I have to say that after my first encounter with a MOOC, am I the only one this slow on the uptake? I felt like my head was spinning for the whole hour. Links whipped by so fast in the chat portion of the screen that it seemed pointless to try and keep up. When the MOOC director left a screen up for more than a few minutes, it got so plastered with comments that it eventually became un readable. It was disorganization on a massive scale.

Obviously, I am a new comer to MOOCs. However, I have been studying teaching, learning, and technology for fifteen years. This hootenanny that transpired last night was filled with “inside jokes,” people who knew each other rather well, and antics that quite honestly an “outsider” like me just didn’t get. I am beginning to wonder if free and massive equates to let’s just have a good time, roll with it, and hopefully you pick something meaningful up along the way.

I know that many of you think I’m just being a stick in the mud, an old fuddy duddy, or someone who takes life too seriously. Most of you taking this course are teaching in various capacities. Many of you know each other by name, reputation, or f2f. And, many of you have been blogging, presenting at conferences, and tweeting 24/7 for some time now.

So sorry to be raining on your parade. I would love to be at your level but the truth is, I’m not. I only know some of you from seeing your tweets and blogs for the past couple of months. I used to present at conferences years ago, I’ve just started blogging  and tweeting, and I haven’t been inside a classroom for over three years now.

I look to you as the leaders in educational technology. Many of you whom I follow on twitter are like the educational equivalent of the dream team. I want to learn from you.

I’m going to try and cool my jets now and give it a second chance tonight. We’re supposed to keep an open mind, so I’m going to try. I may even try the Serenity Prayer before we begin.