One semester completed

It is finally there, I officially ended a full Fall semester within the PhD program. I have many thoughts, both positive and negative and now that I look back I am kind of amazed by how much I did during those 4 months. It really feels like I have been here a year. I am not sure if that is a good thing but let's sum up my experiences.
a) teaching: taught 6 PEAC courses: jogging, bowling (2), Fitness Concepts (3). Overall, I enjoyed teaching as well, I always do. I talked to another GA today and we both agreed on the lack of guidance we do receive from the administration. Mainly, you get a textbook (if you are (un)lucky) and that's it. They keep old syllabi on file but we can do what ever we want. In one way it may be nice but I do not believe it is good teaching. For example, there are about 10 slots of fitness concepts each 8 weeks and the instructors who teach those courses all have a different approach to what the course should look like. Yes, they get the textbook but that is not the same as a curriculum. Personally, I look at the students and find that in some of my courses i have students ages 18 to 60. Coming from the constructivist viewpoint I refuse to teach lecture based in a direct teaching approach. All these students have different experiences and needs and I don't want them to only learn the fitness theory principles but it is more important to me that they can try things out and have the confidence to implement a fitness plan. The text book comes with pre-made ppts, quizzes, etc. The first semester I changed the ppts added an active lab almost 1 x per week and attempted to make it as interactive as possible. Next semester know I can do better. But are we, GA's teaching FC, teaching according to best practice? Does anyone care? I think students care, most of them anyway. When I asked, they enjoyed the practical exercises as well as the wiki projects, so I modify and move on. Something ought to be done though. I think that perhaps a wiki, that compiles the course + NING network can help in bringing the GA's together. Maybe for my research I should overhaul the PEAC teaching practices? A thought.
2) Classes all went well. I think I got A's on all of them, stats will come back tomorrow but I am confident. Funny enough, of the courses (Research in PE, Adapted PE and Educational Statistics), I preferred the stats course. I really enjoyed the teacher, he explained things so I could understand it. I also really liked his way of assessment. Here it is: 8 worksheets worth 3 points each, you can keep doing them until you earn your 3 points. 4 assignments worth 10 points each, you were able to work together with a partner on 3 of them, which helped!, 4 quizzes out of 10 points and a final exam out of 40 points. I think that the assessment he used was fair and included a consistent distribution between the tasks, test, assignments. Also, his grading scale indicates an A at 85% and not 90%, which I like as well. In my classes I seem to have a lot of students getting 86 or 87 and I think they deserve an A. In Canada you have A+ which is good because than those who get 85 or higher get A's and those 90 % or higher can get A+'s. The other courses were handy in some way but fairly easy and repetitive. I prefer more of a challenge to the brain. Next semester will do just that I think. I have 4 courses: stats, effective teaching, assessment of motor dev., supervision in PE.
3) Research: I may have just jumped the gun a bit but I already got a research project completed in my first semester. I think that is fine, I already got another one started in Jan, a pilot of which I talked about before. I would really like to do a small research project in my Team Handball class that deals with TGfU. Perhaps I will ask the pro's, that's an idea!
Now I have 4 weeks off, really, I am not sure what I will do as I won't teach skiing for the first time in 7 years. That scares me. I miss the snow and the activity but I have no money, if I did, I probably would have gone to Belgium as I miss my family but that in fact I can't afford either. The good thing is that today I have found a roommate! We got along great right away and I think it will be fun and it will help me with the bills. I may, may I say, be able to afford a bike by the spring. That is my goal.
My running goals have slowed down due to my IT band issue. This sucks big time and it drives me crazy so I hike, run a bike and bike but I really want to run! GRRR. I need to be able to to run a 25K in Feb and a 50K in April. If anything, I need that. Running trails is my outlet in this process. I need it.

Moving along, ideas for dissertation.

Alright, as I continue on this path I think I am slowly beginning to formulate the progression of my dissertation idea. It's about time don't you think? I have been here for one semester! Should almost be completing this thesis. ok, joking aside. Firstly, my area of research: instructional technology in PETE. A bit more specific: how can we use the Internet for learning about teaching PE? Even more specific: how can wikis and blogs help PE teacher candidates become successful as first year PE teachers?
From my experience with wikis and blogs, I do believe that there is a learning curve even though it is easy technology. Yet, not for everyone and I think students should have some exposure learning "about" the technology before they starting using it in its full capacity.
IN my previous research studies working with wikis and next blogs, I have learned many things and the most important experience was teaching with technology using scaffolds.
I always seem to come back to scaffolding. Perhaps it is because of my "constructivist beliefs" and my "student-centered teaching philosophy" but I strongly believe in learning through collaboration and other social events. Therefore, using wikis and blogs can be (I hypothesize) useful in PETE.
Ok, here are my first thoughts:
I would like to follow a cohort of students in a class where in different courses they use a different tool (wiki, blog, social network) all the way through to graduation. Leaving me time afterwards to also investigate how using these tools helps the students in their first year of teaching. So, a progression of learning about and through different tools along their years of study in a PETE program. Here is the progression: If you have other ideas, let me know!
Course #1: Learn to wiki for group projects, creating games together, encouraging writing about PE and teaching
Course #2: Learn to blog - using NING - class blogging for class interaction and reflection outside of regular class time, finding online resources
Course #3: Using NING + wiki: During practicum - reflection and collaborative lesson planning
Course #4: Personal blogging + learning about RSS feeds and using the Internet as a resource: in this class the focus is to build a personal blog as a portfolio before graduation.
Final progression: First year teaching (this is a study that I can do after my thesis is completed): investigate the impact of using technology on their first year of teaching.

So, what do you think? Any suggestions?
This next semester I will start my first Pilot study using step #3 during a practicum. I can do pilots focused on each step over the course of next year. One thing is that I must do my comps before starting my official research, which means that I must complete all my coursework, which means that I can only start my research in my third year, but I can try to find a way to set it all up for that time and find courses where I can have a cohort of students.

IDEAS? SUGGESTIONS? Always welcome! (kinda needed, as I am kind of by myself in this here, snif snif. haha, not a lot of possibilities to collaborate on my dissertation ideas here mainly due to the topic I have chosen)

Being an international student in the US is much more frustrating than being one in Canada

That is my personal thought but so far it has not been an easy start here in the US. Most of it has to do with money. It is expensive and even with a teaching position, it is still difficult to make ends meet.
The only burden I came across in Canada was starting the program in January and finishing to quick (1.5 years). And even though I seem to miss out on some of the notifications but they did not hinder my education. I also felt more at home and right away started to do things that required some more self-confidence. Such as being a grad rep.
In the US, I feel somewhat inhibited. Perhaps it is because I am older or maybe I have become more critical or negative (hope not), but everything seems to be much more difficult.
A few examples: the money issue is big! I really need and want to buy a bike (roadbike) so I decided to go on a payment plan and pay of a $1000 bike over a few months. No can do! You have to establish credit in order to buy a bike on a plan. But here is the trick, in order to establish credit you need a credit card. So I tried to get one but couldn't as I needed an established credit to get a credit card! ARGGHHH So this year it is somewhat difficult as I have to count each penny. What makes it even more difficult is the little fees I have to deal with.
Example: I have had my social security card for the past 3 months, replied to an email that made me enter in the info on an official website. Thought that was it. NOPE, thought wrong. Got a 50 dollar late fee because I did not copy the card and brought it to person x y or z. Oh no, it is: bring it to person x y AND z! Papers must go to different people in stead of using one central station. Frustrating! I had three orientation sessions regarding the same thing but all mandatory: one for being a grad student, one for being an international student and one for being a graduate teaching assistant. Thinking I would get it all and understand it! Guessed wrong!
All this info is very overwhelming to a new student EVEN if she has been a grad student elsewhere. The one thing you want to make sure you get done is get into courses and connect with people so you do not feel alone. Oh well, you need a lot more.
Anyway, though I would vent, needed it! Thanks for those who listen in. I know I must be patient, only 1 semester passed and it feels like I have been here for a whole year already. Completed 3 small research projects, thought 6 courses, setting up a pilot for dissertation, taking 4 grad courses and publishing a paper. Ok ok ok, maybe I am just doing too much.

Well, my break in a week should come in handy! ;)
Again, thanks for listening... reading I mean.