Mumen’s Flight Path

Current Coordinates

Coming into EDCI 338, I already have some experience using technology and multimedia for learning, but I haven’t spent much time thinking specifically about personalized learning or social media in education. As a Computer Science student, most of my experience with technology has been technical. Taking EDCI 335 showed me how multimedia can make information easier to understand and more engaging for the reader by using websites, charts, and visual explanations.

I have frequently used websites like YouTube and other online resources throughout high school and university to learn concepts at my own pace. To me, personalized learning in this day and age means being able to learn in ways that match my learning style. For instance, I’m a visual learner, so I tend to understand and remember concepts better when they are explained through videos, diagrams, charts, or other visual examples rather than only through text. That’s why personalized learning helps people learn in a way that matches their needs, interests, and pace instead of everyone following the same path.

Mapping the Route

My main goal in this course is to better understand the role social media and online platforms can play in learning, while also looking critically at the risks that come with them. Since I am interested in cybersecurity, I am especially interested in privacy, online safety, data collection, and how much control users actually have over their information. I want to learn how educational platforms can support learning without sacrificing privacy or security.

This connects closely with several of the course objectives. I want to learn how social media can be used to support learning and build personal learning networks, but I also want to understand why the Internet is not always an equal or neutral space. I am also interested in learning more about data ownership, copyright, Creative Commons, and what responsibilities people have when sharing or reusing content online. These are areas that I have encountered before, but I have not explored them deeply from an educational perspective.

Another area I am interested in is the use of generative AI in education. AI has become something that a lot of students use regularly, whether it is for explaining difficult concepts, helping with ideas, or improving their work. At the same time, I think there is still a lot of debate around where the line should be between using AI as a helpful tool and relying on it too much. I want to learn more about how AI can be used in a way that actually supports learning and creativity without taking away from the thinking and effort that students should still be doing themselves.

Anticipating Turbulence

One challenge I expect in this course is getting used to the asynchronous online format. I have not taken a fully asynchronous course in a while, so I will need to adjust to completing the work on my own time while still keeping up with deadlines. Since there is no regular class time reminding me what needs to be done, I think time management and staying organized will be especially important.

I do like the collaborative side of the course, especially having opportunities to discuss ideas with classmates and work together. I think having group discussions or setting meeting times with classmates will help me stay engaged and give me a chance to hear different perspectives on the course material.

To make sure I stay on track, I plan to set aside a few hours throughout the week to review the course material, participate in discussions, and work on assignments ahead of the deadline rather than leaving everything until the last minute. My main goal is to build a consistent routine so that I can manage my time well and avoid missing any assignments or important course activities.