Hi Everyone,
My name is Kieran Gionet, I have been teaching in a clinical environment for about five years. This will be my first foray into the online classroom environment! I have a lot to learn and hope my previous experiences do me justice in the future.
I’ve recently gone to what has to be my favorite travel destination: Japan. Exploring the culture, age, and beauty in simplicity was absolutely amazing.
My most recent deep dive into fantasy has been “Wrath of Empire”. It’s a book by one of my favorite fantasy novel authors who managed to apply magic to the age of black powder weaponry in an interesting, scientific and chaotic way very reminiscent of the French revolution. This book is the 5th in the series following General Vlora Flint as her mercenary vacation away from the politics of her country’s newly formed democracy takes a turn for a worse. Saddled with half a million refugees, she’s on the run from both the country who hired her and the Empire she was hired to fight. But that isn’t the only thing she has to deal with, throw in a supernatural quest undertaken by her ex-lover to stop the creation of a new god. Meanwhile back in the capital Micheal Bravis is smuggling refugees out of the occupied city. But as he gets assigned a new espionage target, and with enemies at all sides, he may be forced to find help with the very occupiers he’s trying to undermine.
Traditionally, students undergoing education have had the benefit of a lecture-style classroom environment with a professor/teacher who is proficient in the subject they are teaching and is able to strategically guide the students through the content of the course. In an online modem, this is not as feasible. Therefore the online tools, and information provided to the student must be clear, concise and aligned with the goals of the course to properly allow the student to guide themselves through the lessons.
In the past year I have developed a greater appreciation for the differences between each student’s learning methods and strengths. Each student I’ve taught in the last year has had different strengths, weaknesses and processes of absorbing information. I’ve had to adapt and change the method in which I deliver information to be best addressing the students’ strengths.
I think the greatest question about online learning will be how much to guide, and how much to let the students to guide themselves?