#EDCMOOC, thoughts from week 1 and 2

I got a late start on the MOOC, E-learning and Digital Cultures,  My first activity was to listen to a recording of the February 1st Google+ hangout. This was a pretty good way to start as the 5 instructors provided perspectives on different aspects of the course and reacted to various posts and themes that have emerged from the course.  I loved Sian Boyne's use of the T.S. Eliot quote "In my end, is my beginning" (“Four Quartets” Part II: East Coker)  She used it to explain participant interest in the final assignment, even before getting started. This made me think about my goals for the course.  My primary goal is to figure out how to use social networking tools to build my own personal learning network.  Here's how I hope to do that:

• Utilize TweetDeck to follow participant conversations and to share my thoughts via Twitter as well.
• Join the Google+ EDC community to see how that works.
• Participate in the tlt sMOOCher study group.

I also want to:

• Gain new perspectives on e-Learning and then share and incorporate into my work.
• Experiment with joy and abandon without becoming adicted. 

I have learned a lot about creating social presence by observing others. The course is large in size but I just don't think that should be a negative.  The trick, I think, is to figure out how to make the largeness a positive. I stumbled upon a VoiceThread that Felecia Sullivan started, see below.  I so love hearing people's voices and listening to the conversation that is emerging. The idea of engaging in a smaller community within the larger MOOC has emerged from more people.  I concur with this sentiment and this VoiceThread is an example.



I need to dive into the content so I can engage in the conversation as well.  In other words, I need to catch-up.