Fellow PGCE students,Charles, Tim and myself have organised some reasonably informal study group meetings (consisting of the three of us!) to clarify some of the issues discussed in the ICT lectures. Charles is knowledgeable about IT and so he is of considerable help to Tim and myself.
So far we have met three times, twice at my home and once at Tims place which is in West Cross. Because of the latters proximity to The Mumbles we strolled along the seafront in the brisk early-evening autumn air, with the guls bobbing on the surface of the water and the pleasant aroma of fallen leaves and bonfires all around us. A perfect setting for a nice cuppa in Verdis icecream parlour prior to going on to Tims to discuss ICT! I have taken notes (in the form of straightforward diagrams and word pictures as an aid to learning and memory) and these sessions are useful. Unfortunately I had forgotten that we had arranged to meet this afternoon (31st) at my place and instead I visited my family! It was only back at home during the cobweb and decay encrusted Halloween evening that this faux par occured to me!
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Initial technical problems.
The initial difficulties I experienced with regards to the technical aspects of the course were accentuated by the fact that for some reason I was unable to access my student account; the system refused to acknowledge the relevant I.D. which meant that I was obliged to use the I.D. of the instructor or that of another student when accessing my account on-site. Also there was an identical problem when attempting to access my student library account, though in each instance the library assistant was able to provide a temporary resolution and I was able to request an appointment with the library and information services technical advisor who was extremely helpful and clarified a number of technically-challenging (for me) issues. Now it would seem that the initial problem (at least as far as the library is concerned) has been resolved and hopefully the same will be true of the ITC lessons!
How to delay the inevitable!
The theoretical aspects of the course (nothing quite like a touch of theory late on a Monday afternoon!), I.E. 'Principles of teaching', 'Teaching and learning strategies' etc is something I am able to grasp with a minimum of fuss. Insight into the vagaries of the psychological aspects of the learning process (eg Reflective learning theories and methodologies) also has a lot to commend to it and has succeeded in fingering the intellectual G-spot! Indeed I have applied myself rigourously to all things theoretical vis adult/post-16 education by reading a very accessible tome entitled TEACHING ADULTS by Alan rogers and Naomi horrocks (but not a load of!). A lot of what they have written seems to be sinking in!
So far so good! however, and as touched upon in the previous drone...I mean blog, I found the ICT aspect of the course rather daunting and did not look forward to attending the classes. Indeed I sort of avoided any attempt to apply myself to this aspect at home by launching into the above textbook, a time honoured delaying tactic with the added attraction of it being relevant subject matter rather than some indulgent 'reading around the subject'.
Fear not! The ICT instruction is beginning to sink-in (I think!) and I can hear the (albeit rather quiet) sound of the occassional penny dropping a few inches off the edge of a toadstool. The proof is the very fact of my writting and sending this doggerel but, all things being equal (a radical notion in the Cameron/Clegg dispensation), as my knowledge and confidence increases I shall continue to warm to the manifold intricacies and attractions of ICT. In its stretching of my (previously prone) technical abilities and knowledge this element of my training could very well prove to be one of the most satisfying aspects of the course! Wither my fear of ICT? I bloody well hope so!
So far so good! however, and as touched upon in the previous drone...I mean blog, I found the ICT aspect of the course rather daunting and did not look forward to attending the classes. Indeed I sort of avoided any attempt to apply myself to this aspect at home by launching into the above textbook, a time honoured delaying tactic with the added attraction of it being relevant subject matter rather than some indulgent 'reading around the subject'.
Fear not! The ICT instruction is beginning to sink-in (I think!) and I can hear the (albeit rather quiet) sound of the occassional penny dropping a few inches off the edge of a toadstool. The proof is the very fact of my writting and sending this doggerel but, all things being equal (a radical notion in the Cameron/Clegg dispensation), as my knowledge and confidence increases I shall continue to warm to the manifold intricacies and attractions of ICT. In its stretching of my (previously prone) technical abilities and knowledge this element of my training could very well prove to be one of the most satisfying aspects of the course! Wither my fear of ICT? I bloody well hope so!
An All-Hallows Eve cobweb and dust-encrusted account of Ty's preliminary weeks as a new student on the PCET teacher training course!
As suggested in the above blog title, what follows is an account of the thoughts and feelings I have experienced as a first year student during the opening weeks of the PCET course at Swansea Metropolitan University (Townhill division!).
Well I'll be damned!! I seemed to have mastered the in's and out's of how to access and send a blog! Whilst having a relatively long-term experience of using a computer, in the sense of having acquainted myself with the requirements of home computing via a succession of PCs and laptops and having found my way around Facebook (and its trite attractions) and the medium of email messaging, Word and a few other delights, I had not previously sent a blogg message (as opposed to reading other peoples blog sites).
In truth, during these opening weeks my experience of the ICT element of the course has been daunting and not a little worrisome! I suppose the key reason for this has been a profound lack of confidence in applying myself to IT in a controlled teaching environment with the consequence that I tend to get into a right old kerfuffle with what should be reasonably straight forward tasks. There is an annoying tendancy on my part to lapse into wondering mind syndrome. This is a symptom of the lack of confidence vis the IT and a punishment for crimes against technical competence! Thankfully there are more technically competant fellow students who at this stage I lean-on somewhat and who are supportive and wonderfully helpful.
Well I'll be damned!! I seemed to have mastered the in's and out's of how to access and send a blog! Whilst having a relatively long-term experience of using a computer, in the sense of having acquainted myself with the requirements of home computing via a succession of PCs and laptops and having found my way around Facebook (and its trite attractions) and the medium of email messaging, Word and a few other delights, I had not previously sent a blogg message (as opposed to reading other peoples blog sites).
In truth, during these opening weeks my experience of the ICT element of the course has been daunting and not a little worrisome! I suppose the key reason for this has been a profound lack of confidence in applying myself to IT in a controlled teaching environment with the consequence that I tend to get into a right old kerfuffle with what should be reasonably straight forward tasks. There is an annoying tendancy on my part to lapse into wondering mind syndrome. This is a symptom of the lack of confidence vis the IT and a punishment for crimes against technical competence! Thankfully there are more technically competant fellow students who at this stage I lean-on somewhat and who are supportive and wonderfully helpful.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
The utter ineptitude of my attempts at engaging in this form of communication.
In a dust covered corner of the room there appeared the wizened features of ms Martha Flange. Born in a Nissan hut on the outskirts of Penge, ms Flange had experiened a particularly unpleasant dose of irritable bowel syndrome. Nevertheless she continued to exude a certain youthful zest that belied her 87 years.
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