Wendy

Dear Dr. McGregor, Let me begin this letter by simply saying thank you for your patience and kindness this semester. You have been beyond understanding as I fell behind in my coursework and I truly appreciate your willingness to work with me. That being said, I can say that I have learned a few things about myself over the course of this class, with the first being that I am absolutely never again going to teach, work my regular full-time position and take two classes all at the same time. I have learned that I cannot do it all, no matter how much I want to and feel like I need to. However, I also learned that I am capable of hanging in there and pulling through even when I am ready to throw in the towel and call it quits. I further discovered that I have a passion for technology and not just a passing interest. Most importantly, I realized how much I really enjoy exploring new apps, Web 2.0 tools and thinking about how mobile technology can help me reach students even more quickly. As I completed the assignments, I found a newfound drive to make a product that would be appealing and stimulating to the college population. Prior to this semester I was just interested in getting the information out there, but as I worked I found that I was interested in not only getting the information out there, but doing it in the most interactive way possible. I also found that I was a bit more resistant to new technology than I had previously thought. I grumbled sometimes using new tools, but found, in the end, that they made my workshops much more stimulating and appealing. I am really proud of myself for being able to expand my mind and engage more fully with technology. Since my job requires that I work online, it is important that as I move forward I keep an openness to using technology. I don’t see myself doing much more differently, other than working hard at exploring more new technologies and coming up with creative ways to use it in the workshops. I am concerned about how quickly technology changes, and sometimes, even disappears. I used one Web 2.0 tool to create something a few years ago and it has since disappeared; when it left, so did my product. Therefore, I am worried about some of the products I create becoming unavailable to the students if the site goes down. However, one way in which I could deal with this obstacle is to download and save whatever product I make. Unfortunately, not all Web 2.0 tools will let you do so, especially if you are using the free version. Since I do not teach full-time I don’t really have any major concerns in regards to it and using technology. When I do teach (which I will not be doing again for a couple of years) I see myself utilizing new technologies. So I guess my only concern would be how to incorporate them into the curriculum without overwhelming the students or using something the students considered outdated. I am really excited about trying out and incorporating some of the new tools I discovered this semester into a live workshop. Powtoons has got to be one of my favorite tools and I plan on using it quite extensively since I think it is something the students would really connect with and be able to understand. Since we have activities for each module in the workshop I think that using some of these tools will make the students more excited to participate since it increases the interactive nature of the online program. Again, since I do not teach full-time and do not see myself doing so for several years, it is really hard to answer the next two questions. Excited about? I could probably say I am most excited to develop new curriculum and shop it around to a department. I am working on developing a course about subculture and fashion, which I will incorporate technology into; however, this will be something I will work on over several years since I do not have a pressing need to teach. Obviously I will be teaching in the twenty-first century and taking full advantage of all technology has to offer me. I think that it is important to keep up with what the students know, use, and like. This generation gets bored easily and quickly abandons one technology for another, so using as many as possible and keeping my finger on the pulse of the students will be essential to creating successful course materials. In my current position I hope I make a difference on a daily basis. I work hard at reducing stigma regarding mental illness. I try to reach out to as many people as possible to increase their awareness of how important it is to take care of their mental wellness. As the Outreach and Online Programs Coordinator for a Counseling Center at a Research 1 institution, I have the ability to reach large numbers of people and send them messages that could potentially help them. Using technology as one of those mediums helps me make a bigger difference since I am able to reach larger numbers of people and send them more messages than we are able to give in person. Overall, I have learned a lot in this class. I enjoyed all of the assignments, even though I was completely, hopelessly, desperately behind most of the semester. When I was able to work I enjoyed the process of exploration and discovery you afforded us. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding. I hope I can take a class from you again (I promise I won’t overextend myself like I did this semester :) ), as I learned alot and enjoyed the platform through which you taught the class. Sincerely,  Wendy D. Barnes, Ph.D.