IT for Education

It's been a busy month or two, but my e-learning site (and this blog) are nearing completion. Typically, I keep seeing things I'd like to tweak, but I have to get the report finished so I'm drawing a line in the sand where it is now, and calling it done. What do I think of the result? First things first, here's a link to the site for reference . You'll notice a [blog] link at the top of most pages - these link to some hidden posts in this blog giving some extra details on individual pages, so the blog proper is just about more global themes, process etc. I'm reasonably pleased with the result as a whole, but at the same time I'm acutely aware of some issues that I wish weren't there, mostly caused by platform limitations and time restrictions. What it does well I think, is illustrate the concept and principles I was aiming for, even if it does contain a lot of what I feel are placeholder elements. On the plus side I've managed to implement a v...

One of the required blog entries in my assignment is to discuss the usefulness of reflective writing in effective teaching. I don't mention this because it is factually true, nor as an attempt to sound as if I'm answering like I'm doing a GCSE exam. I mention it because I think blogs - as a concept, if not always the execution - are an inherently reflective medium and communication format, so it's worth discussing why. Then I'll just segue into answering the question, all natural like. A blog is not long-form, 'one-shot' writing like a thesis or book. A blog communicates near instantly and favours ongoing, frequently updated topics. This lends itself well to reflective writing as it does to any introspective subject by capturing that self-analytical process in bite-sized chunks, unhindered by pesky academic guidelines that  expect you to be rational . I jest of course, and indeed blogging's greatest strength - democratisation of communication - is a...