Based on my experiences, I would now say that I think the discussion is an effective learning tool. Through this class I was able to learn about different learning styles and how to incorporate them into the classroom. At first I was very skeptical about interacting with other classmates this way, but it turned out to be very beneficial.
One of the difficulties I experienced in participating in online discussions was just voicing my opinion or critiquing other classmates. I think that the smaller audience made it easier for me to say what I was thinking or sharing what I had read about a certain topic. It was also difficult when I had a question and having to wait hours before getting a response. I was lucky in the fact that I had a very responsive group and so this was very seldom ever an issue. I learned through the discussion that I can have varying opinions on topics and on how to do classwork. I think that critiquing my classmates was difficult at first, but after realizing that our critiques were only to help one another I was able to offer more constructive criticism. This helped me to look at my groups lessons and compare to mine and see ways that I could improve.
I think that the online class was beneficial to me because I was able to work on my own time and soak in more of the material that I was studying. If I had questions or wanted to discuss what I had read I was able to do that and get feedback. The guidelines that were set up at the beginning of class insured that I would get feedback.
Overall, I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge through this online class. I enjoyed learning about Power Point, Webquest and Publisher; all of which I had never or rarely used before this class. This class have broadened my views on computers in the classroom and I will be certain to use what I have learned when I begin to teach.
