Making use of what we know

Reflecting on my first session of the International Master’s programme in Information Technology and Learning at Gothenburg University (#ITLmasterGU #teachknowlearn14) there is this giant beast of information overload and the question how to organise all the material without losing the focus.

On the one hand I am thinking about how to contribute with what I already know. How do I make accessible to others what is already inside my head. We started today by doing some group activities about our educational background and interests – in “analog format” (board, sticky notes, etc.). Our lecturer asked us how we would have organized it in a digital environment. What struck me the most was the fact that no technology can replace the actual concept of what we want our contribution to look like. It is not technology that is solving the issue of knowledge quality. Technology mainly operates as a tool of providing access to it.

On the other hand I try to figure out how I should grasp all what I learned today and will learn during the programme. I want to try different types of technology but not losing track. How can I organize all the different tools I use, the content I create and above all – how much work do I have to invest in learning how to use these technologies?

• My first goal for this programme is to become more courageous and adventurous when it comes to using technology. What is holding me back is that feeling of revealing something – a comment, a text, a paper – that is then outside of my control.
• It is also the fear of criticism. Creating accessable content does mean that it is open to feedback. Especially when one did put a lot of effort into something, negative feedback is not always easy to accept. As a second goal I see taking advantage of constant feedback and learning how do benefit from it and further develop my created contents.