ITECH 299:

HOW TO LEARN WITH YOUR IPOD

BY: FRUHAR SAFA

MOTIVATION TO TAKE THIS CLASS

What really motivated me to take this class was the fact that I’ve never been too good with technology. I realize that in today’s learning and job environment it is very important to be technologically literate. It also intrigued me have a class which would help me do better in my other classes.

MY LEARNING PREFERENCES According to the learning preference

survey I took , it confirmed to me that I tend to be a strong active and visual learner. This means I learn better through interactive learning. When it comes to sensing or intuitive and sequential or global learner, the results showed me that I was very balanced in both. Therefore it proved that I had many advantages because I could learn through a variety of methods.

CONCEPT OF LEARNING PREFERENCES

Make you aware of your strengths in learning Make you aware of your weaknesses in

learning Helps you to develop a better study habit

LEARNING PATHWAY

I chose the learning warrior as my pathway. The learning warrior is was designed for personal growth which is what I was interested in. I wanted to gain deeper understanding of certain technologies, at my own pace. I wanted to do the work independently. I felt that by using this pathway and gaining better understanding of technology I could use it for learning and apple it to my other courses as well as future jobs. This would help me with personal growth.

LEARNING PATHWAY CONTRIBUTION The activities I participated in were definitely

successful in contributing to my understanding of different technologies on a deeper level. This was especially true when I would do the level 1 quizzes, or the level 3 activities ( applying the concept to my daily life). However I think what really contributed to my learning was the open forums, usually the level 2 activities. Being able to share ideas with other students and getting feedback on my work, was helpful in me understanding concepts better. This is probably because I am an active learner and really benefit from getting ideas from other people. Thus I wish I had followed the learning guide as my pathway, because the collaborative activities associated with that pathway would have been very beneficial for my learning.

SYNTHESIS OF MY TOP THREE TECHNOLOGIES The first technology I explored was ipods/iphones. This was

convenient simple for me because I own an iphone and know how to use it. Through this technology it helped me with my personal development, such as creating an organize planner on my calendar. I also downloaded few apps that help me with taking quizzes for my other classes, and fitness apps that help my physiological learning factors.

the second technology I took a lot of interest in was micorblogs. This technology not only helped me with self development but also helped me through collaborative learning strategies. I used this technology to explore twitter and tumblr a lot more. By applying this learning in my RPT 220 course, I was really able to accommodate my active and visual learning styles.

The third technology I decided to explore for learning was social networking. Although this wasn’t corresponding with my learning warrior pathway I still chose this activity because I felt like it would really help me network with others and enhance my learning styles. I realized how much it accommodated my active learning preference after learning all the different methods of using social networking. I applied the concept to my history class, and made a facebook group, so we can share ideas and ask question in more comfortable environment. This method I believe has helped me the most with learning.

PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS After learning about physiological factors of

learning, I realized how important my well-being was to my learning practices. I have since taken the initiative to make some changes in my habits concerning my diet, sleep and exercise. Using my iphone to organize my planner, I now plan out my weekly goals. I set aside time for exercise, and adequate sleep. I have also planned to eat healthier. These factors play a huge role my energy level and memorizing abilities. I’ve realized in the short time that I’ve made these changes , how much more energy and focus I have in my classes.

FUTURE PLANS After this semester I fully plan on using what I’ve

learned in ITECH 299 to better enhance my learning skills in my future courses as well as career paths. Now that I have more understanding of different apps and websites, I will use them for my learning preferences. I will also develop study habits which will better correspond with my learning skills. Along with using technology for my learning I will also work on my physiological self-development because if I’m healthy then I learn better. The technology that I will definitely be using more of is social networking, because I think so far it has benefited me the most in my learning capabilities.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE I think as a learning warrior I was really able

to develop personal growth through the technologies I chose to explore. I learned a lot about myself , and my learning strengths through my learning preference survey, and was therefore able to utilize those strengths throughout the semester. Although layout of the class seemed a bit confusing in the beginning, but the open forum really helped whenever I had any questions. I have been able to use technology in so many ways to enhance my learning skills. I definitely enjoyed this class.