1: Online Teaching & Learning

2017 SUMMER A

Online Teaching & Learning

My first online learning experience was since high school, when I started to search for information about artists to write papers. I began to search for information more as I get to art colleges after high school, though at that time, I still go to the library to look for information most of the time. I have been studying abroad since college. The process of applying for a visa, checking out schools' websites, looking for places to live, looking for work opportunities, has gradually shifted from going to the place directly to online processes. I also watch movies and TV online. As I get more and more acquainted with searching for things online, I recently begin to buy groceries and daily essentials online. A large percentage of my life is online. I think I have learned to save a lot of traveling time by doing things online, which has made me, someone who does not like outdoor activities already, even more a home-situated person. 

When I was a teenager, I used to search for Zodiac reading tips and online face reading. Later, when I don't know how to use an app, a program, or food medicine, I would learn everything online. On top of daily emailing and blog keeping (10 years ago it was msn blog and hotmail), Wikipedia, Youtube, and Google search are the most engines I use. When I first moved to New York eight years ago from Yale in New Haven, I knew nobody, so I started with Craigslist to look for apartments and jobs. I also search for images on Google search to get inspiration. Recently I use a lot of Instagram by simply skimming through images, filtering out images to look for what I am interested in, what is popular, which artist/ interesting person is doing what, getting ideas, brainstorming through hashtags with simple swipes under my fingers. 

A lot of times, I learn by exploring the mobile app myself, and looking through play store. Sometimes it is through friend recommendation on what apps to get, and what search engines to use. I use google chrome most of the time. I also use google drive, drop box to store, upload, and download photos and files. I tested out about eight video apps and chose Splice to teach my Pre-K 12 art students. When an app is difficult to learn, it is immediately eliminated and not considered. So looking for the right program/app to use and teach takes some research and testing.

I am recently invited to lecture art classes online for distance learning, so this course looks very interesting and useful.