The End Is Near

I don't want to believe the semester is over, but it is. Over the past few weeks I've become a curator, a blogger, a community organizer, and a content creator. I may have done some of these things in the past, but not to the extent that I was able to try them in this learning environment. I know now what it's like to lurk quietly in the shadows vs. lead the discussion.  I see the benefits of both. I feel that a lot of the processes we've gone through such as setting up our own personal learning network, the Produsage assignment, and (for some of us) creating our first ever VoiceThreads has really taken my level of participation in the various networks I am a part of from passive participant to leading the way and helping to shape and foster those networks. I've put myself in places I was eager to evacuate. Some of these tools I may never try again. Most of them however, I found to be eye-opening, and useful. Many of these tools and the content I've created as a result of experimenting with them, will make their way into my lesson plans and group projects, and be featured on my e-Portfolio as I look to find jobs and internships in the field. 

Things I'll keep doing:

I am going to maintain my personal learning network, and my curated photography boards on Pinterest. I am absolutely going to create more stories using Storify. I would like to take the lead from a lot of instructors I follow and create a few of my own 'how-to videos' and step by step articles to showcase my abilities as an instructor. I would like to break out of my comfort zone. When it came to creating content, I had to go with what I knew, and suprisingly, this meant a lot of my content was related to Photographic and ceramic arts. In the future, I maybe I can expand my focus to include HTML 5, Mobile Learning, or Florida Building Codes instead. I'll keep updating my Symbaloo homepage. 

Things I'm done with:

Probably Periscope and Snapchat. Some of the tools did not seem like my cup of tea at first. In multiple cases, it turned out that I really just needed a good blog post from another classmate to showcase what we could accomplish with them. So with that in mind, I know I may end up relying on these tools in the future. 

Thanks for making this one of the best summer learning experiences I've had, and giving me the tools to succeed! Now Its time for a road trip to the Mountains!