Workshop 1
28 March, 2011
Lynn McAllister introduced us to QUT's ePortfolio system and the language used, including experiences, artefacts, portfolio views, and releases. I like the idea of recording experiences, and having a framework for learning, like the ALIA core skills.
I found the platform itself plain, with little room for creativity, so I decided immediately that I would build my ePortfolio with an alternate application. I'm very familiar with Blogger, but I would like to learn WordPress. Another option suggested by a classmate was Pebble Pad. In the end I went with Blogger and built a secondary professional blog with WordPress. Ideally I'd like just one professional home, but the requirements for INN632 and my vision for my blog don't match, unfortunately.
The idea of being a reflective practitioner is new to me. I've never been in a position to plan my own professional development or consider how I've progressed in my career. In my personal life I am naturally reflective, or at least thoughtful, but it's unsettling to think I will publicly analyse my journey as a professional.
I do take my work seriously, and I have always been a conscientious employee. Yet I'm happy in the background, quietly achieving. Peta Hopkins' talk is certainly food for thought. I'm not currently on LinkedIn or Twitter, so I will likely dip my toes in and see how that goes. Although I'm comfortable blogging about my travels under my first name, it's clear I'll have to add my surname to any library-related posts. If I were an employer, I wouldn't want to hire a new grad that had no discernable online presence.
My previous degree in English Literature has not prepared me for the amount of reflection ahead of me. I can see that it will be beneficial to gauge my learning, though, and as a way to set achievable goals for myself. Hopefully I'll use reflections as a way to keep track of my professional development activities in the future, and see what I've accomplished and how I've changed.
