Reflective Post - A change in attitude and self-directed learning

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In  my digital civilization class, each student is required periodically to make a reflective blog post.  The purpose is to evaluate how well we have been meeting the course learning outcomes.  Click here to see the course learning outcomes.  In September, the overall theme of my reflections post was one of frustration.  Something needed to change.  But what?? Throughout the past six weeks, I have done my best to embrace the learning outcomes of the course and heed the suggestions of my professors.  So what changed??  I'd say it was a change in attitude and self-directed learning!!

Besides deciding to have a more positive attitude both in and outside of class, the biggest change I've made is how I use my self-directed learning time.  After reading the assigned readings on each historical and computing concept I am often confused about what I just read.  I question why anything that I just read is important?  How does it apply to me?  This is where self-directed learning comes in.  Instead of trying to research topics that aren't relevant to the specific concept we are focusing on, I have tried to use my self-directed learning to try to make sense of the topic we are studying.  If understanding historical content and computing concepts is something you struggle with, try using self-directed study to clarify concepts instead of finding new ones.  It might just work.  It did for me.

Common places I go for self-directed learning:

• Google, Wikipedia
• Diigo - I have found this to be extremely helpful.  I wish I would have started using this tool earlier
• Other students blogs - this helps me to see what other students felt was important and to draw connections from the readings
• Links - either from assigned readings, Wikipedia, or any other sites
• Books - I don't do this often but it's a good safety net 

 Meaningful self-directed learning has helped me become a better consumer, creator, and connector.

• CONSUME:  It is a lot more enjoyable and I feel significantly more comfortable with the historical concepts now than I did after the first midterm evaluation. 
•  CREATE:  Understanding the concept we are studying has made it easier for me to create as well.  I can spend more time focusing on making meaningful blog posts instead of purely posting because it's an assignment.  I guess I can't say that I would be blogging about historical concepts if I wasn't in this class but you get the point.  A few of the  fun ways to create were the youtube video and sound note for the mini-book club project on about The Count of Monte Cristo.  
• CONNECT:  I am not afraid to talk about or show others what I have learned because I am more confident in the subject matter.  I have found myself talking about this class a lot more with my friends and even asking them to check out my blog (I never thought I would willingly put a link to my blog on my facebook page).  I am also super excited about the final project.  It has been great working with the referral center missionaries and members of my ward to organize a fireside that the BYU 61st ward will be hosting on November 21.  I have also had the chance to re-kindle many old friendships (through the use of facebook) and share bits and pieces of the gospel with them.  None of them have accepted the invitation to participate in an online mingle yet but it has still been a great experience for me.
  
  
  

Along with continuing to get better at being a self-directed learner, another area of which I wish to improve on is being better at understanding and connecting computing concepts to the historical content.  I think one way I can do this is to use some of my self-directed learning time to clarify computing concepts and blog about them instead of always focusing on the historical content.  

Becoming a better self-directed learner has made digital civilization class much more fun.  It has also helped ignite the flame and increase my desire to become better at consuming, creating, and connecting with others.