What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?
I have learned a great deal of information about integrating technology into teaching in this course. This class as “opened my eyes” to the infinite ways technology can be utilized in education, whether it is to increase organization and communication, motivate and captivate student’s interest in learning, or develop creative lesson plans integrating technology applications. Technology allows students to take the driver’s seat in their learning and become the specialist on the topic they are learning about. Teacher’s don’t have to be the expert opinion and lecture the material for students to acknowledge. Allowing students more independence can increase intrinsic motivation to learn and can transform students into lifelong learners.
How did integrating the Internet help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?
The internet essentially equals technology in my mind. It is changing everything in the world and has only begun to change the educational environment. The internet serves as a pathway for so many useful applications and tools that can used in the classroom. Through exploration of applications on the internet, I was able to learn about a variety of tools that could be utilized in my teaching methods. Particularly I realized the usefulness of cloud computing. I experienced and practiced using organizational application such as Google Docs. I learned a lot from other classmates especially from the SIG projects pertaining to useful tools. I was able to see the benefits of using these tools but also some of the limitations. For instance, Storybird allows for creation of digital stories but it doesn’t allow for the user to record or add audio files.
Which of the assignments that you turned in do you feel really exemplifies good teaching with technology and why?
I think the SIG presentation exemplifies a good use of teaching with technology. It demands that the participants utilize the internet, communication networks and applications to create a group project. It definitely seemed like a daunting task but with collaboration and effective teacher oversight it was a great experience. The assignment basically made individuals publish their project to the web. Each group got feedback on how they did from their peers and teachers without ever being in a classroom. That really shows the capabilities that technology can bring to education. Each group had to “teach” the other groups about the specific tool, application or focus that they were learning about. So each group became experts a a particular area and shared the information with the other students in the class. This assignment essentially shows how Web 2.0 tools benefit education and learning. I also feel that I could so engaged and intrinsically motivated that I spent more time then maybe I should have on doing the project.
How have you met your goals established in your Personal Growth Plan?
I have met some of my goals established in my Personal Growth Plan. I feel I have learned how to better organize my time and be more efficient when it comes to monotonous tasks. Google Docs and Google Calendar are two useful applications that allow me to save time by keeping everything in one place and available (with internet access). I also feel much more comfortable using Web 2.0 tools to encourage communication and exchange of information between staff, parents and families. I feel comfortable creating and managing a blog, such as a class blog, and although I do not know every thing about blogging and formatting my blog, I feel that I should be able to figure it out with what I’ve already learned.
Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?
I did not meet one of my goals which was to learn how to plan appropriate lesson plans integrating technology. I may have learned a couple of ideas through the SIG projects but overall feel that this is an area that I can learn more about on my own or in future classes. A new goal that I have is to find ways to incorporate assistive technologies in special education classrooms and for special needs students. I recently have taken interest in special needs populations and want to learn how to incorporate mobile learning devices like Ipads into their learning. I also was suprised that I did not learn much about SMARTboards despite their popularity. Our SIG group almost focused on using them but decided to narrow our topic. I would like to learn about the applications available to use on a SMARTboard specifically for special needs students.
I have learned a great deal of information about integrating technology into teaching in this course. This class as “opened my eyes” to the infinite ways technology can be utilized in education, whether it is to increase organization and communication, motivate and captivate student’s interest in learning, or develop creative lesson plans integrating technology applications. Technology allows students to take the driver’s seat in their learning and become the specialist on the topic they are learning about. Teacher’s don’t have to be the expert opinion and lecture the material for students to acknowledge. Allowing students more independence can increase intrinsic motivation to learn and can transform students into lifelong learners.
How did integrating the Internet help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?
The internet essentially equals technology in my mind. It is changing everything in the world and has only begun to change the educational environment. The internet serves as a pathway for so many useful applications and tools that can used in the classroom. Through exploration of applications on the internet, I was able to learn about a variety of tools that could be utilized in my teaching methods. Particularly I realized the usefulness of cloud computing. I experienced and practiced using organizational application such as Google Docs. I learned a lot from other classmates especially from the SIG projects pertaining to useful tools. I was able to see the benefits of using these tools but also some of the limitations. For instance, Storybird allows for creation of digital stories but it doesn’t allow for the user to record or add audio files.
Which of the assignments that you turned in do you feel really exemplifies good teaching with technology and why?
I think the SIG presentation exemplifies a good use of teaching with technology. It demands that the participants utilize the internet, communication networks and applications to create a group project. It definitely seemed like a daunting task but with collaboration and effective teacher oversight it was a great experience. The assignment basically made individuals publish their project to the web. Each group got feedback on how they did from their peers and teachers without ever being in a classroom. That really shows the capabilities that technology can bring to education. Each group had to “teach” the other groups about the specific tool, application or focus that they were learning about. So each group became experts a a particular area and shared the information with the other students in the class. This assignment essentially shows how Web 2.0 tools benefit education and learning. I also feel that I could so engaged and intrinsically motivated that I spent more time then maybe I should have on doing the project.
How have you met your goals established in your Personal Growth Plan?
I have met some of my goals established in my Personal Growth Plan. I feel I have learned how to better organize my time and be more efficient when it comes to monotonous tasks. Google Docs and Google Calendar are two useful applications that allow me to save time by keeping everything in one place and available (with internet access). I also feel much more comfortable using Web 2.0 tools to encourage communication and exchange of information between staff, parents and families. I feel comfortable creating and managing a blog, such as a class blog, and although I do not know every thing about blogging and formatting my blog, I feel that I should be able to figure it out with what I’ve already learned.
Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?
I did not meet one of my goals which was to learn how to plan appropriate lesson plans integrating technology. I may have learned a couple of ideas through the SIG projects but overall feel that this is an area that I can learn more about on my own or in future classes. A new goal that I have is to find ways to incorporate assistive technologies in special education classrooms and for special needs students. I recently have taken interest in special needs populations and want to learn how to incorporate mobile learning devices like Ipads into their learning. I also was suprised that I did not learn much about SMARTboards despite their popularity. Our SIG group almost focused on using them but decided to narrow our topic. I would like to learn about the applications available to use on a SMARTboard specifically for special needs students.
