Wednesday, March 25, 2009

So far so good...

Intro

It's Gary here. I teach mainly in the areas of sport and exercise psychology at the Otago Polytechnic. I feel I have a fair degree of experience both in flexible learning and teaching, however, I have very limited experience using electronic resources such as blog’s etc that are explored during the flexible learning course.

Why am I doing this course?

I’m starting to feel like an old fella who’s getting left behind a bit in terms of the new technologies that are becoming available and I see this course as an opportunity to help get me back up to speed.

Also, I’m really keen to learn new methods that might enable me to teach my students. If I can learn new strategies to ‘reach’ my students through this course then, brilliant!

4 comments:

  1. Hello Gary
    It looks like you might be running well ahead of some of your students if you carry on in this fashion. :) I would be interested to hear some more about the experience you already have with flexible learning and teaching and a bit more about some of the topics you teach.

    If you find yourself twitching to use some of the strategies you learn about in this course, the very fact you are modeling them through using them yourself will act as a great motivator to your students.

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  2. Sure Bronwyn, I'll give it a crack.

    Firstly, as a student, I'm currently studying towards a Grad Dip in Science (Psychology) through Massey University. The extramural courses that I've been taking towards the GDipSci qualification have provided me with experience using Web CT, working with extramural mail outs (snail mail) and mail submission of assignments, as well as contact courses at Massey in Palmerston North. I've also developed a great appreciation for what it takes to study part time as a full time employee with a young family.

    Secondly, as a lecturer and consultant who works with students, as well as athletes & coaches in the sporting environment I am well aware of the need for flexibility. In this regard I cater my approach to the needs of the client/s, sometimes they come to me and other times I'm needed at the training ground or track for example to better meet their requirements, which requires flexibility in the way I do things. As I've read in some of the course material for this Flexi course, flexible learning and teaching is not just about electronic communication.

    Thirdly, the sorts of topics I teach in sport psychology include theoretical and practical applications around the development of motivation, commitment, optimal activation (not too stressed & not too relaxed), optimal concentration and attention, and the development of self-confidence, as well as coach education. I have a particular interest in the development and transfer of lifeskills between sport and life environments.

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  3. Great answer Gary! Its great to see you already thinking about what you already know. This will be very helpful in helping to get others recognising what they already know also. I sometimes worry a little, that because we use technology quite a bit in this course, that people end up thinking that flexible learning is all about technology. I can see you will be able to help us dispel some of that thinking if it seems t prevail.

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  4. Hi Gary
    yep totally agree with you about being left behind in the techno stakes.it's a whole new world.

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