overview week 7

During the last week of MOOC, I focused on collecting data from a non-direct communication between the students. My micro-ethnography would show how a non-direct communication could still influence us and could change our opinion.
As I was part of the data I was observing, I’ve questioned myself a lot through this week. I tried to put my role as a researcher aside and think as a student. How the other’s responses made me feel? Did I consider changing my answer? How strong my opinion was?
It was interesting to realise that I thought to change my initial answer; even though I didn’t. The uncertainty of which answer was correct; if there was only one, made me think that everyone else might be correct but me. This is a common feeling for students that we face quite often at school to. The difference between a MOOC and a real classroom though; or a non-direct communication and a forum, is that we have the chance to read other answers and reflect on ours. In a classroom, all the attention is on the child that has to answer and might not feel ready, prepared or brave enough to answer. This MOOC though helped all students to express their opinion without being on the spotlight.
We might need to consider adding more questions like this one to MOOCs, to support people who struggle with their social skills, and the communication with others.

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