The
on-line educational environment offered through a program like SLIS has
immeasurable potential to build strong bonds with people involved in Library
Science throughout the world. Due to my living situation (being in an isolated
area without many physical resources nearby), it also opens doors to
opportunities, career pursuits, and social contacts that might otherwise have
been lost to me.
This
is a personal reason why the ability to thrive as an on-line student, and to
work well in an on-line team is so crucial.
But
I feel Unit 5 outlined the skills every on-line student should pay attention to
or take into consideration when choosing to continue her or his education
virtually. Good Internet skills, and the knowledge to understand or navigate
web pages is a must. You need a reliable connection, and the proper
applications or programs installed to access course materials.
Yet
those are simply the technical aspects.
I’ve
been reminded again and again, from family members to the LIBR 203 course
content, how important it is to structure your chosen work setting or schedule.
For instance, the thought of attending classes in pajamas, or from the comfort
of home, is a definite perk. Still, you have to set up a space where you can
work without getting disturbed (which can be hard to do if you tend to have a
noisy household), and regular periods or times to do academic work.
Mixed
in with everything else is the drive or commitment to succeed. For an on-line
class, in particular, you must continuously persevere against distractions and
take the initiative to solve problems related to your learning as they arise,
whether it involves contacting an instructor about something you don’t
understand in the material, etc. So individual accountability is a major part
of being successful as a student in this arena.
Of
course, individual accountability and structure have prominent roles in
teamwork as well. Both Dr. Haycock and Enid Irwin made it clear that striking a
balance between each individual and their expectations, versus the group as a
whole and its work goals, is a delicate but vital matter. Dr. Haycock, for
example, mentioned in his presentation how if individuals do not care about the
group’s goals so much as getting a good grade on an assignment that this can be
detrimental to what being in a group is supposed to teach. Enid Irwin touches
on this fact too, and adds how the ability to work well on a team, and to take
full advantage of the strengths each person possesses, continues to be
important during a career in Library Science (or similar fields).
If
each student in a group understands what needs to get done, how to accomplish
it (and the commitment to do it), and what contribution she/he can make, things
will move along smoothly.
This
is what I carried away from this section, and I scored well on the assessments.
Yay!
