0 Class Reflection

I have thoroughly enjoyed the graduate class Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society. Like the other classes in my Master’s program, this class has been full of relevant information that it is applicable to my classroom. More importantly, in this class I participated in several activities that I can easily incorporate with my curriculum.

In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?

At the beginning of the course, I was familiar with the Web 2.0 projects; although I was unfamiliar with that term, and I had not created all of the items on my own. During the class, I formed a solid foundation with these technological skills. Not only did I create a Podcast, Blog, and Wiki for this class, but I was also able to incorporate it in a summer enrichment camp. I feel as a teacher, especially a technology teacher, I am more aware of the tools available to me, but I am also competent in their functions and implementation.

In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?

I must admit that I felt overwhelmed with teaching a new technology course this past year. I was not sure how to focus the classroom from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning. I spent a lot of time giving instructions and felt that I was boring my students. This class helped me to see from the perspective of my students, the digital natives. I understand that the students need to have more control over the learning, and they will in turn take more interest in the project.

The videos and articles offered in the course opened my eyes to something that seems logical – students are different learners than they were years ago because of their exposure to technology. This is something I knew, but I was not sure how I could change my class to meet the needs of the students. The use of Web 2.0 tools as well as collaborative projects that stimulate students’ critical thinking will open up many doors to stimulate learning in my classroom.

In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?

I have often thought that student-centered learning should be increased in my classroom. I spent much of the class time lecturing in my history class while students took notes. When I made the switch from teaching history to teaching technology, I wanted to focus the classroom from me to the students. I knew that it was important, yet I was not sure how to implement that style of learning. I wrestled with how to initiate higher-level thinking projects while still having the time to teach students the basic skills needed to create those projects. The resources in this class have demonstrated that most students can figure out basic technology skills on their own, but they need the opportunity to use those skills critically. If I center the curriculum on their needs, the other information will come.

In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?

One way I plan to continue expanding my knowledge is by continuing to pursue higher education. Walden’s graduate program offers up-to-date techniques and pedagogical insight that will increase my professionalism. In addition, I will continue to read the educational blogs from week 1’s assignment as well as the blogs of my classmates. Staying connected with other teachers and learning from their experiences is an invaluable way of increasing knowledge as an educator.

Set two long-tem goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which you may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do you plan to accomplish these goals?

My first goal to achieve with my students is integrating more analytical reading and thinking. I want to expose my students to more online articles and have them create their own ideas about what they read. The idea does not seem like a challenge, but many of my students’ reading levels as well as interest in reading are extremely low. Creating a class of analytical readers will take time and effort on both my part and theirs. I need to find articles that will interest them but that are also on their reading level and then build up as the year progresses.

My second goal is to collaborate with other classrooms in other states and countries. I want to incorporate video conferencing with programs such as Skype. Although I teach a technology course, the district is very strict on what sites are available for students, and they do not allow video streaming. However, the district has always understood when I have asked for leniency as long as I can prove the educational significance. I will present the idea to them and hopefully can have funds for webcams and the software downloaded to the student computers by the end of next year.

Refer to your checklist from Week 1. Have any of your answers changed after completing this course?

Because I am a technology teacher, my students use a form of technology in class everyday. However, I have not always used the technology in the most effective ways. After looking back over the Technology checklist from Week 1, I have made a few changes in my classroom procedures. Collaborative work has been my focus. I incorporated a group video project with my summer enrichment camp students. They had to plan and record a commercial, and then I assisted them with editing the film. Students were also encouraged to ask their neighbors for help or simply figure out problems themselves before I would come to their assistance. I wanted them to attempt to problem-solve and not to rely on my knowledge.

In Conclusion, I have earned a greater understanding of how to integrate technology in my classroom in an appropriate manner that will best benefit my students. I feel more competent as a teacher not just with technological skills but also with pedagogical theories that focus instruction on the student with the teacher acting as a facilitator. I am excited about integrating these new strategies with my students next year.

0 Podcasting

I recently created my first podcast. It is based on the results of a technology usage survey I conducted with my 7th and 8th grade Summer Enrichment Camp students. Check it out here!