September Monthly Summary

September Monthly Summary:

September has been a busy month and I know we are all happy that the literature review papers are complete!  For my literature review, I studied the popular literature and theories available dealing with the environment and context in learning.  I struggled with this paper because the subject matter is so very broad.  I completed an in depth review of the physical environment, knowledge environment, political environment, situated cognition, and the cultural environment and how each of these contexts effect learning.  That is a lot of information to digest!  In the end, my paper turned out to be too general due to the overall amount of information I covered.  After reviewing my work and communicating with Dr. Chang, I have decided to scale back and focus on the physical environment and situated cognition, or the real life environment rather than all the contexts that affect learning.

In addition to needing to narrow my focus in my literature review, a few of my citations were inconsistent with APA style in the body of my paper as well as on the reference page.  I should have gone back and proof read the citations per the most recent APA manual, but I neglected to that.  Therefore, I made the same APA error multiple times in my paper.  How frustrating!  I have learned my lesson for next time, and I am sure I will be better for it in the long run as I will be writing many more APA papers in my graduate degree. 

I am so glad that I am able to narrow down my focus to concentrating on the physical/real life environment.  As I have been researching my programs in practice, I have narrowed down my program as one that has a situated cognition component as well as a high level of technology, which is part of the physical environment.  The program in practice is a medical assistant program and I have decided to focus on the clinical component where the students learn by simulation, situated cognition, and involve a high degree of technology.

My plans for October are aggressive and I plan to dive right in to my program of practice.  During the first week of October, I am scheduled to sit in on classes, observe the online component, and take pictures of simulation experiences as well as the physical environment in which the students are learning.  Based on my research completed in my literature review, I will take the concepts and themes I learned and synthesize that information including what I discover studying my program of practice. 

On October 28, our program syllabus is due.  My plans are to take everything I have learned and completed through the literature review and the program of practice study to create a comprehensive syllabus. 

So, yes, it will be a busy month, but I am looking forward to the challenge and I am encouraged once again now that I have narrowed my focus.  I am enjoying the additional class component of keeping up with a blog as well….something I have never done before.