Anthony W. – FM4

1. What did you think of the Syllabus? Was it helpful?

The syllabus was pretty straight forward and in the typical format I am used to.

2. What did you think of the Textbook? Recommended Reading/Books? Were they helpful?

I haven’t done much reading in the textbook just yet. What I have read has been very clear and concise. The book is easy to read and give a full understanding of the subject matter.

3. What did you think of the How-To Videos? Were they helpful?

The How-To-Videos are a requirement? With them, I was able to get an understanding of what is going on. Anything new can be a little overwhelming but with the videos give you the time and information we need to understand what is expected and it relieves any anxiety of the unknown. They are very helpful.

4. What do you think of Plectica?

Plectica has been really fun. At first I didn’t understand the whole “mapping” way of thinking and its slowly growing on me and I’m getting more fluent in Plectica with ever assignment.

5. What are your expectations for Tableau?

I have not had much interaction with Tableau. I sighed up for it the first week of class but I don’t feel I have used it other than for the grade dashboard. Maybe I have been using it and not knowing it.

6. What do you think of com?

Rationale was really cool. It seemed like a fancier plectica. I tried using it with our last assignment but the free version came with limitations. I like rationale but, to the creators, you should at least give us a free trial period to try it in full to see if we like it enough to pay for it. Just my thought. Other than that, I do appreciate the very limited free version.

7. Did you use Thinkquiry? If so, was it helpful?

There is a lot going on with all the other new programs in my life at this point in time. Ha! Honestly I don’t even think I know what Thinkquiry is or what it does. I will have to go through my email and Swarm learning dashboard to see how I missed that one. But I want to try everything so ill know which ones will be useful to me in my day to day endeavors.

8. What do you think of ST v2.0 (DSRP)?

It seemed very similar to ST almost like a refresher of the original

9. What do you think of the new concepts introduced?

The new concepts introduced to me in this class have made me more aware of how I think. I’ve always have my quarrels with the traditional education system and the Read-Quiz-Homework-Exam model and its effectiveness. Mentally it feels like creative damming and it puts you’re thinking in a box and makes you just regurgitate what you have been taught versus thinking about what you have been taught. It doesn’t focus on applying what you have been taught. This class give me hope for something different.

10. What are your thoughts on Lean Six Sigma? Is it a career path you would be interested in pursuing?

When I saw the salary range, I began looking for the sign-up sheet. Other than that I was first introduced to Lean at my last job. They started from the Top level on down “cutting the fat” from the leadership to the processes to the money expenditures. To make the company a well-defined well-oiled machine. It impressed me then and still to this day.

11. What did you think of the Pyramid Principle?

Pyramid principle is a great way to relay information with the most effectiveness of understanding. It starts with the main point so that everything after that is just feeding off the main point. It keeps the main point at the main focus so that everyone is always on the same track.

 

12. What do you think of Knowledge Transfer?

In any situation where there is more than one move part, communication is key. Knowledge transfer, is just that, effective communication. Knowledge can be the make or break of any organization. The ability to get the right knowledge to the right places and apply it to the right problems it critical to success. So I am a fan of knowledge transfer.

13. What are your initial thoughts on Swarm Learning?

I am loving where this is going and I like that it’s a change up from the typical. It makes me question the norm and it takes me to a different place for learning. I was taken aback initially just by the sheer amount of information and new tools. But as the class progresses, so does my understanding. I look forward to see how this concludes and what I take away from this class and this new experience.

14. What did you think of the barriers of learning?

Barriers of learning make total sense to me. The idea of learning comes when you are open to learning and if you think it is something you haven’t learned. Only then will you be able to learn. The examples you have were great and they made all the Barriers come full circle, as far as for my comprehension. Patience and focus are needed for learning, so taking small steps will lead to bigger learned outcomes.

15. What did you think of the Stable Datum?

Stable Datum is so simple and it almost seems like common sense. It is more of a test of details versus big picture. Looking at the big picture of a lot of chaos can be over whelming but if you take a step inside of the chaos and fix one piece/section at a time the issue at a whole comes to focus and is able to be slowly ordered.

16. What did you think of the first assignment (CM1)

CM1 = Super scary. The questions were very simple but the way things were asked to be organized in a map have me panic. Looking back it would have been the quickest and easiest assignment today because of its modest nature. Quick and easy questions but I turned it into a complicated giant

17. What did you think of CM2?

CM2 was much better than CM1 since I had done one before it was more about using a different template as Dr. Swarm suggested so I could get more comfortable with Plectica.

18. What did you think of EM3? And do you plan on writing a blog? Why or why not?

EM3 took me back to drawing board with my comfort and understanding of this class. That was only the case because there was a new tool add to your assignment. That cause a little confusion but the worst was when Rationale didn’t allow me to do what I needed to do with the free registration. It cause a bit of confusion but Dr. Swarm and my other classmates cleared things right up and I was able to complete what was needed. I did enjoy that it was the start of our Essay/Blog process. This is where I discovered Biomimicry. Now I am a Biomimicry-Believer! J

19. Does it help knowing that students from this class (and others) have published blogs.

Yes it gives me hope that I, too, can publish a competent blog that won’t embarrass myself.

20. What do you think of this assignment (FM4)? What are your thoughts on providing feedback that can change a class in progress? Have you ever been asked from an instructor before (throughout the class, not just at the end)?

Seeking feedback is admirable and it makes the person requesting it seem open to more than just themselves. I always ask for feedback because I always want to be my best and you don’t know what you don’t know. I love providing feedback because it not only helps the requestor but it helps me sit back and evaluate my own experience and where it could have been better and where it was amazingly great. No professor has asked me for feed be throughout the class. There were not too concerned. I think they prefer to be reactive instead of proactive. That’s not really and ideal way of thinking and teaching.

21. What are your thoughts on the extra credit opportunities (e.g. blog, Facebook, and first to post)?

Extra Credit is always appreciated. Please keep that up. It give initiative to step out first which in turns helps the whole class learn and better understand what’s going on through other students breakthroughs and failures.

22. Are you a member of the Facebook group?

As of EM3, when I got super confused, I am now a member of the FB group.

23. Do you think the Facebook group is useful? Why or why not?

FB group was very helpful. It was just another familiar avenue that the class could use to discuss this class. This class thrives off of discussion and it is needed with the assignment nature to get a complete understanding. When I got confused with EM3 FB saved the day and lowered my worry about the assignment.

24. What do you think of the WordPress Learning Community? Is it better than blackboard? Why or why not?

It was creative thinking to use WordPress. Blackboard is what everyone uses and is what everyone expects to use. When I got to this class I was worried about using this different tool for grades and posting assignments. As of currently, I feel blackboard is better. That quite possible could only be because I am so familiar with blackbord. They seem similar in nature and options but wordpress is an extra step outside of blackboard vs blackboard being all encompassing

25. Take me through your thoughts and emotions as you started this course……where are you now?

First thought was “OMG I graduate this semester and I don’t want anything thing new and different, I just want to go with what I know and get my degree.” Normally I am open and excited about new things and new ways of thinking. But there was a lot of change going on in my life with my Job change and my personal life and now school so I didn’t want any more change. But I just hit the group running and opened my mind because your emotions are how you feel but you chose your actions. So I chose the higher ground and went in wide-eyed and bushy tailed. Since then I have enjoyed this class and all the new things I feel I will take away from it. I am excited for what’s next and excited I could experience this before I graduated.

26. What are your thoughts of the instructor using Tableau to grade and sharing the Student Dashboard?

Only due to consistency I would prefer blackboard form grades but I do love how I can see where I stand in the class as far as grade progression. Since we are using wordpress for everything I do like that we keep the grades in the site also so that everything for this class is accessed from this site.

27. What are your expectations moving forward?

I am expecting to continue learning. I expect to learn until the last day of this class. Dr. Swarm focus has been teaching us how to think and I think there is A LOT for us to learn and many more tools and ideas he has under his sleeves. He is excited about learning which means he will continue to move us to be better at how we think and learn.

28. What would you like to see change?

I would only recommend a defined list of all our tools and ideas. I am thinking a list of tools along with their use. The same goes for our new thinking processes we are learning. You can add those to the list too. Maybe a quick one pager in the syllabus that way we can see what’s coming, have an idea about it. And for the tools and registrations we can always go back to that one pager to know how to get in and expectations around the tool. You are already explaining a lot in the syllabus of what we need to do but I have to go thru and find it. It would just be nice to have everything in once place since we have so much new stuff being sent our way.

29. What is one thing you love?

I love that Swarm Learning is challenging use to be different. Think different. Go beyond what has been told to us is the right way and turn it inside out and see it for what it is and why it is.

30. What is one thing you hate?

Hate is s strong word. The only thing that didn’t bring me joy was the hiccup with rationale and its access limitations. Other than that, things were great.

31. What can the instructor do immediately to make the class better?

I would like to see more decisions around Healthcare Administration. Sometimes I forget that it is a Healthcare Admin class because we are learning so much other useful and helpful things. I’ll say make mix it a Healthcare Assignment and then a Swarm Learning opportunity assignment to get a good mix of Class material and real life Swarm learning material.

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