Reflective Post on Most Recent Walden University Class 4/24/10

My most recent master’s level course - Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society has had a huge positive impact on me. By no means am I saying I am old when I say that I do not use technology in the classroom – on the contrary. But as an educator who has not grown up as a “digital native” I felt overwhelmed trying to figure out how to create a blog, wiki, and podcast and how to incorporate it into my class – at first. Many teachers I work with feel technology takes a lot of time – time they do not have. This is false! Technology not only can help you lighten your teaching load, it can help motivate your class too! No longer are you “ the fountain of all knowledge” instead you are the facilitator. I hear my students referring to all types of collaborative technology they use on a daily basis outside of school and I understand the need to incorporate it into their class environment.
Technology makes any class relevant to the student. Take for example a Wikis; it has wonderful features that enhance learning. “In using wikis, students are not only learning how to publish content; they are also learning how to develop and use all sorts of collaborative skills, negotiating with others to agree on correctness, meaning, relevance and more. In essence, students begin to teach others.” (Richards, pg 61) Working collaboratively in pairs and groups allows students to negotiate meaning together to internalize their learning. When students of varying abilities work together, they can assist each other. I have noticed students learn more when they have to teach others what they have learned. Quality breed’s quality and once they are successful at a group project where they have to teach others what they learned; the students want to do more creative projects like this – encouraging them to be thinkers and life long learners. The students certainly can teach each other just as well as I can. The only difference is I am no longer the holder of all the information – they are! This process will foster students’ independent learning, which will prepare them for the unknown jobs of the future.

2 Long term goals I have for transforming my class environment into a place where technology is integrated seamlessly to meet instructional goals and increase student achievement is first to create centers around my room set up in such a way that the students will be the gathers of knowledge and I will be a facilitator. There will be computer stations where students can work on their blogs and podcasts as well as centers where groups of students can work together to help one another gather and answer questions – designed in such a way adults work in the real world. Projects would be assigned and presented in such a way that the students are the teachers. A second need in not only my class but in my district has a whole is to stop restrictions of many internet sites that myself and my colleagues would like to use in the classroom. I agree there is a need to block some sites – but not educational ones. There is also a need for my technology training and professional development. The more training we get the easier everyone will see it is to integrate technology into the classroom.

Episode 2

Episode 2

Grade 1 - Technology Survey

Grade 1 - Technology Survey: "A 1st grade student took a survey about how muc..."