Reflection on COMM140 July Residential

As a new student to ACU and the Away From Base program I found COMM140 refreshing as well as quite challenging. Although I consider myself being quite able to complete a few tasks online I found myself learning how to use new forms of software to create interactive games for students such as Scratch which allows educators to assist in the growth of a student’s technological abilities through entertaining online activities. I found that it took me a while to get the hang of the program but with Pip’s step-by-step check list it became a (sort of) simpler task. I personally think Scratch could be an incredibly useful resource for myself as a future educator but I think I’ll definitely have to work on my skills in order to share that knowledge to my future students.
COMM140 also broadened my appreciation for the use of social media, where my previous (and incredibly current) use of social media platforms were for personal accounts. I have no become aware of the usefulness of different social media forms such as online blogging (Medium) and Twitter as a tool for educators. As a teen I used the website Twitter for following trends and celebrities and, to me, that was it’s one and only use but now I can see it’s potential to be used for education purposes. After following some hashtags and other educators in the field, I now understand that Twitter and online blogging allow for users to learn other personal experiences within the education department as well as a way to share lesson plans, techniques and resources. The use of these platforms allows for a network of people to come together to share ideas which could become extremely beneficial for current and future students.
Despite only just joining the AFB program, I have studied at another university since I graduated in 2014 and it’s safe to say that I haven’t participated in a subject quite like COMM140 and I’m excited to see what other skills and ideas I can learn from this class.
#acuedu_p
