Three Reflections

Well, I didn't have a Skype call as the student I was paired with has dropped the course. So while I can't complete the three reflections as they are assigned, I thought I would throw some reflections out here anyway. Not so much on trends, but on new insights as I am going through the course.

As I mentioned in my intro, I have been taking courses in the PID Program for over 5 years. When I first started, this course, 3100, didn't exist. If I would have taken less than the required time, I would not have had to take it. Because I have taken longer than >5 years to complete the Program, I had to reapply and that meant having to take this extra course. I wasn't totally happy about that, but consequences is consequences! Having now done several of the assignments, I am glad to be taking it. I am definitely gaining insight into myself and my teaching, and perhaps even a little more into my students as well.

This course is also helping me to be more concise! Those Assignment 3 lesson plan posts are tough to keep at 100 words! I am finding some really excellent resources on the lesson plan elements though, many of which I will definitely be using in the next semester.

I am somewhat amazed (perhaps naively) at how many resources there are for adult educators out there. Before this course I had no idea. It is hard to find the time to go through all of them and integrate some of the ideas into my teaching as well. I barely have time to prep and teach what I have now! I guess that is a task for the summer months when I have no students, although that time is always full as well!

I didn't discuss this trend in my assignment 2 blog post, but I think another trend in Veterinary Technology is the Veterinary Technician Specialties. These are credentials which are earned by becoming a 'specialist' VT in a certain area, such as radiography, equine medicine, internal medicine or even education. Each specialty has an Academy which regulates the requirements to achieving a Specialty (VTS) designation; each Academy has a formal process of education, training, experience and testing to qualify. It takes a minimum of five years to gain a VTS, and that would be after our two year program. "Addressing" this trend for me will be a matter of ensuring that my students have an excellent base of skills, as well as ensuring that interested students have the required information and support to start the process once they graduate.