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

Before taking this course, I was absolutely tech-challenged in that I didn’t know the difference between a blog from a wiki from a podcast.  I moved in slow motion when attempting the assignments, and felt like a fish out of water.  Although, I am still moving slowly, I do have a better sense of the resources that are available to me.  For example, Last week, I actually taught my class to research a topic by using a blog.  I was amazed at how easy it was. My students will eventually present their research, but before they do, I plan to have them create an intro on their blogs by inserting a podcast within the blogs that they have created.  I am no longer intimidated by the technology, but drawn, instead, to it. This week, my students will present on their projects and I am excited to witness the research that the students have posted to their blogs. 

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

I have always felt that I was blessed with the gift of creativity, but now I feel compelled to partner that creativity with the electronic tools that exist for me as a teacher.  I have deepened my knowledge by taking this course, and by actually practicing the tools that were presented to me.  I intend to continue to learn all that I can on this matter, so as to become more and more tech savvy.

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

I completely understand the difference from being the person in the classroom with all of the knowledge from being the person in the classroom that assists my students to locate that knowledge on their own with the resources that are available to them.  I have changed my perspective in that I once felt that as long as I had my students’ attention as I stood before them, that I was doing a good job at engaging students.  I now understand that those same students are so not accustomed to staring at one person who is simply regurgitating information for 30 minutes or more.  I completely understand the importance of shaking things up in the classroom by having students work together on creating a project.  This was rarely done in my classroom, as I have been trained to pay close attention to those standards posted on the wall in my classroom.  I have 40 minutes to teach to my students and it’s off to the next class.  Now I will make more of an effort to make the lesson more interactive, move from in front of my students, circulate the room, arrange assignments to be learned in groups or pairs, in the hopes of creating a more exciting learning environment.

I understand fully that there is not just one type of learning style (although I knew this before) and that tapping into each learning style of my students is my main objective over getting the information out in one spill.  It is imperative that I engage each and every one of my students in a manner that helps the student to learn at his/or own level.  It is also my goal to make each lesson interesting, engaging, thought-provoking, communicative, and fun.

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 that I can continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology is to pursue the Doctorate in Integration of Technology in Schools.  I’ve been toying with this idea, but now I completely understand the urgency for more experts in this field.  I can continue to find other resources available and practice them so that I may become a trainer for teachers who need my help as well as a better teacher.  In becoming a leader and an expert in this field, my efforts will, no doubt, increase student achievement as teachers learn to integrate technology in their classrooms.

STEP 2-Set two long-term goals:

GOAL #1 – Continue to study (Pursue my Doctorate Degree) in the field of Integration of Technology so as to become a professional in this area. I would actually like to come away from the classroom of young students and stand before teachers in training.  For example, I would like to go into the universities and teach the new teachers about the tools that are available to them so that they enter the classroom smarter and more tech savvy than teachers who have been in the field much longer and who shy away from technology.  For veteran teachers, I would like to be a resource to them as well.  I would like to go into the schools during the week before students arrive and train teachers in the area of integrating technology into their classrooms.  I would create a booklet of links to sites that they may use, show videos of students enjoying the learning experience, and maybe videos of students learning the same lesson in the “old school” manner where the learning is teacher centered.  I would place the educators at my training session into groups, and allow them to experience the new way of learning.  I would ask them for feedback to see how they feel about the new way vs the old way of learning.

GOAL #2- Write Grants

The one obstacle that I see before me as an educator is the lack of computers in schools.  Perhaps I would utilize my technical writing skills to write grants for schools that need more computers.   I would also apply for scholarships in order to get more computers into the school system.