Social Presence in Online Classrooms

   The chat session was very help full, according  to reviewing or understanding  the reading. that lead us to construct our own understanding and share it, discuss it, present on line.

 I find it a bit difficult to follow each class mate and comment or respond for each of the ideas. some of us was just saying what was written in the reader straight, and some of us was trying modify it with our own views. but in any ways it was a path to share ideas and to feel free on raising own views and understanding about social presences.

   The on line discussions is quite different to face to face classroom discussion. In face to face class room discussion one can follow easily others conversation, but in on line some times two or more peoples post their chat at the same time and difficult to follow each of them.but it is an advantages for all no one can feel shy to say what they want to say.  In general it was a good experience for me.

negative and postive assesment experience

      I had negative experience that I couldn't forget and remind it even I am still wondering why the lecturer asses me like that.

         It was on one of my last year courses the teacher give as an assignment and it was our 'major assignment' for that course, also we had given a sample assignment that has done by one of the previous students.

          I really take time and I tried to do it well, I was hoping that I will get a good result because I did not have any serious difficulties on the question to respond it.

       But couldn’t get what I expect, all the feedbacks was focused on my spelling errors some grammatical things only. Finally I take one of my friends’ assignments and I look at it the things we focused on are all most the same, but the gap between our results is more than expecting. Then I conclude that the lecturer is marking based on 'who we are' rather than 'what we did', because the teacher knows that English is my second language and believes that I couldn't understand the whole idea unlike others.

    

   I like when the teachers assessed the students by considering the whole situation of the student, and at least consider more on the understanding of concepts and the objective of the course. 

Acessing course in the online environment...

    Using OTL for courses is something intersting and also can consider as the development  or any new progress of teaching/ learning method. it will help as to adapt new technologies easily and to use electronic teaching materials.

  Accessing the courses in the on line environment will help learners to achieve their goals easily than traditional way of teaching /learning method, in a sense that they will motivate to learn something in effective way because all feedback and necessary requirements are available on line.
  In my teaching situation the thing that I can mention is the economy effect because the country is not well developed and not easy to access the course on line, it will be difficult for learners to get and use  those technologies (computers) as a teaching material.

feeling good

I am Seblework, from Ethiopia. Before I start introducing myself, I want to say 'hello' all of my classmates and our presenter.I studied  my B ED in Manufacturing Technology at Adama University,which is located in Nazareth,Ethiopia.After I graduate my first degree I was teaching in Techincal collage my magior courses like ;-General mechanics, welding and hydrolics.But for very short time, even not for  a year.I came here on  2008 I stayed with two of my sisters. I was also doing some short courses at Wits since that time until I registered for this program.
    Reading books ,waching comedy movies, and listenigs gospel songs are my hobbies. I like to know and to be familer with the new technologies that is why I planned to continue my degree. At this movement I am not working I am just studing.
I hope you know me a little bit from my post,all of my classmates  are welcome to ask me a question , to send me suggestion or comment.