- In what ways has this course helped you to develop your own technology skills as a professional teacher?
This class has been a real eye-opening experience for me. I had heard about a lot of the skills that we learned in this class, but until now, I had not utilized them. I am now running a blog, participating in a wiki that my group set up, and I have two podcast stations set up, one for myself and one for my classroom. I will now take the things that I have learned in this class and apply them into my classroom. I am going to start with a podcast in my Media Productions class and a blog in my two business classes. Now that I have learned how to operate and use these skills, I can see how beneficial they will be in my classroom. I am excited to implement them next year.
- In what ways have you deepened your knowledge of the teaching and learning process?
I think the biggest thing that I took from this class in regards to the teaching process and the learning process is, I as a teacher need to become more of a facilitator. I need to do a better job of teaching 21st century skills. The skills included are not just computer and internet skills, but job skills as well. Students today learn in a differnt way than students did when I was in school. Technology and information has become the center of learning. Teaching in a computer lab, you would think that my students are getting flooded with exposure to technology. They are being exposed, but not to the extent that I now feel they should be.
- In what ways have you changed your perspective from being teacher-centered to learner-centered?
Like I previously mentioned, I now feel that in the classroom, I should be more of a facilitator rather than the leader. I want to be able to guide my students and assist them rather than give assignments out of a text. I have never been a huge textbook teacher, but I want to incorporate more projects into my lessons and have my students become more proficient in finding data on the internet, rather than from the text. I feel that I need to not have as many limitations on assignments so students can be creative and learn to become better problem solvers. I also am planning to do more group work and work on communication skills, one way I am planning to do this is our class blog.
- In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?
I feel that there are many ways to improve my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading in the field of technology. The first step for me to continue to learn to increase student achievement is to do exactly what I am doing right now. I need to finish my masters program. I am learning not only about technology, but also about being a professional, working with English as a second language students, and classroom management and creating a good learning evnironment. These three classes along with the technology based classes that I have, and will take, will surely increase student learning. Secondly, to teach students 21century skills and technology skills, I must “practice what I preach.” This class has been great because we have learned and used new skills that are becoming daily skills. Now that I am becoming comfortable with these things, I feel confident in teaching them to my students and expecting them to use them. I am also the Tech Rep for my school so I am constantly involved in technology and advances. I am responsible for the teachers at my school being “up to par” with their computers and the use of our technology. This along with collaboration will also aid to increase student learning.
- 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 is specific to myself, I will continue to be a life long learner with emphesis on technology integration in my classroom. I will accomplish this goal by finishing my masters program and implementing blogs, podcasts, and wikis into my class.
My second goal is to break down the wall between my school and studetns in regards to the usage of technology at school. Currently, studetns are not permitted to have Ipod’s or MP3 players at school, and they are not permitted to have a cell phone at school unless it is before school, after school, or at lunch time. I plan to meet this goal by bringing my concerns to the tech committee and eventually to the administration. As a tech committee, we need to put together a presentation on why these tools are important to student learning and achievement.