Reflection

This course encouraged me to practice a variety of skills and explore new technologies in a safe and comfortable manner. Though I was familiar with a good deal of the technology presented during these past few weeks, I had not tried many of them myself. Now that I have first-hand experience and familiarity with more programs and technologies, I feel capable of implementing them in my room; before, I would have been nervous because I had never tried them myself.

I had never considered the construction of the educational system and the inconsistencies that exist between school and the working world. I am more aware of these differences now, and I think that will move me to create learning experiences that are more in line with the skills and practices that my students will experience beyond high school. I will continue to reflect on these ideas as I move forward, and I will continue to practice using blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. so that I may feel even more prepared in the future to instruct others in these areas.

When I look to the future, I have many goals which I hope to achieve in terms of increased technology in my classroom. First, I would like to pilot the use of a classroom wiki next year, and then tweak the practice so that I may implement it fully by the fall of 2011. I will tell the kids this coming September that our wiki is a “work in progress”, and will most likely conduct a good deal of feedback sessions and have the kids make suggestions so that I can formulate a plan to use the wiki as effectively as possible.

I would also love to develop a major project that incorporates podcasts. I utilize podcasts somewhat already, but I think it would be a great learning experience for all of my students. One of my colleagues has students develop a “podcast broadcast” complete with commercials, shorts, etc. about a major novel that is read over the course of the year. I seek her help in developing a meaningful project by either next spring or the Fall of 2011.

When I look back at my checklist, a good deal of my answers have truthfully stayed the same; however, I do see some shifts. For instance, in the future I will incorporate more activities encouraging collaboration and real-world problem solving. I have always known that these were important activities, but their necessity is apparent to me now. I will use more digital tools in my daily and weekly activities. Most importantly, however, I realize how critical it is for me to be an advocate for change and increased use of technology in my district. I will do my best to make others see the necessity of this transformation, and will work to keep abreast of changes so that I am constantly equipped to help others move forward.

New Podcast

Check out my new podcast on my students' use of technology!

http://feed.podcastmachine.com/podcasts/5177/ipodvideolarge.rss