Thank goodness we are more than halfway through this semester. I have to admit that this has not been my best class. I have really struggled with the entirely asynchronous arrangement. In many ways it is very convenient, but it also becomes difficult to prioritize (or even remember) my work in this class. Online is not my favourite place to be and not being a particularly digitally literate person, weekly work can be very frustrating at times. Nonetheless, I have learned some valuable skills and generally awareness of the internet beyond my daily interactions.
I really appreciate the annotated readings and interactions with classmates. I struggle to complete the readings in a timely manner, but really appreciate that this class forces me to actually engage with the material and gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts on what we are learning. There is so much that we have covered already that I never considered existing previous to this course. At least I have some ideas now of where I might start looking for certain digital tools and programs which is a big step for me.
Problem solving for me mainly consists of going in circles several times before I accidentally hit the right button. When that does not work, I will eventually ask for help (reluctantly which is unlike me, but I do find the online setting less comfortable than in-person interactions when I need help). One benefit of my struggles is that, though I have learned the process for each task more thoroughly than I might like, I do learn what not to do… I definitely need to work on asking for help earlier so it does not get so late that I feel badly about it.
As I mentioned earlier, I like interacting with my peers through the annotations. It is interesting and helpful to read my peers annotations and to share me own thoughts, suggested answers, and questions. Working entirely online can be freeing and I do find it easier to interact with my peers in this class in some ways.
Despite my challenges in this course, I cannot deny that I feel it is important that I have a basic understanding of the topics we cover in ENGL 201. I would prefer some scheduled class time just to ensure that I am actually keeping on top of this course. If it is not marked on my schedule, it does not exist in my priority list which is problematic ( mainly for me). For the last part of the semester I am going to try blocking out space in my schedule as if this is an in-person class to ensure I make enough time for ENGL 201 work.
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