Week 5

This weeks activities and reading reminded me of my attempt at getting a PhD in psychology in an online program. I was all gone ho about how I could increase my skills and become licensed to not only test children for specific learning disabilities, but also to put my psychology letter behind it so that it would be considered legitimate.
Biggest first step was finding a program that fit my needs. A program that aloud me to work any day of the week from anywhere. So I looked through many and found one that fit my needs. I would be able to move about freely without having to show up on campus, I would be licensed after taking the california licensing exams and I would be able to use the degree for what my goal was.
Taking the first course: This was the most impersonal system I had ver been in. Not only did it have the typical issues of being online (which I expected) but no interaction with anyone else, not even the instructor. So here I was reading about different methods, watching videos, doing research and posting statements and comments. The problem was that my statements and comments were to people who had taken the class several months or years before and my posts would be answered by the next soul that would come by who knows when. When I wrote my paper I picked a method that was very interactive with the client and would allow them to come out of their shell through questions given by the psychologist (design to trigger a response). I finally got feedback for my essays and the program specifically promoted behavioral modification (something I run from in my own practice as an educational therapist)  and I was told not asked how it is all done today.
At the end of the course I left the program and I still have not (but hope to soon) picked a new one.

The feeling was one of confusion, loneliness and criticism. I hope in my courses to instill a more sense of community and interaction amongst my students. I promote speaking to each other about their students and techniques they may pick to help their students with basic cognitive skills to support their academic skills.

Techniques by educational therapist may not fit the mainstream way, sometimes this may mean  running outside, swinging, climbing, pushing and pulling, working on timing all as the end goal to teaching academics. If the adult students in my class have a community that can give them feedback, they then can decide with confidence, what and how they will help their own students need to succeed.

My steps included for the integrated sensory class:
two face to face classes to learn the exercises hands on
online discussion about the students they are working with and what they are trying to do to help them in the long run.
materials to read
research
exercises to read about and try.
reflection on their studies and group conversation (virtually or in the classroom).

A long slide show (but well done) on online course and community:
building-community-in-online-learning-classes