Lesley Anderson

Design rules and your CSU Forum experience

 EMT 501 - was my first contact with a subject that was relatively unstructured.  We had basic guidelines, but could focus on any area we liked and present our work in any format we liked as an e-portfolio. We were given particular tasks to complete for inclusion in the portfolio but were encouraged to look in depth at a particular area where we felt a need to develop skills.

As students undertaking the course we had to make the effort to join the CSU forum initially - that was our responsibility. It didn’t just magically appear - we had to go looking for it and add it to our forum group. I know this gave me a sense of joining a group of like-minded people and helped me focus on the subject and processes I needed to undertake  it successfully.

My experience with the online forum for this subject was that we were a large, varied group driven by a common goal -  understanding of the task/s at hand and subject completion. This helped us support each other particularly during the times leading up to assessment submission and completion. We often pooled ideas or called on a member’s skills in particular areas of ICT to help with tasks.

Even though our group was large, there appeared to be a core group  who were constantly in communication in the forum. Posing questions or thoughts in posts and supporting others as they tried to identify exactly what the course requirements were and how best to achieve them.

When we were writing to the forum posts were kept clear and concise and relevant. If you were looking from outside it would probably look very business-like as members of the learning group asked questions about learning direction and understandings.

I don’t remember any problems between members of the forums - we were about the subject and work load and focused on supporting each other to complete it.  After working closely together for so long on this subject, checking the forum, posting questions and comments, it was very strange at the end of the semester to realise that the forum part of our community would finish up.

There are many from that group who still regularly communicate through a group on Yahoo and probably a core group of about 6 people with whom I personally communicate. We got to know each other pretty well and formed a network of people to whom we still throw out questions and requests from time-to-time - pooling resources and skills in particular areas and supporting each other both personally and professionally.