Reflection

What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?
The biggest lesson I have learned has been to make sure that the technology is fulfilling a need and not just serving as bells and whistles. When I arrived in my classroom in January I was thrilled to find out that I have a SMARTBoard. I set out to learn how to use it. I searched for lessons and tutorials and began using them with my class. I quickly learned that not every lesson is improved with technology. While some of the lessons were fun, they were not necessarily better in terms of meeting the goals and curriculum standards. This class has made me look for a purpose for the technologies I choose to incorporate.
How did integrating web-based technologies help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?
I got a new computer at the beginning of this course. I am thrilled with my new laptop, which is also my first laptop, but I did run into a few problems. The labs that I had completed for 810 and 811 were not done on this computer. There were times when I needed something from another class and had to go back and redo the labs to make sure my computer was equipped to perform the required task. My new computer also came with Windows 7 which my husband seemed pretty excited about, but has its disadvantages. There have been certain assignments for which the labs did not work. The podcast assignment for instance took some research to complete because the software I needed to download was not designed for Windows 7. The lesson here is that while technology can have real advantages in the classroom, relying on it can be dangerous and having a plan B is a good idea.
How have you met your own personal goals for learning about technology integration?
I have impressed myself with the number of new technologies I have learned about and even created. Each new assignment has been a challenge, but has given me confidence to try new technologies with my students. I have not implemented all of the technologies that I have been exposed to in my classroom, but I can call on them when I need them because they are now in my arsenal.
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?
We began using my wiki this week to teach the third graders at my school about test taking strategies, specifically the QAR method. It will be a few more weeks before we finish the unit, but we are off to a great start and the students are really doing well with it. I look forward to completing the unit and finding out whether or not my technology resource prepared my students for comprehension tests.
I will enjoy the month off from classes to concentrate on my classroom and my own family, but I am really excited about the summer cohort. It will be great to be back on campus and in Erickson Hall again. I’m sure it will be a whirlwind and the two weeks on campus will fly by, but if the summer courses are anything like the classes I have taken so far I will learn a lot and come out inspired.