I was relieved when I read the Final Exam Guide for the first time. I felt this way for a few reasons. For one, it was a short assignment. Studying history in university, I am used to considerably large writing assignments. Most of the writing assignments I did in college consisted of at least 8-10 […]
I would like to believe that I fall under what was labeled as a “sophisticated” learner in the material for this module, and that I have an “elaborated system of epistemic beliefs”. In other words, I like to think that I consider a wide variety of viewpoints, and that I take time when attempting to […]
This module has got me thinking of how I can include more critical thinking activities in my class. I am a Social Studies teacher in Thailand, and this task is not as easy as you might think. Thai culture is very different from Western culture, and students in Thailand are not taught critical thinking skills […]
I have heard of constructivism from a previous course in the program, and have been very interested in the idea ever since. Constructivism is all about that “Eureka!” moment that you want your students to feel when they discover new knowledge. It’s getting the students to learn by themselves by presenting them with the opportunities. […]
The most important thing I gained from this module is the primary/recency effect. This information is gold as a teacher. I can’t believe I’ve not come across it before. I’ve been a teacher for almost 10 years and not been aware of this. It’s definitely going to change the way I conduct my class. First […]
Thank goodness my study habits have changed since I was in high school. Cramming is the only way I used to prepare for exams. I generally paid attention in class, and with some cramming I survived with decent enough grades to graduate with honors. That being said, the information that I “crammed” into my head […]
I can’t for the life of me remember anything about my first teacher. I know which school I went to. I remember the room. I can even remember the kid who sat next to me. I can even remember the smell of the room and the color of the carpet. Or, at least I think […]
I wish I could be like a computer. I’m a huge sci-fi fan, and one of my favorite characters in the whole genre is Data from Star Trek. His memory is perfect. He can learn languages in minutes. Sadly my own memory and ability to learn pales in comparison. According to my experience, I learn […]
In a distance education program there are a few key behaviors that are especially important. Perhaps the most important in my opinion would be punctuality. This is related to time-management skills. Deadlines are to be taken seriously in any situation, but when distance education is involved, these deadlines take on a special importance. In a […]
To reinforce desired behavior from my 4 year old son I give rewards. It’s positive reinforcement. Usually I let him play a video game on my phone for a few minutes. Or we’ll reward him with chocolate. At the grocery store it’s sweets. We’ll say something to the effect of “If you eat all your […]
My E-Journal for University 