Effective Bridging of Technology and Instruction - Reflection

Through the last eight weeks I can assuredly say I have come a long way in my ability and confidence to implement technology in my instruction. I have found that I am now able to include these uses of technology in such a way that enhances the learning that takes place. The technologies that are being utilized bring a fresh perspective to my students and raises their interest in the work and learning that they are involved in.

When reflecting on my personal learning theory I was encouraged to find that I already had a strong understanding of learning communities. One of the greatest ideas I take from this course is that collaborative learning is such an asset to a learning community. I have retooled my instruction to be more available to these collaborative opportunities. One thing I would add to my personal learning theory is that a learner not only depends on their own understandings and the knowledge of their peers, but they also may make use of available resources. Throughout this course we were presented many different examples of resources that could be used to enhance learning. I feel this is an important aspect of an effective learning theory.

The resources we used were great aids in the learning process. Many of these technologies provided new information to the learner, while other technologies were geared at providing ways to share individual understandings and thoughts, as well as give and receive feedback from other members of the learning community. Since I teach second grade it would be easy for me to say that my students are too young to fully benefit from such uses of technology. It is my goal to get past that train of thought and find meaningful ways to implement these technologies. Two of the technologies that I hope to implement more in the near future are voicethreads and concept maps. These two tools could be used effectively in the right application. As with all things, there will be a learning curve, but I am sure that my students would enjoy adding a new dimension to their learning.

Long-term Goals Regarding Instructional Practice and Technology Integration:
First, I would like to see myself get to a point where technology usage is as much a part of my day as the science or social studies curriculum. This might mean that we make frequent trips to the computer lab to work on a technology based project. For this to become possible I have to develop appropriate ideas for such projects and plan out my year in advance to be sure the time is there for this to take place.
Secondly, I would like technology to become more interactive and less teacher based. It is easy for me to find a technology that I can effectively use in a presentation type method. The great challenge lies in finding technologies that are to be used by the learner. This becomes a challenge because of the time involved in teaching the technology and allowing the students that appropriate time to interact with that technology. To make this happen effectively I would have to find ways to bridge the curriculum. As teachers, we are always looking for ways to connect concepts from one area of instruction to another. It solidifies student understanding and provides teachers more opportunities to reinforce the taught concepts. The same can be done with technology. Instead of strictly teaching technology, I will be looking for as many ways as possible that I can use technological resources to correspond with other areas of instruction.