This presentation was made for the Ikaroa weekend school in August 2013 and reflects on my experiences with online learning.

1. Off with a hiss and a roar!
My experience with online learning
Cath Sheard, Assistant Manager Cultural Services, South Taranaki Libraries

2. Oooh, look – something new to try!
ANZ23mobilethings started in April.
People had been talking about it for a
while, especially on Twitter.
There was a lot of hype and
excitement.
I love learning new things and I love
social media.
At about the same time, there were
calls for people top register for the
#hyperlibMOOC and ILN (International
Librarian’s Network) partnerships.

3. Caught in the hype
I knew a lot of this would be useful to
me, and to my customers.
I was sure I could fit it in around other
commitments.
It would be a fun way to connect with
other librarians.
AND I could use it for my LIANZA re-
registration journal.
What could be more perfect?

4. But, and it’s a big one…
It’s confession time:
I got caught up in the excitement.
I wanted to be included.
I underestimated the time
commitment.
I wasn’t treating it seriously enough.
I was suffering from that web-based
disease, FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out.

5. I wasn’t the only one
More than 700 people signed up initially
for ANZ23mthings.
The Twitter account gained almost 600
followers.
One Twitter chat trended in NZ – not
easy to do.
And people were signing up for ILN and
the MOOC in their droves.
The enthusiasm was contagious…

6. Did I set myself goals?
No, not really.
I wanted to participate.
I wanted to learn new things.
Because it was online I figured it would
just happen. After all, it’s “just” time
online, right?

7. Initially
I started with a hiss and a roar.
I participated on Twitter.
I commented on the blog.
I encouraged other users.
I explored all the #things.
I wrote about it on my blog.

8. And then?
I got stuck!
#thing11 Augmented Reality. I could
read the words, see the possibilities,
but then my brain would stall. I just
couldn’t get past it.
Okay, never mind, onto #thing12 -
Games. I hit the wall on this one too …
it seems that gamification and I don’t
mix.
I drifted along for a few weeks, not
gaining much out of it and not
contributing to other people’s success.

9. And now?
I’m back on track.
I wrote the weekly wrap-up blog post
for #thing14: Curating with Pinterest,
Tumblr, and Scoop.it
I also wrote the intro blog post for
#thing15: Adobe ID.
I’ve dipped my toes in the water with
Tumblr and am eyeing up Scoop.it.
I helped host this week’s Twitter Chat
on curation and eBooks.

10. What have I learnt from all this?
Some very cool new online stuff, but
more importantly:
Online learning is fun 
It helps you to form relationships.
It helps build your professional learning
network.
It’s a good way to jam one more thing
into your busy week!

11. Butt! ;-)
eLearning takes time and commitment.
On its own, signing up achieves nothing.
eLearning is not a magic bullet.

12. What would I do differently next time?
Ask myself “Why I am participating”?
If I am joining in for the right reasons I
would:
Write down my goals.
Set aside dedicated time each week.
Put it in my Outlook Calendar.
Ask my manager, or a trusted friend, to
check on my progress.

13. Is there a next time? Heck yes!
I’ve just started the #hyperlibMOOC
(massive online open course) through
the San Jose State University School of
Library and Information Science with
Michael Stephens.
I’m in the second round of partnerships
with the International Librarian’s
Network, starting in September.

14. Final thoughts
If you have the chance to participate in
some eLearning – do it, but do it well.
There are some fabulous opportunities
out there, grab one and go for gold!
I look forward to meeting you all
online…