Greetings everyone!

As you should know by now, #etmooc is an example of a connectivist MOOC (cMOOC). Dave Cormier shared a few relevant characteristics of cMOOCs in this post which include:

• cMOOCs are not proscriptive, and participants set their own learning goals and type of engagement.
• cMOOCs are discursive communities creating knowledge together.

These are key characteristics that, once understood, may either reduce or increase anxiety levels of first-time participants. While the organizers will design environments  provide sessions, nurture interactions, and outline activities, the active learner plays a dominant role and choice and autonomy are key.

To further the distinguishing characters among types of MOOCs, Lisa M. Lane has done well to posit three distinct types of MOOCs; networked-based, task-based, and content-based. #etmooc is likely to be more dominantly a networked-based experience, with certainly some aspects of both task-based and content-based types. Of networked-based MOOCs, Lisa writes:

The goal is not so much content and skills acquisition, but conversation, socially constructed knowledge, and exposure to the milieu of learning on the open web using distributed means. The pedagogy of network-based MOOCs is based in connectivist or connectivist-style methods. Resources are provided, but exploration is more important than any particular content.

To network most successfully in a connectivist, networked-based MOOC, a learning identity must be formed, declared, and maintained by each individual. This is partly the rationale behind asking #etmooc participants to use their own blog spaces. This is also, the rationale behind the following task.

We would like you to introduce yourself to #etmooc. Declaring your identity, through letting us know a bit about who you are, will help participants better relate to and connect with you. So, here is what we would like you to do.

1. Create an introductory post, video, podcast, slideshow, etc., of yourself.  Tell us a little bit about yourself – perhaps, where you’re from, what you do, or what you want to be when you grow up – and let us know what you’d like to gain from #etmooc? A few paragraphs of text, or preferably, a form of visual or auditory media lasting between 30 seconds and 2 minutes is ideal. These are very rough guidelines – feel free to break every one of them if you wish.
2. Tools & Software – There are many tools you can use. If you have a Google/Youtube account and a webcam, you can record directly to Youtube. If you want to do some simple video editing, iMovie (Mac) or Windows Movie Maker (PC) might do the trick. Or, if a screencast is your choice, Screenr or ScreenCastOMatic are both good, free tools. Maybe you’d like to try digital storytelling? @cogdog has compiled a list of at least 50 tools for that task. Or maybe you want to animate your message with tools like xtranormal or Go Animate. There are countless ways to do this task – but in the end, it’s your story that we want – simple is always good.
3. Post to your Blog – If you haven’t set up a space for #etmooc because you don’t know how, don’t worry. We’ll help you do that this week. BUT, if you know how to set up your blog, or have one already, please post your introduction and share it with all of us. But first, be sure that you have added your blog to the #etmooc Hub, and if you share to Twitter, but sure to use the #etmooc hashtag in the tweet. As always, if you don’t know how to do any of this stuff, please ask!

In my #eci831 course, I had students take on a similar introductory task. Here are a few, random examples for your viewing.

• Sherry
• Jessica
• Dan
• Ryan
• Anne-Marie

Thanks for taking on our first challenge! We can’t wait to meet you!