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The UMUC Certificate in distance education and e-learning
The UMUC offered Certificate in Distance Education and e-Learning requires that each participating student develops and manages the content of an
e-Portfolio as part of the students continual assessment.
This is my living e-Portfolio, where over time I will populate it with my reflections of the course, my interactions with the readings and visiting guests, my learning journal, required pieces of work, interesting articles and everything Distance Education, which I find interesting and want to share.
I hope you find this e-Portfolio both interesting and engaging, as this is a new experience for me and I am up for the challenge.
The UMUC offered Certificate in Distance Education and e-Learning requires that each participating student develops and manages the content of an
e-Portfolio as part of the students continual assessment.
This is my living e-Portfolio, where over time I will populate it with my reflections of the course, my interactions with the readings and visiting guests, my learning journal, required pieces of work, interesting articles and everything Distance Education, which I find interesting and want to share.
I hope you find this e-Portfolio both interesting and engaging, as this is a new experience for me and I am up for the challenge.
My educational goals
I have been working in conservation for close on twenty five years, and as I state in my biography, I struggled at first to get into the sector due to poor school grades and not having the experience required. I am now working at giving back to young nature conservation students and offering them the opportunities and support I was never offered, to get into the sector. I started this mentorship and skills training in conservation eight years ago and its focus and activities have not changed much since those early days.
I have now got to the point where the number of students are more than the opportunities on offer. This is disturbing as we are still in desperate need of skilled and experienced field rangers. My expectation for this course is to learn what I can and see how I can adapt and or use what I have gained, to make skills development and experiential possible (albeit partially) through DE and e-Learning.
I believe it is possible to support a student to gain experience, apply theory knowledge and develop skills in conservation with the aid of technology and e-Learning. I also believe if I am to make a lasting contribution to the conservation efforts in South African I must not only focus on the those young adults who have completed their formal schooling, but must also focus my attention on the school going youth between the ages of 8 and 16 years of age. It is in these formative years where a true love and passion for conservation can be nurtured and with the right help and guidance these young school going youth will one day become our future conservation champions.
I have been working in conservation for close on twenty five years, and as I state in my biography, I struggled at first to get into the sector due to poor school grades and not having the experience required. I am now working at giving back to young nature conservation students and offering them the opportunities and support I was never offered, to get into the sector. I started this mentorship and skills training in conservation eight years ago and its focus and activities have not changed much since those early days.
I have now got to the point where the number of students are more than the opportunities on offer. This is disturbing as we are still in desperate need of skilled and experienced field rangers. My expectation for this course is to learn what I can and see how I can adapt and or use what I have gained, to make skills development and experiential possible (albeit partially) through DE and e-Learning.
I believe it is possible to support a student to gain experience, apply theory knowledge and develop skills in conservation with the aid of technology and e-Learning. I also believe if I am to make a lasting contribution to the conservation efforts in South African I must not only focus on the those young adults who have completed their formal schooling, but must also focus my attention on the school going youth between the ages of 8 and 16 years of age. It is in these formative years where a true love and passion for conservation can be nurtured and with the right help and guidance these young school going youth will one day become our future conservation champions.
My educational goals revisited
After completing only the first module of a course, it is difficult to say with certainty that my educational goals have been addressed. What I can say that what I have completed in this OMDE601 course has made me think deeply on current and past theory and practice and to superimpose my current situation to see where I am in relation to current and future trends in educational theory and practice.
I also believe that the course pushed me out of my comfort zone with special emphasis on breaking my apprehension to engage with digital technology and associated applications. All in all this fear was misguided and after the initial engagement I felt encouraged and challenged to go on and learn more. This is a start to a hopefully very interesting and challenging Masters journey for me.
After completing only the first module of a course, it is difficult to say with certainty that my educational goals have been addressed. What I can say that what I have completed in this OMDE601 course has made me think deeply on current and past theory and practice and to superimpose my current situation to see where I am in relation to current and future trends in educational theory and practice.
I also believe that the course pushed me out of my comfort zone with special emphasis on breaking my apprehension to engage with digital technology and associated applications. All in all this fear was misguided and after the initial engagement I felt encouraged and challenged to go on and learn more. This is a start to a hopefully very interesting and challenging Masters journey for me.