Final Reflection

Introduction

These last eight weeks I have been busy completing Walden's EDUC-6710 course (Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society). The time I have spent in the course has been worthwhile. I have made a stronger and more appropriate connection between technology and education. I have taken opportunities to develop new skills in technology that will make my instruction even more engaging, meaningful, and enjoyable by my learners.

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

Up to the point of this class I was unfamiliar with the concept of Web 2.o. I mistakenly thought it was a newer updated version of a web browser. Through the course I have learned that Web 2.0 is a concept referencing that the internet and other technologies are becoming more interactive, accessible, and a part of everyday living / functioning. Before the course my 2.0 abilities were much more limited. I had never blogged, contributed to a wiki, or used a podcast. I now find myself very capable in using these web based tools, all the while enjoying the opportunities I get to use them. I feel much more competent in these technologies and have already identified ways in which I will be able to successfully use them in my instruction.

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

This course helped me better understand that children's learning needs are not all that different from adults. I have found that students not only learn from their teachers, but they can learn from their peers, as well as contribute to the learning process. in fact, this idea is important to instill in our students at a young age because it better prepares them for a society and workplace that functions in this manner. A classroom should be full of students who wear two hats. Each child should wear the hat of a teacher and a learner. To make this work a teacher obviously can play the role of teacher, but it is equally important for a teacher to serve as a facilitator. There are appropriate times when a teacher needs to come alongside their students and help guide them along the way in their learning. In the future I look to do more project based learning, group work, and provide more opportunities for my students to engage in collaborative work.

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

As stated above I have learned that students do not just learn from their teacher. Students are just as capable of bringing their prior knowledge into a classroom activity and applying it to the work being done to help another students better understand a concept. As a teacher I have been bombarded with the phrase "community of learners." Before this course I had an immature understanding of the concept. My initial response was that a classroom is a compilation of students who are going to learn as a result of instruction. I had put little thought into where that instruction could come from. I now have a more accurate understanding of "community of learners." I now strongly believe that a community of learners is a group of people who learn with and from each other.

• In what ways can you continue to expand your knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology with the aim of increasing student achievement?

I do not feel that teaching with technology will be a burden. On the contrary, I anticipate it will be something I will continue to enjoy and become even more passionate about. I have always had an interest for new technology, how it works, and how it can have a positive impact on the way various tasks are accomplished in everyday life. I hope to keep up on the newest technologies with an intention to find ways to effectively apply them to learning. I am fortunate that my ISD offers numerous tech workshops during the school year and they even run a tech camp in the summer for teachers. The workshops are either free of charge, or tagged with a minimal fee. They are great workshops that provide teachers a realistic snapshot of how the technology has been utilized by other teachers, as well as providing the "know how" that teachers would need to have in order to make the technology work in their own teaching situations.

• Set two long-term goals (within two years) for transforming your classroom environment by which you may have to overcome institutional or systemic obstacles in order to achieve them. How do you plan to accomplish these goals?

My first goal is to complete my Walden masters program. My specialization of incorporating technology into the classroom will provide countless ways in which I can transform my classroom into a stronger learning environment. The courses I have taken up to this point have provided me tools, strategies, and understanding that have already contributed to a better and more complete learning environment. I look forward to the remaining courses and the content I will be presented with that can be used in my teaching.

My second goal is to create a better learning environment in which my students take up larger roles as teachers. It is sometimes hard to break away from the misconception that I saw through my years of schooling. Most of my classroom memories and learning experiences involved a teacher teaching to students who were expected to learn from the teacher's instruction. I hope to break the mold. I hope that every successive year I will see my teaching style transform in a way that promotes student interaction, group learning, and ownership of our classroom and the activities that are a part of it. Next school year I plan on acting on this goal by using a few of the technologies that I have been exposed to in this course. I definitely anticipate having my students use pod casting for some group projects. If that goes well, I would also like to see my students access a classroom blog for an array of learning opportunities that parallel classroom curriculum and even possibly have my students contribute to a wiki as a collaborative group project.

Conclusion

This course has equipped me with many new skills that will enhance my ability to teach and my students' learning. I have found that students' interests and abilities in technology can and should be harnessed for the good of their learning. I realize that using technology is not what makes a teacher great. A great teacher is one who is always adjusting the way they teach in order to best meet the specific needs of their diverse population of learners, uses tools provided to them (such as technology) effectively, and holds a high expectation for each student to be a contributing member to the learning community as a learner and teacher.

Technology Profile of Today's Students

I have made my first attempt at podcasting. In the process I was able to interview three of my students and discuss their abilities and interests in the use of technology at home. I am able to gauge how much technology students use at school, but it is a different story when they are at home. I am quickly learning that most of my students could be considered digital natives. That is, they are aware of technology, use it readily, and are confident in their interactions with it. Feel free to listen to the podcast. Not only is it eye opening, as to the abilities of today's students, but it is also entertaining to a degree. Second graders are often known to say things in a brutally honest way.