Thursday, January 14, 2016

Week 2: Cole's Weekly Report & Reflection Post

Where Will I Be?
I have always wondered where I could or will end up in the future. At the moment, I am currently in my final year at Brock University within the Sport Management program. After I graduate from university, I am not really sure where I may end up! However, I am currently pursuing the possibility in taking an internship this summer in which may help me guide my future career and life plans. Personally, I am always fearful of whether or not I may even remain in my field of study. Could I end up spending a majority of my career in a sector completely unrelated to the sports field? Who knows! Ultimately, I already know I am determined to graduate and complete my degree in Sport Management and find a job that I look forward to going to each and every day. Moreover, I know achieving these particular goals will require patience and hard work, which I truly believe I already possess!

With all this wondering, one thing that really assisted me in getting such issues on track is a tool called a personal learning environment or PLE. 

Personal Learning Environment (PLE)
The notion of a personal learning environment (PLE) is a term in which refers to a system that can ultimately assist you in learning and permits for individuals to manage and take control of their life. Thus, this particular tool allows for individuals to teach themselves and gain valuable input. Personally, I always find myself getting very worried about where I will be in even a year from now (i.e., “Where will I find a job?”). However, this week in my adult education class I was able to discover the personal learning environment tool and learned that it can aid in my path towards achieving my particular goals. The pictured depicted below is just one particular example of what a PLE may look like in any given case. I was able to make this model through the Gliffy website. In particular, at the very center of this diagram is the “Networking Tools” in which incorporates various utensils that allow for me to be organized.

Pettem C. (CC) 2016.
Moreover, when I get concerned about where I could potentially start my career and find a job, I could always reflect on this particular picture and look where I need to start from. For example, I can lead myself from “networking tools” to “socializing/collaborating” to “question?” and then to “Google” where I can begin looking at potential openings. 

Reflection - My Final Thoughts!

Reflecting on my PLE Diagram:
I have found that my particular PLE diagram may be a bit empty and ultimately does not provide me with many options to turn to; limiting my options. Thus, over time, I will be looking to add to this diagram and fill it with bits of information in which will help me succeed in the future.

Reflecting on my word cloud:
I found this particular activity to be very fun and enjoyable. In particular, this activity allowed for me to be creative and engaged. In addition, the word cloud activity permitted for an individual like me to take the words in my original post and ultimately reflect on the key terminology used; making me a much more informed individual. Thus, the word cloud allowed for me to learn that I prefer clean, clear, and concise writing; ultimately fitting into my preference of being an organized individual. Moreover, the activity also depicted the various thoughts and opinions that I have shared and potentially could expand upon as time progresses.
Pettem C. (2016).
Connection to course readings:
In regards to my current PLE, the notion of connecting with other individuals for the purpose of learning is already addressed through my utilization of email, texting, and various extensions of social media (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Thus, Lalonde (2012) identifies the utilization of a personal learning network (PLN) in which allows people to potentially assist another person in learning by guiding or directing them in finding answers to potential questions one may have. To exemplify, I am able to look at my PLE diagram and direct myself to the various “communication” extensions in which I marked down; permitting for me to connect with other individuals and improve my knowledge and understanding as an individual. Moreover, utilizing a personal learning network would also allow for me to interact and gain relations with individuals within the field of Sport Management; providing future opportunities for work experience and references for the future.

That’s it for this week!

Cole Pettem

1 comment:

  1. Cole, your blog looks fantastic! Great use of visuals to enhance the visual appeal. You're doing a very good job of making solid connections between the course content and your own personal experiences and circumstances. Keep it up! :)

    One suggestion. Try going to the "Template" section (link in left hand menu within blog dashboard), select the orange "customize" button, and then try adjusting the width of your blog. This will help make a better fit, with the current widths of the images you're including. :)

    Dave

    ReplyDelete