Blog Post #1: Tuesday 08/30 [About me, my experiences with educational technology, and my PLN(s)]

 Blog Post #1: Tuesday 08/30

About me:

My name is Delaney Wildermuth. I am a first-year student at Florida State pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Health. I was a competitive swimmer for most of my life until just last year. I've had three jobs, one being a summer camp counselor in which I worked with hundreds of children every day. After graduation, I am considering joining the Peace Corps or entering a master's program. Although I don't plan to pursue a career in education, I hope my profession will allow me to work directly with families and children in need of medical care. 

My prior experiences using technology in an education setting:

I excel in a technological education setting. I type much quicker and with more efficiency than I write. I also prefer online articles to paper copies. Alternatively, I find it difficult to focus on physical texts and hands-on activities. I find it trickier to organize paper documents than those on a computer. 

In fifth grade, my school received smart boards. This was my official transition into learning with technology. While I never attended a school that distributed IPads, I frequented many computer labs before acquiring my own laptop. In high school, especially junior and senior year, most of my assignments were submitted online via canvas. 

My Personal Learning Network(s):

For the purpose of learning more about FSU, I frequent Florida State subreddits to learn more about my school from a diverse audience. Additionally, I ask my older friends about their experiences at FSU. I'm an avid following of FSU Facebook groups (FSU housing, etc.) which provide real-time informational updates in response to common questions about the school. Finally, I visit Pinterest and Tiktok frequently to see posts from students who are/were already on campus. 

For general education purposes, I converse with my academic advisor about my schedule and opportunities. As far as tools, Google Scholar is a great resource for finding academic journals regarding specific topics. Of course, I also refer to my course textbooks for lots of specialized information. Finally, I learn a lot from older FSU students leading clubs I've joined.