Each week I am required to write a post for my EDUC 5105 class, so I thought I would take the time to reflect the McMaster Learning Technology Symposium for my third post.
As part of my new job as an Instructional Assistant with RIVET, I have been able to to be involved in organization of the Mcmaster Learning Technology Symposium. A yearly event, the symposium features talks by a number of education professionals from in and around McMaster University, as they discuss their thoughts on what works when utilizing technology in education. Talks on everything from effective online communication to launching a MOOC will be discussed, which makes for an interesting day (for those involved in education).
One of the main benefits, as related to my job and this course, is that it allows me to see exactly how people are using learning technologies in their classrooms. Whether they are using it in a manner in which I would promote through RIVET, or in a way that I have not thought of previously, it allows me to reflect on how learning technology is being used around the University. It’s also allowed me to interact with a number of other technology-focused education experts on campus, which has allowed me to gain insight on how their programs/faculties work, and how further collaboration could benefit us both. More-so, it’s let me gain and understanding of just how varied an approach to education is within a University setting.
To give you a better idea of what exactly is presented at the symposium, you can check out the 2014 Presented Abstracts.
The symposium is on May 20th, and I’ll most likely post again on one of the talks I attended.