Blog 9

     My experience as a distance learner has been a journey. At first, I was very reluctant to the change it brought to my learning/studying methods compared to being an in-person student before COVID-19. However, after some time, I have "warmed-up" to my distance learner position and have constructed some sort of rough routine to this lifestyle. What I dislike about being a distance learner is my lack of human contact. I have not been able to be as motivated to do my work because of the initial COVID-19 restrictions to being on campus and utilizing the library/classroom settings. As a teacher, I hope to be able to collaborate with my students on the syllabus schedule and classroom expectations because online learning has proved to be more demanding and challenging to engage and ensure students are doing work (constantly). 

    Open Educational Resources are learning resources that anyone can access and utilize for whatever purpose(s) and found online. "Open" means free of charge, ability to edit and remix them, and share these resources with others. OERs go by the Five R's: retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute. Teachers and students should be encouraged to access OERs and teachers should also support each other by sharing useful and effective OERs with one another. An example of an impactful OER that I have observed is Khan Academy, where students are able to use tutorials and assignments and teachers are able to edit and or share these assignments as well. 

    The skills I have obtained from the last two PowerPoint assignments are Recording and Sound Animations. I did not know how to record a PowerPoint narration just because I have never been assigned to do so. I am familiar with transition animations but was never inclined or prompted to utilize Sound Animations in a PowerPoint as well. These two skills have definitely added "flavor" to my presentations and I appreciate the expanding skillset.