Blog Post #1

I have heard so many things about EDM 310. Some have been good, and some have been... well, not so good. The thing that I hear most often is, "It takes way too much time every week. 9 hours is ridiculous." I've also had students tell me that working in groups can be very frustrating, the class can be overly confusing, and I have heard many complaints about the fact that Dr. Strange encourages buying a Mac for the class. However, I have also heard that I will learn a lot from this class, and that by the end of the semester I will be glad I took it. After hearing both the good and the bad, I am really excited for this class.

I can already tell that everyone was correct in saying I would learn a lot from the class. I have had a Mac for a year now, and I have a feeling I don't use it to it's potential. I think that this class will help me learn how to do so much more with my computer. I also think that this class will help me to become a better learner, as well as a better educator.

 I would say that at least 90% of my classes in high school, and a good bit of my college classes, have all been burp-back classes. In middle school and high school, I assume that it was like this because of standardized testing. We spent most of our time preparing for tests, so we only memorized what was on them. I can memorize a study guide faster than I can read it basically. While this has made school so much easier for me, I think that being able to think critically is much more important. I hope that by the end of this course, I have a better understanding of how to learn independently while retaining knowledge, as well as learn how to teach my future students to do the same thing.

I fear that this class will be more difficult than others, just because it is different. I have had science and math classes that required me to really think about what I was doing, but most everything else was simple. "Here's a study guide. Know it for the test." I would read it a few times and be done. I look forward to the challenges that EDM 310 will bring. Other than fearing the unknown, or exactly what to expect out of this class, I don't have any concerns regarding this class.

While I may not be afraid of anything in this course, I do know it may be hard. Time management will probably be a difficult aspect of EDM 310. My plan for keeping up with my work is to complete most of it on Monday, since I don't have class on Monday. I also plan to use Mondays to go to the lab if I don't understand something. Overall, I think I will be successful with managing my time. Here are some great tips for everyone who struggles with time management.
8 Steps for Strong Time Management for College Students

Overall, I think this class will be very informative, and maybe even fun. I really am looking forward to this semester.