Online learning is for the birds…
My first online learning experience was in 1994 or 1995 for a general undergrad class – you know, one of those classes that is supposed to make you a well-rounded person. The class ended up being my most favorite and most memorable undergrad class. The class was “Biology of Birds” at Stockton College in New Jersey. The class met three days a week with Friday being the day that we met outside to observe birds. In addition to the Friday class we were supposed to observe birds and record what we saw whenever we were outside or looking outside from inside. We would then take our bird observations and enter them in a forum for our class that was on the college’s network. It was a great class. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Social Work but decided that really wasn’t the field for me but I still enjoy observing birds and trying to figure out what type of bird I’m watching.
Last 5 posts by kellysupahstar
- Conflict Text - July 14th, 2009
June 10th, 2009 at 10:05 am
that sounds great…that’s exactly how i wish my professor would have handled my first online experience. it sounds like it was a great experience and really got you involved in the course at a more personal level.
June 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Thats a pretty amazing way to supplement an online class. I think it would be really interesting to see if they still offer the class in the same way.
June 10th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
nice! I like the real-to-virtual blend and that it got you out of the classroom and into nature…
June 18th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
If you see Adammember as the username it is not me. I have been communicating with Prof. Josephine about this issue earlier in the course because there are hackers trying to get into our group and blog. We have to be very careful and watch out for any threats to our educational environment. I know that it sound unbelievable or crazy to some but it is true. Therefore I want to worn everybody and protect our online presence. I have been having a great deal of troble because of this attack on my and many other people’s online presence. Somebody or some people are persistently trying to terrorize my online presence and it has been happening to many people I know as well. I know that this situation brings up the negative and harmful aspect of the internet but online education and communities such as ours are under this threat. They can mislead people by sending fake messages, damage or destroy friendships, relationships and they are trying to harm the online existance and presence.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Online presence is very important but considering the negative side of the situation we are facing I can clearly say that if the technology is put in the wrong hands of the people who have bad intentions and who are persistently trying to terrorize online presence it becomes a nightmare just like the way I and many other people are experiencing. There is no clear reason for being the target of hackers. They randomly can pick on people or communites. I had a get online education until this problem popped up also in our online class. I had been having attacks on my personal emails and it was also happening to other people I know. They have been harming my life and web presence for the last 2 and a half years and I am fed up with it. I do not know how to stop or prevent the negative effects of this problem.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:06 am
I looked up the professor from the Biology of Birds class and sent him an email about how much I enjoyed his class and asking if that class is still structured in the same manner. Here is Jack Connor’s response:
Yes, I am still teaching about birds (in two of my courses) and using an electronic conferencing system. When you were in the class, it was cosi — which was very primitive compared to current systems. Stockton uses Blackboard 6.0 now, and I use it in all my classes, not just the birds courses I teach. Helps draw the class together as well as gives students a place to express themselves, ask questions, get feedback from me and their classmates, post photos, etc. I don’t know what I would do w/o it.