What an incredible journey this course has been! Before I started module 1, I was a veteran teacher who, without realizing it, evaded technology out of fear. Eight short weeks later I’m working with my principal (at my request!) to pilot the use of LiveBinders as a tool for creating professional portfolios and working with our technology director to coordinate the purchase of new netbooks/Chromebooks to replace the old laptop carts in my department members’ classrooms. What an incredible transformation! If changes like this can happen in this short amount of time, I am so excited to see what years of appropriately utilizing and learning about technology in the classroom can do!
My teaching world has literally been flipped upside down! I am absolutely blown away by how much I’ve learned about how to effectively implement new learning technologies. I’ve become incredibly familiar and increasingly adept at using a plethora of web 2.0 tools that I’d never even heard of before! In addition, as I’ve learned about these technologies I’ve participated in effective collaboration (on a class and global level) and witnessed firsthand how beneficial it can be in today’s 21st century learning environment. With the help of my classmates, I’ve been exposed to so many new tools (as well as awesome examples of how they can be used in the classroom!) that can be used to maximize learning in my classes.
The part that really amazes me is not only my newly acquired breadth of knowledge, but also the tremendous depth of knowledge that I’ve gained through course readings, postings, forum discussion, assignments, peer review and learning log entries. I feel like I’ve been “shown the way” and that I have a newly found passion for incorporating 21st century technology and skills into my classroom. In addition, I feel called to become an agent of change. As a department chair and respected veteran teacher, it’s my professional and ethical responsibility to show students, teachers and administrators the importance of correctly integrating technology into daily activities in the classroom.
As an agent of change in my department and my building, it is my responsibility to familiarize people with the ISTE Student and Teacher Standards as well as the AASL Standards. I must also model digital citizenship and foster the development of student and staff “digital bigfoot prints.” I will advocate the use of PLN’s, webinars and collaborative tools like LiveBinders to facilitate professional development and growth. I will model the appropriate use of social media like Twitter (On a side note, this course was the first time that I used Twitter but it was awesome! This week multiple people tweeted my school’s prom and gave me a “mention”). Through student projects and department activities I will show teachers and students how to use tools like Diigo, an awesome social bookmarking site, to their advantage. My ultimate goal is to help students and teachers build their own professional library that they can access over their entire careers.
One of the main ideas that I’m taking away from this class is that technology is not something that can be ignored nor is it something that should be feared! These emerging learning technologies are fabulous tools that will help us to transform our students into the 21st century thinkers, problem solvers and appliers of knowledge that will be successful in our ever changing world! We need to embrace the use of technology in the classroom and start to use supporting technologies like screencasts to make implementation efficient and effective.
My final project, a LiveBinder unit entitled “The Vietnam War”, demonstrates how the elements we’ve covered in this course have come together for me. This project incorporates a blended classroom approach with four main technology based activities including a collaborative digital storytelling project as the culminating project/performance based assessment. This unit embodies many of the core elements, topics and ideas that are essential components of this course.
As I continue my career in education, I am determined to increase the use of technology both in my classroom and in my school. After completing this course, I finally feel like I have a toolbox that can help me!
SLM508JCS 