Alina Alvarado

It is interesting how many would consider active learning elements as a natural part of online learning, but it is still typically easier in synchronous environments. The examples used for asynchronous learning will definitely be helpful in still incorporating active learning for relevant course content.

It was interesting to learn more about having blogs only meant for the student and instructor versus open to wider audience. This type of setting could help others feel more secure and confident but limits the amount of networking, interactive nature and communication. If learning outcomes did not incorporate this, then having more secluded settings could be helpful to incorporate.

There are a lot more creative ways to incorporate microblogging than I initially thought. Following trends and reviewing their trends can be really beneficial to use when teaching certificate courses in specific niches.

I learned more about the education-specific platforms instructors can use in addition to the mainstream hosting and sharing media. While, my schooling integrated certain mainstream planforms, I hadn't realized the sills they helped build. Even though I may not use the specific topics in daily life at the moment, the tech and media skills can now be applied in other real-life and career scenarios. 

It is interesting to learn of specific social media platforms such as Piazza created for learners. I have used Facebook at previous institutions as a way to have group discussions on class topics. However, we moved from social media to using the LMS tools and got more positive feedback from adult learners when not using an entertainment-based social media platform. Having a separate platform for learners that is distinct from others used for personal use may help facilitate a comfort with professional social media platforms as well as help ensure it is being used in the appropriate context.