Dr. John McCullough

Week #2 is ending soon for ED 620.  I always find it very difficult, but I accomplished one of my online course goals…. that was to try and keep my mouth shut for the first two weeks.  If you’re a student reading this, you probably wonder why that would be a goal.  This has been my goal each time I’ve taught a completely online course.  I’m never convinced it’s a good goal, but the idea behind it is that my perceived lack of “participation” will encourage students to step up to the plate and take control of their own learning.  I absolutely despise “spoon-feeding” students. I want students to take control and focus on what they need to learn, want to learn, and hope to learn.

Now that Week #3 in ED 620 is about to begin, it’s time for me to join in the learning by taking a more active role.  I just always hope that my students don’t think I’m ignoring them, but each time I’ve taught ED 620, by the end of the course, students have benefited by me keeping my mouth shut.

The first week of ED 620 was SO much fun.  As I’ve posted before, a one-year sabbatical has just ended and getting back to the classroom was bitter sweet.  I was not concerned about whether I could still teach, I was concerned that it had been so long, maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it anymore.

What a tremendous pleasure it was to follow all the new students’ discussions and blogs.  I try and be very quiet the first couple weeks of an online course.  Students possibly question whether I’m participating, but I try and stand back and see how things unfold.  This week will be another quiet one for me.

Unfortunately, teaching another course in addition to ED 620 at the same time, which meets face-to-face seems to be hogging all my time.

However, I am “Second Week Excited.”  Partly because the first week was so much fun, partly because the second week is just beginning.  Time will tell…

Last summer on August 12, 2010, I finished teaching two online classes.  After those classes were complete, I began my year-long sabbatical.  How cool it will be to be on sabbatical… How many things I will accomplish…

Fast forward to July 10, 2011… How could a year have already passed?  Did I accomplish anything?  Did my sabbatical even really happen?  I’m now sitting at my computer, eager and anxious for my two new online course to begin.  However, the realization that I haven’t taught anything for nearly a year is kind of intimidating.  My wife says, “it’s just like riding a bike.”  I agree.  I disagree.

It’s time to begin again….

All blog posts have been archived and will begin anew for the Summer Session.  Check back for posts which will begin on July 11, 2011