Marianne+Wagner

I'm Marianne and I share a staff room with 2 other teachers, Patricia and Helen in A332 at Randwick TAFE. The phone extension is x8555. I have learnt a bit about using an .mp3 recorder in the classroom, and a "boom-box" with a USB port for instant playback in classrooms without computers. I have also emailed students files of roleplays, simulated phone calls (recorded on my home answering phone and then transferred to .mp3) and given oral feedback on their roleplays and simulated phone calls using this electronic medium.I have worked on several moodles, the current ones being for "Get Skilled for Health Professions" and "Communication and Pronunciation" (which is part of a workplace project for overseas trained doctors, currently involving 4 Languages teachers).

So .mp3s and moodles are the areas in which I have offered to share my skills as part of this project. Initially I have felt rather overwhelmed with requests for support - I have conducted 3 mentoring sessions on using moodles and 2 mentoring sessions for using .mp3 recorders and files. I've also got another session of each type of mentoring booked up for the next 2 weeks. I have realised I need to take action to learn some new skills myself and will be receiving mentoring in using Adobe Connect and in setting up a laptop for internet access (for use for moodle mentoring when my office cannot be used for this purpose) on 14th September.

I felt quite incompetent when I attended the staff development on Adobe Connect and Capture on 14th August (partly becaue I have very poor eyesight and couldn't see the main screen at the front at all clearly). This was a salutary lesson in how students must often feel about technology. I was initially horrified when I realised I would need to actually learn to use Adobe Connect when I agreed to be a co-presenter in a "Hot Topics" lunchtime session using this software on 31st October. I am looking forward to a skills exchange session with Vivian Cassar-Patty (.mp3 for Photostory) on 19th September and hope to attend a workshop on wikis at Learning and Innovation at Ultimo on 28th September.

So participating in this project ranges from being fun and exciting through experiencing all the imaginable stages of anxiety, stress and downright fear as I keep needing to move out of my technological comfort zone - which is very limited. However, I am still in one piece and gradually gaining confidence. I'm glad to have this opportunity to learn more and to share the little I have learnt.