This week’s blog should focus on Week 2 of the MOOC ‘Discovering Your PhD Potential: Writing a Research Proposal’ offered by the University of Leicester via FutureLearn, specifically applying a deductive approach to define a research proposal. Of course, I don’t have any research focus concrete enough to complete the activity but have thoroughly enjoyed the interactions with the other learners through the discussion forums. Indeed, the MOOC has provided helpful insight into the community of potential doctoral candidates and I would be hopeful of staying connected with some as this journey progresses.
Today, I’m in a state of panic and need to focus my attention on Week 1 of my Digital Education programme. Last week was Orientation Week and I managed to find my way around most of the resources pretty okay and posted my first blog entry. I have to admit that I haven’t yet recorded a video intro of myself but it remains on my ‘things (to do)’ list – love that software, has been keeping me organised for many years – but I digress!
Last week I watched the suggested videos, took my notes, read the recommended chapter of the suggested text, took more notes. Now there I found something interesting. It was great to read the library book online on my iPad, take notes for myself, and save them against each page but how can they be retrieved? As a backup I copied my notes over to Evernote and made a reminder to find out how I can do this more efficiently in future.
So, back to the source of today’s panic. Being a methodical and organised person I focused on the Week 0 activities – and didn’t spot that there was a topic across all 12 weeks of the course – Minecraft – what the heck? how did I miss that? Asked hubby did he ever hear of it and he did, great, but said I wouldn’t like it (I don’t like online games apart from Flower Cells from Bootant!) Well, its not that I have to like Minecraft and the introduction describes it as ‘an environment in which you can build, explore, discuss and enjoy hands-on experience of it as a space for learning, rather than a game’. Okay, hold the panic button for now and watch out for the orientation sessions – I reckon I’ll need to sign up for more than one!
Sandra Flynn 