Reflections on VOLT

As I wrap up the VOLT program, it's time to ask the question: Do I think differently about online and blended learning?

In some ways I do. I feel that I have a much better repertoire and toolkit for engaging in these two forms of learning. The VOLT program has provided a lot - a lot! - of information on best practices, case examples, and methods that will hopefully lead to further teaching success for all of us in the program.

In some ways, I feel the same as before the program.  This is not a bad thing. I know there are endless possibilities for learning when technology is involved. And by endless, I mean a level of dynamic learning that is hard to comprehend at the moment. I still feel this way even after the VOLT program. This is a good thing because it will keep me pursuing that "next level" as I move forward as an educator and researcher.

I am excited about this upcoming academic year and the opportunity to infuse a few things I learned from VOLT into my teaching. I don't want to overdo it, however, because that may be too big of a shift to handle at once. 

One very underrated thing VOLT helped me with is being more comfortable with video recording myself speaking!  I think this is a key piece to the online and blended learning puzzle; providing that face to face interaction through online video. I always found it kind of awkward to record myself through a laptop! But we had to do it a couple of times for this program, and then had to participate in the online synchronous sessions. This actually helped me feel more comfortable with being "on-air" through video recordings and live sessions. So I'm looking forward to doing a bit more of this for the upcoming year. 

All in all, the program was definitely worth it. I said in one of my Google Plus posts that it is the perfect complement to the Master's program I recently completed (Learning Science & Technologies). I feel like I have more applicable knowledge to tie into the theoretical background I developed in graduate school.