Author: 24smiley

Originally published here.

So I have reached the end of my crit101 journey, but what have I learnt? How has the course helped me become an independent learner? Will I continue to use skills I have gained?

At the start of the course I was slightly unsure as to even what an independent learner was; never mind how good an independent learner I was. I think I have become better at time management, overcoming challenges and remembering I am allowed to ask people when I am stuck. I have also got better at realising that I don’t have to be right first time, that it’s important to make mistakes and learn from both yourself and others. Hopefully I will take this away with me and always keep this in mind.

Additionally, I feel that I have got a lot better with using technology. I found it very interesting to use new software such as Google+. I did find it challenging to get to grips with this technology but I found it useful once I had figured out how to use it. However, I sometimes found that I was focusing too much on the technology that it did sometimes become a bit of a barrier when completing the tasks.

I found taking part in an online course a very interesting experience as it is the first one I have taken part in. I think that this has given me a head start in a lot of ways. It has let me experience things and practice skills that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to learn until later in my education and life. I have already found elements of the course have been mentioned in lessons, which is very helpful. I have definitely learnt a lot about the internet, what to look for in a website and how opinions can influence things; this will help me in the future.

I have learnt so much. Some things I don’t, even now, realise I’ve learnt. I learnt a variety of skills and concepts but also much more than that. I really found that what you put in, you got out. The more you give, the more you get. I really want to continue this high level of effort and motivation in whatever I do. I feel proud that I have completed the course.

Thanks for the opportunity :)

Originally published here.

This week I had to create a video synthesising and evaluating my conclusions. I really enjoyed this task because it was a creative task and allowed freedom. Although at first I was unsure what direction to go in, others were very helpful and soon I knew exactly what I was doing. I found the process of creating the video fun. Isobelle edited the video for my group and she did it really well. I think the task also contributed to me being an independent learner. As well as this, I also found I managed my time better which is definetly good.

Here is the link to my finshed video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m3mr_SqVWk&feature=youtu.be

Originally published here.

This week I had to critically analyse an article. Here is the link to my finished article https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nVHJJdORpuaDjQmDJPKz-fmkyI8kGdteAhlWKFdafos/pub

At first, I found it very difficult to start the task and was slightly unsure about how to approach it. I think I should have started with a question, but I was unsure what question to use. So, instead, I followed all the steps on the blog (which I found very helpful).

This was probably the point where I should have asked someone for help. But I didn’t really interact with anyone apart from doing the discussion, all week. I know you said it was important to communicate with others; so next week, my target will be to do this as I think it will benefit me. I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I sometimes felt slightly intimidated by others and felt I had to be perfect first time. I think I still need to improve this, but I’m getting there… slowly.

 I also struggled throughout writing the task, but I was determined to finish the task. This is one of the skills I think that I have as an independent learner: determination. I also think that I have improved in this, as the course delvelops (and in my opinion) gets harder, I think I have become more and more determined to complete the tasks. Even if they weren’t amazing, I still did them. If I wasn’t so determined and motivated, I don’t think I would have finished the task.

So yes, it’s maybe not the best critically written assaingment, but I think I tried my best. I’m sure you’ll tell me lots of ways that it can be improved, but I can improve. That’s what life is all about: improving. I don’t have to get things right first time, I just have to try. I think that for my first piece of critical writing, I did alright. This week’s assaignment has definetly helped me improve my reading and analysis skills and hopefully, they will develop further still…

Originally published here.

I found that it was very good that this weeks assignment built on last weeks. It was helpful that we conducted research ourself and then found out if it was as good as we thought it was. Here is the link to my published assignment.

I normally take it for granted that a website or book is accurate, but I have discovered that this is not always the case. People tell me don’t use Wikepedia, anyone can write anything on there, but anyone can write anything on any website! How do we know what we read is true? Absolutely everything we see is biased and objective. Everything. Even if what we read is true, it is still influenced by opinions. Even the smallest things can effect the reliability and validity of information. From the way we word things, to what the weather is like. I am still not a hundred percent confident with what reliability and validity are, but I do know some things that effect reliability and validity.

These skills will help me when becoming an independent learner because when I go away and learn by myself, I will have an idea of if a website is reliable and valid. It has also given me the further message that I shouldn’t take things on face value and question everything. Everything is objective. My history teacher always tells me that “no source is ever completely objective” and now I have discovered for myself that this is true. I have learnt that just because a source is not completely reliable and valid, it doesn’t mean I can’t use it. It just means that I need to point out it’s flaws.

Originally published here.

The focus of this week was research and enquiry. I learnt a lot about the research process which will help me with my homework, especially history where research plays a big part. I have learnt that there are lots of things you have to think about when researching and a variety of methods that you can use to research. The most helpful things I have learnt is all about primary and secondary research and triangulation. I discovered that the research process has a variety of stages and is a complex journey; it is a lot more than just typing the question into google. There are a variety of routes you can take and these all lead to different destinations. Although there are shortcuts, it is sometimes better to ‘go the long way round’ as you can make more discoveries about your chosen research area.

I had to participate in a group piece, trying to answer the question “What’s the best way to cook an egg”. During this project I learnt a lot about online applications you can use, for example I learnt how to create an online survey on google docs. With the help of my group I feel like I have improved in a variety of areas.

However, it has not been without difficulties. As we had a week to complete the project, some of us waited until the last day to contribute and some of us wanted to start sooner. This made it diffucult to collaborate sucessfully. Despite this, I am happy with my contributions; I feel like a helped my group in at least a little way.

This is the link to my groups assignment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15RI_Tb1mfQ5-1J0Awh5Xb3m0dUKF_r3UEVlMATKPrU0/edit

I am going to continue to journey along the path of research…