Laureen Kodani | ePortfolio
 
Once again, I am so very thankful for peer reviews, and critical feedback from our TA and Instructor. I decided to submit advanced copies of the documents and website link, all of which are required to complete the components of our final project. My purpose for sending in my drafts was because I felt I needed critical feedback to assure I was meeting the criteria for the project. As a result, I have been able to make necessary revisions that improve my overall project. Tonight we had an optional class session to address our questions and concerns for our projects. Those of us who attended were able to do a test run of presenting our instructional unit website. You know the saying, "practice, practice, practice!" Let's hope I pull this off without any major problems.

Thanks everyone!
 
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As we near the final weeks of the semester, we begin a period of engrossed focus with final projects. Sigh, I am no different and find myself working on 3 different projects with a fretful panic, LOL. Okay, so the good news is, I am definitely acquiring new and relevant knowledge. The bad news...I struggle to keep my anxiety level from pushing me over the edge, haha. Alright, so maybe I am exaggerating a little but producing quality work can be a bit frenzied if I don't manage my time well. Thankfully, I have received great feedback on my 622 project. Now it's time to apply and execute.

Suddenly I feel like having a big bowl of ice cream...

How are the rest of you doing with your final projects? 

 
I mentioned last week how critical peer reviews are beneficial for me. In addition, web-based videoconferencing removes any geographical distance in the process.

While researching for my final project and a group assignment, I came across an article titled, "Synchronous symmetrical support: A naturalistic study of live online peer-to-peer learning via software videoconferencing" which studied the impact of nearly 100 students who participated in several online synchronous study sessions over a six month period. The results revealed a supportive online learning community amongst peers who share knowledge while constructing new knowledge at the same time. Critical peer reviews contributed significantly to the overall learning process. WHEW! Now I can feel validated in my need for social learning! LOL.

Reference:

Scott, P., CastaƱeda, L., Quick, K., & Linney, J. (2009).

Synchronous symmetrical support: A naturalistic study of live online peer-to-peer learning via software videoconferencing. Interactive Learning Environments, 17(2), 119-134. doi:10.1080/10494820701794730

 
Wow! More than half of the semester is gone and we are now focusing on our final project for this course. Last week, a few of us had a virtual brainstorming session in Skype. We spent over 2 hours exchanging ideas, asking questions and giving feedback. At the start of the meeting, we all agreed that we were confused and concerned. At the end of the meeting, we all agreed that we had a better understanding of the project requirements and our project ideas. Once again, collaborative efforts produced a greater sum of knowledge. On our own, we struggled to make sense of things, however, when we came together to brainstorm, great things happened!

Each student had a chance to summarize their ideas in class tonight, while others provided feedback or asked questions. Personally, I find it helpful to verbally share my ideas with others. While thinking about ideas is a good thing, speaking out my ideas helps me sort through the good and bad with better clarity. I especially appreciate questions from others because it challenges me to strengthen my argument or make changes where necessary. Critical peer reviews is one of the best ways to make improvements. Thanks everyone!

Here's a fun video on collaboration, enjoy.

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