Week 11 Blog

I was able to sit down and get the modules completed this week.  I am still developing the course evaluations right because that feedback is important to set up the refining of the course that will happen once it is launched.  I was a good bit behind the development.  I wanted to be completed a bit earlier.  I had to rethink some of the assignments to fit in the Canvas learning management system.  Once I got a good handle on how I could structure the courses and looked at some the UNT courses that I have access to, I was able to understand the structure a bit better.  There are still some things that I would like to tweak as far as how I structure the course but I am not sure how I would make the changes.  I might add a test module and try some different ways to display the content.  I know as a learner how I like the modules structured but I am not the only learning type.  I am thinking about creating these sample modules and having some colleagues and my high school students look at the structure to see what they think.  It never hurts to get as many outside opinions as I can. 

The biggest challenge I have faced is the learning curve for Canvas.  It is structured in a specific way and gives you certain page types that you can use for your development.  That structure is great to help get your content to learners in a certain way, I just had to think inside that structure instead of delivering the content in the best of multiple platforms.  I have learned that all projects will have some troubles on the way.  It does not matter if you are working on something that you have done many times before, you never know what will happen during your development.  You could run into some outside work issues that will take up your time and energy.  Those issues must be dealt with and you must complete your work.  I had that issue and found that focus has been difficult to maintain.  I have had to work through that to keep developing this course and getting it completed. 

I feel my strengths are in setting up a linear course.  My thinking is very linear and it moves from one step to the next.  I know that I can work through that type of course and set it up properly.  I need to work on staying on my deadlines and working through any adversity.  I have been too easily distracted and had to really focus on completing this when I should have developed it at a more deliberate pace. 

I have really enjoyed setting up the course and I hope to keep developing it for the rest of this semester to get something set up that will be useful and that my district can adapt to help all of the new hires we have to add each year to keep up with our growth.