There were four main components to this course: the blog, the hands-on projects, the website, and the textbook.
This is the second course that I have had the opportunity to create and use a blog and I have really come to appreciate them. Blogs are a great tool for self-reflection. It is easy enough to read chapters out of a book, but it is not until you have the opportunity to reflect upon them that you really start to grasp the content. Having the guided questions helped me to organize my thoughts regarding the book’s content. Not only does a blog allow self-reflection but it also provides the opportunity to look at the content through someone else’s eyes. Being in a group where we had to comment on each other’s blog posts helped me to see things from a different perspective. It happens that you can get so focused on one idea that you neglect other possible angles to the issue at hand. I always appreciated my peers’ comments even when there was some disagreement. I think that blogs open the door for conversation and create a dialogue. The last assignment for the blog was to post the ITSE standards and reflect upon them and express how they could affect future teaching endeavors. I was not aware of these standards prior to this assignment but they have really opened my eyes to all of the responsibilities of the teacher when it comes to teaching and learning. Simply using technology in the classroom does not benefit the student as much as one would think. It is the teacher’s duty to promote and support the use of technology in the classroom. These standards show the importance of responsible use of technology and how the teacher’s role extends beyond the walls of the classroom. Being cognizant of these standards will force me to raise the bar when it comes to technology implementation in the classroom.
The hands-on projects were definitely an exciting aspect of this course. As a classroom teacher it is always great to learn about innovative tools to use in the classroom. I pride myself on being ahead of the curve when it comes to using technology in the classroom, but this course made me realize that there is so much that I have to learn. The first tool that we created was a survey using Google. I have never used this tool in the classroom but I really feel that it is a great and simple way to get to know the students. In the past I have created paper questionnaires to get background information on my students but it ended up being inefficient because there were so many papers to sort through and questions to read. By creating a survey in Google, the results are presented in an organized format that is easy to decipher and quickly understand. Other tools that we explored were Google Docs and Google Slides. I have had some experience with these tools in the past but I never realized their full potential until this class. What was so great about creating projects with these Google Apps was the opportunity for collaboration. Being able to work with my group members on creating and editing documents and presentations really opened my eyes to all of the possible implications these apps could have in the classroom. Being a classroom teacher it is always important to promote collaboration among students; students can help each other learn in ways that a teacher never could. Another project that I thought was useful was creating a gradebook within Google Sheets. My school has an LMS where teachers record their grades; it is really a glorified paper gradebook. There is no way to to create graphs to track student progress like there is in Google Sheets. I know that I will employ Google Sheets next year, even though it means recording grades in two places. The information that I can gain on my students’ progress will make the extra work worth it. I am a strong proponent of the flipped classroom model and a big part of this model is the use of podcasts. I have used podcasts in my courses before and they are always successful. Gone are the days of teacher-led instruction where students passively sit and listen to lectures. The 21st century learner is going to be responsible for knowing how to apply the knowledge that they have learned and the flipped classroom will help them in that endeavor. As a foreign language teacher I could use podcasts to instruct students on how to speak the language and when they arrive to class have them put it into action. So much time is wasted in the classroom going over material that there is little time left to actually communicate. Also, having the students apply the knowledge that they have gained via podcasts make the learning experience more interactive and enjoyable. A tool that I have never used before in my instruction was video. I think that creating videos for students can serve the same purpose of an audio podcast, they just provide information along with images that can engage the learner. The most difficult thing about creating podcasts and videos is keeping them succinct. It is very easy to ramble on and on with little concern for the listener. It is important to keep the student in mind when creating these types of projects because there is only a certain amount of time that you can keep them engaged. I struggled with creating a podcast of an acceptable length, but after many tries I was able to eliminate any fluff and teach only the necessary information. A tool that I cannot wait to use in the classroom is Rubistar. Creating rubrics is something that I have always had difficulties with. Rubistar makes creating rubrics simple and fast. I was amazed at how quickly that I was able to make a very detailed and thorough rubric. Rubrics serve an important purpose for the students as well as the teacher. When students are completing a project it is imperative that they know what the expectations are. Also, rubrics assist the teacher in assessing projects in a fair and equitable manner. Easytestmaker is another tool that I will be sure to use in the future. It is a tool that lives up to its name. I like how you can create many different types of questions in one test and download the test in different formats. When creating tests I don’t have any issues with coming up with the questions, just with setting up the format of the actual test and Easytestmaker takes care of that problem. I was really impressed with Thinglink; I have never seen a tool such as this. I love Thinglink because it presents information in a creative way. Thinglink allows for the linking of text, video, podcast, websites, and more to an image related to the topic at hand. Thinglink is very engaging and encourages the learner to explore various resources. Scoop.it is a tool that solves a big problem. It is very common for teachers to ask students to research a particular topic without giving them much guidance and usually the students return poor results. Researching is a skill that is developed over time and it is our job as educators to teach students how to do it. Scoop.it permits the teacher to hand-select various articles that are related to one topic and share those articles with students. The students then have a place where they can find relevant and approved resources.
Creating a website in Weebly has been an extremely enjoyable experience. I have used Google Sites in the past to create websites and I have always been content with the final product. Weebly, however, allows for the creation of dynamic websites and does so with ease. Having this website has made me realize the importance of having a central location where students and parents alike can go to access course information. A class website helps the teacher organize course content and remain in constant contact with parents and students. It is vital that teachers provide course materials to students, eliminating the age-old excuses about not being prepared for class. A class website allows the teacher to post assignments which saves class time and resources. For this course we were tasked with creating a quiz and a forum within Weebly which was very similar to tools available in Google Sites. I have learned that it takes a lot of time and effort to set up an effective website, but the time spent on the front-end will save a lot of time and effort in the future.
The final component to the class was the textbook. The textbook provides so much information on teaching and learning with technology, hence its title. The book presents so many educational tools that are available to teachers. I appreciate how the textbook breaks everything down. It details what technology is available to teachers and in what context they can use it in, such as technology for presentations or technology for communications. It provides teachers with tips on how to create an effective technology lesson for the classroom which makes the task seem less daunting. The text also breaks down the types of learners and learning styles which is vital to understand when using technology in the classroom. This book gives teachers insight on how technology can be used when teaching diverse learners. The book gets specific on the different types of software that are available to help with carrying out teacher tasks and also promote active learning. I can take the knowledge that I have gained in this textbook and create effective and equitable technology-infused learning experiences for my students.
After having taken this course, I will start to actively seek out new resources that can aid teaching and learning. I have learned that I have not been proactive when it comes to learning about new technology. I have spent a lot of time thinking that my knowledge of technology is superior to that of some of my peers, but this class has made me realize that what I know doesn't even scratch the surface of what is available on the technological landscape.
This is the second course that I have had the opportunity to create and use a blog and I have really come to appreciate them. Blogs are a great tool for self-reflection. It is easy enough to read chapters out of a book, but it is not until you have the opportunity to reflect upon them that you really start to grasp the content. Having the guided questions helped me to organize my thoughts regarding the book’s content. Not only does a blog allow self-reflection but it also provides the opportunity to look at the content through someone else’s eyes. Being in a group where we had to comment on each other’s blog posts helped me to see things from a different perspective. It happens that you can get so focused on one idea that you neglect other possible angles to the issue at hand. I always appreciated my peers’ comments even when there was some disagreement. I think that blogs open the door for conversation and create a dialogue. The last assignment for the blog was to post the ITSE standards and reflect upon them and express how they could affect future teaching endeavors. I was not aware of these standards prior to this assignment but they have really opened my eyes to all of the responsibilities of the teacher when it comes to teaching and learning. Simply using technology in the classroom does not benefit the student as much as one would think. It is the teacher’s duty to promote and support the use of technology in the classroom. These standards show the importance of responsible use of technology and how the teacher’s role extends beyond the walls of the classroom. Being cognizant of these standards will force me to raise the bar when it comes to technology implementation in the classroom.
The hands-on projects were definitely an exciting aspect of this course. As a classroom teacher it is always great to learn about innovative tools to use in the classroom. I pride myself on being ahead of the curve when it comes to using technology in the classroom, but this course made me realize that there is so much that I have to learn. The first tool that we created was a survey using Google. I have never used this tool in the classroom but I really feel that it is a great and simple way to get to know the students. In the past I have created paper questionnaires to get background information on my students but it ended up being inefficient because there were so many papers to sort through and questions to read. By creating a survey in Google, the results are presented in an organized format that is easy to decipher and quickly understand. Other tools that we explored were Google Docs and Google Slides. I have had some experience with these tools in the past but I never realized their full potential until this class. What was so great about creating projects with these Google Apps was the opportunity for collaboration. Being able to work with my group members on creating and editing documents and presentations really opened my eyes to all of the possible implications these apps could have in the classroom. Being a classroom teacher it is always important to promote collaboration among students; students can help each other learn in ways that a teacher never could. Another project that I thought was useful was creating a gradebook within Google Sheets. My school has an LMS where teachers record their grades; it is really a glorified paper gradebook. There is no way to to create graphs to track student progress like there is in Google Sheets. I know that I will employ Google Sheets next year, even though it means recording grades in two places. The information that I can gain on my students’ progress will make the extra work worth it. I am a strong proponent of the flipped classroom model and a big part of this model is the use of podcasts. I have used podcasts in my courses before and they are always successful. Gone are the days of teacher-led instruction where students passively sit and listen to lectures. The 21st century learner is going to be responsible for knowing how to apply the knowledge that they have learned and the flipped classroom will help them in that endeavor. As a foreign language teacher I could use podcasts to instruct students on how to speak the language and when they arrive to class have them put it into action. So much time is wasted in the classroom going over material that there is little time left to actually communicate. Also, having the students apply the knowledge that they have gained via podcasts make the learning experience more interactive and enjoyable. A tool that I have never used before in my instruction was video. I think that creating videos for students can serve the same purpose of an audio podcast, they just provide information along with images that can engage the learner. The most difficult thing about creating podcasts and videos is keeping them succinct. It is very easy to ramble on and on with little concern for the listener. It is important to keep the student in mind when creating these types of projects because there is only a certain amount of time that you can keep them engaged. I struggled with creating a podcast of an acceptable length, but after many tries I was able to eliminate any fluff and teach only the necessary information. A tool that I cannot wait to use in the classroom is Rubistar. Creating rubrics is something that I have always had difficulties with. Rubistar makes creating rubrics simple and fast. I was amazed at how quickly that I was able to make a very detailed and thorough rubric. Rubrics serve an important purpose for the students as well as the teacher. When students are completing a project it is imperative that they know what the expectations are. Also, rubrics assist the teacher in assessing projects in a fair and equitable manner. Easytestmaker is another tool that I will be sure to use in the future. It is a tool that lives up to its name. I like how you can create many different types of questions in one test and download the test in different formats. When creating tests I don’t have any issues with coming up with the questions, just with setting up the format of the actual test and Easytestmaker takes care of that problem. I was really impressed with Thinglink; I have never seen a tool such as this. I love Thinglink because it presents information in a creative way. Thinglink allows for the linking of text, video, podcast, websites, and more to an image related to the topic at hand. Thinglink is very engaging and encourages the learner to explore various resources. Scoop.it is a tool that solves a big problem. It is very common for teachers to ask students to research a particular topic without giving them much guidance and usually the students return poor results. Researching is a skill that is developed over time and it is our job as educators to teach students how to do it. Scoop.it permits the teacher to hand-select various articles that are related to one topic and share those articles with students. The students then have a place where they can find relevant and approved resources.
Creating a website in Weebly has been an extremely enjoyable experience. I have used Google Sites in the past to create websites and I have always been content with the final product. Weebly, however, allows for the creation of dynamic websites and does so with ease. Having this website has made me realize the importance of having a central location where students and parents alike can go to access course information. A class website helps the teacher organize course content and remain in constant contact with parents and students. It is vital that teachers provide course materials to students, eliminating the age-old excuses about not being prepared for class. A class website allows the teacher to post assignments which saves class time and resources. For this course we were tasked with creating a quiz and a forum within Weebly which was very similar to tools available in Google Sites. I have learned that it takes a lot of time and effort to set up an effective website, but the time spent on the front-end will save a lot of time and effort in the future.
The final component to the class was the textbook. The textbook provides so much information on teaching and learning with technology, hence its title. The book presents so many educational tools that are available to teachers. I appreciate how the textbook breaks everything down. It details what technology is available to teachers and in what context they can use it in, such as technology for presentations or technology for communications. It provides teachers with tips on how to create an effective technology lesson for the classroom which makes the task seem less daunting. The text also breaks down the types of learners and learning styles which is vital to understand when using technology in the classroom. This book gives teachers insight on how technology can be used when teaching diverse learners. The book gets specific on the different types of software that are available to help with carrying out teacher tasks and also promote active learning. I can take the knowledge that I have gained in this textbook and create effective and equitable technology-infused learning experiences for my students.
After having taken this course, I will start to actively seek out new resources that can aid teaching and learning. I have learned that I have not been proactive when it comes to learning about new technology. I have spent a lot of time thinking that my knowledge of technology is superior to that of some of my peers, but this class has made me realize that what I know doesn't even scratch the surface of what is available on the technological landscape.