To Whom It May Interest:
The internet is a big, anonymous place. It is a domain infested with adorable cat pictures and viral media, and I love spending my time here. However, it generally does nothing to feed my soul. The wonderful (utopian) potential of the internet is the possibility to connect with others and to disseminate information, whether that be an expression of compassion or a dissertation. Of course, the joke is that, more often than not, this potential goes unfulfilled.
The system of education stems from a similarly idealistic vision. We can prepare individuals to be productive, fulfilled members of society by equipping them with the body of knowledge and understanding (note that these are separate concepts- I'm sure I'll get back to this assertion later) compiled by humanity. Of course, the How gets muddled as we determine just what comprises this Great Curriculum, how to present it, and how to assess it.
I went through college with the plan to become a classroom teacher in a public elementary school. I had a difficult time adjusting to the realization that not everyone in the field of Education shares my ideals, and I still struggle not to become jaded by the systems surrounding education.
Luckily, a friend sent me the link to openculture.com, which lead me to the discovery of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). I've been looking for some sort of further education for myself, but, without certainty about which career path I want to pursue, I couldn't commit my time and money to a full online Masters program. I'm excited. I want to do this for me, to get back the academic spark that makes me so in love with teaching and learning. I am diving into the E-Learning and Digital Cultures MOOC in a properly meta and self-reflective mode here, in my third blog (one you can find here, and the other here).
I am no longer Anonymous.
Lauren
No comments:
Post a Comment