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My final blog for Tech class.  I never would have predicted that after writing seventeen blogs, I’d actually like doing it and I wonder if I will keep up the task.  It seemed so scary and intimidating that very first time (and second).  It is good that as I am in the throes of studying for our final that we have to summarize the class in this post. Hopefully it will also work as a review tool.

There are so many things that we have learned and that I have digested.  I’m not even sure what I knew and didn’t know when I came into this class.  I have definitely processed a lot of what we learned, which is surprising to me.  I thought that this class would be like a reference book that I could pull off of the shelf when I need to look something up.  It just proves the point of how much technology is infused into our lives – we are so enmeshed in it that the routines begin to feel natural.

I am no expert, and I do have all my notes and that awesome resource page to pull from, but I feel so much more capable and not afraid of the technology.  I’m assuming that was Dr. Ransom’s goal. 

The things that stick out for me from class are many.  Let’s start with the short clip about technology.  It had a black background and talked about the number of computers and how many people had access to them.  I remember thinking that we as teachers have such a huge responsibility to get our students exposed and educated about using technology.  Of course the Frontline video about the dangers of not understanding the boundaries in terms of teenagers was jarring, especially because I have two.  But instead of feeling scared, I feel empowered by what I learned.  I can actually have a conversation about the web, not only with my own kids, but also with my students.

There are so many useful elements when you look back, from understanding web page authoring to using Word and Excel towards learning and not just word processing.  I will try and employ the use of concept maps, PowerPoint, and blogs with my students.  Depending on the grade level I will teach, I may use a wiki, but that is something I could use with my own colleagues.  I will definitely use podcasting for my students and try and post their stories and readings on my classroom web page.

I looked back at what I wrote as my expectations for this course and what I hoped to get out of it. My expectations were to expand my knowledge, learn how to integrate technology into a classroom, and learn how students use technology.  I aslo wanted to make sure I wasn’t frightened of technology and would only use what I was comfortable with.  This class accomplished all of the above, and as whiny and confused as I was at points, I do feel very comfortable with technology and being able to incorporate as much technology, with content as my first priority, into my classroom.

 

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