for me along with the group. The course has made me see the light in pursuing blended learning or online learning instead of the traditional which I’ve been exposed to in my learning career. The ease of accessing information in the online sphere is so much quicker and so much more concise when compared to looking through books hoping to find a very specific piece of information. Online tools, repositories and search tools are your friend.
The course has opened me to explore other online courses, asking questions in group settings and sharing my opinion in these settings as well. Often people feel that their voices and identity is lost in groups. My experience with ONL has left me feeling quite the opposite where everyone’s opinions are important.
The only advice I have for future ONL groups is to engage, you don’t realise how much your input could mean to other members of the group. This is the safe zone to explore, get a feel for online learning and become familiar with tools and ask questions to people that would like to help, give explanations and clarify questions. As with everything in life, have as much fun as you can on the journey. There’s a lot to learn for everyone involved, you aren’t alone on your path to ONL success.
