Friday, September 21, 2012

Why Online Learning/Teaching?

Do I love computers? Yes
Do I love the Internet? Yes
Am I interested in Teaching/Training and Learning Online because of my interest in computers and the Internet? Perhaps partly it makes it interesting to me that I like the medium and the tools but there is more to it than pure technology.

My interest in computers and IT was born with the first mini frame the company where I worked, in the late 80s, bought. This interest became much stronger with the introduction of the first PC in the office and became a full blown hobby when I got the chance to buy my own home PC in 1992 which was a whopping 80 kbs clock speed and a 100 kb hard drive space, if I remember correctly. :) I loved playing with it, experimenting, reading manuals, going through tutorials, discovering what I could do with the different software. I also became interested in the technical side of the computer. As I watched the IT support while they worked, I asked them a hundred questions and I gradually turned into the trouble shooting geek in the office. What I enjoyed in computers was a sense of discovery and always learning, creativity and problem solving challenges with the ever evolving technology, something that I still enjoy very much.

For a short time I thought that I had all the technology that I wanted with my PC at home until one day, visiting some friends, I discovered that PCs can connect to each other using a modem, a telephone line and communication software. I discovered the BBS. I'd been using telexes and of course computers connected to the main frame in the office but always thought that as an individual I had no access to that kind of communication technology at home. Few years later I had the Internet connection installed at home as soon as I heard that it was available and affordable. It was love from first log in. Being Online to me was and is mainly about being Connected. Online, I am constantly and easily connected with technology and information but most of all I am connected to people and communities from around the world. It was like a magical machine that was both a time machine and a space ship carrying me through time and space to explore new worlds.

Online Learning and Teaching is about more choices, more information, more tools,  more access and most of all being Connected to the world with all the chances of more learning that those can provide. It is an environment where I can be always learning or always teaching or both.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

About me

I am a business consultant in the field of Learning and Development and Performance Management. This means that I am  always involved in Instruction Design as well as delivery of learning solutions. While I mainly work with the Corporate world I've been very interested in the field of main stream education for several years.

I love learning and helping others discover, learn and hopefully have lots of aha moments

Last year I joined PotCert 2011/2012 but was unable to participate fully and continue until the end due to different reasons including but not exclusively work. I am happy to be able to join again, this time with stronger resolve to get more involved, learn, offer and ask for help whenever there's a need.

I am Egyptian but I live and work in the United Arab Emirates which means that I attending some of the synchronous sessions can be a challenge but I am happy to see more participants from time zones that are closer to mine, something that is already giving me some ideas :)


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Another Test Post

I am still trying to get my blog to appear on the PotCert12 blog. Not sure why it is not aggregating. The possible reasons that I've looked at so far are

  1. labels seem to be case sensitive when it comes to aggregation, at least that's what I think.
  2. I was using potcert12 instead of just potcert.

After taking care of those two I still it is not aggregating so perhaps the date which this post should take care of.

so here goes


 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Use what I know & Learn what I don't know

Ok so here goes. This is a test post to see if this is really easier to set up for PotCert12.

After trying to use my last year's wordpress blog and again not feeling comfortable with it I decided to go with what I know how to use better and enjoy, which is blogger, while learning more about WordPress.