Because of the curriculum I teach and the amount of technology I use daily, I would like to think of myself as a digital native. However, this course has exposed me to new forms of technology and has taught me new and creative technology skills I can incorporate into my classroom. I was familiar with blogs and wikis before, but had never completed one or used one in my classroom before this course. These technology tools have taught me how technology can be used to teach and enhance 21st century skills such as collaboration, communication, and information technology. These tools have also deepened my knowledge of the teaching process with using technology in the classroom. With these forms of technology my role in the classroom has changed from instructor to facilitator. There is no doubt that our students are familiar with technology at the social level but this course has taught me innovate ways to expose students to technology from an academic standpoint. I have learned how to use new forms of technology to teach students to build their communication and teamwork skills to interact and learn from their classmates to build a more learner-centered environment where students are taking charge of their own learning. I will continue to expand my knowledge of teaching and learning with technology by taking the resources, suggestions, advices, and comments I have received in this course and incorporating them into my classrooms. I have thoroughly enjoyed the weekly discussion board assignments where I can interact, discuss, and communicate with other educators about the ways they are using technology in their own classroom.
One goal that I would like to set for transforming my classroom environment into a more technology-friendly classroom is finding and securing new forms of technology to use in my classroom. Acquiring funds to purchase technology is a challenge for many classroom teachers but I do believe that there are a variety of free and affordable forms of technology I can use in my classroom. My hope is that once a month I can find a new form or type or technology to introduce to my students from an academic standpoint.
A second goal I would like to accomplish in my classroom is to incorporate a web 2.0 tool into my classroom that can be used throughout the school. I would like to create a classroom blog or discussion board where students can ask questions or post comments about what they are learning in class. Sometimes students are embarrassed to ask question in class or need additional assistance outside of class so this web tool could be a great resource tools for my students. This activity would reiterate 21st century skills such as communication and information technology. Since students feel like they use technology more at home than at school, this allows students to take their school work home with them.
After reviewing my checklist from week 1 I realized that my responses have changed concerning my teaching practices. I have a better understand of digital tools and how they can be used to For example, I have incorporated more student collaboration into my classroom. I have learned that collaboration is an excellent way for students to communication and learn from each other. It is also a good way to promote diversity in the classroom by having students work with different partners each time. Every student is different and learns differently so this is a good concept for students to learn. This new concept of collaboration and communication have also cause me to design my activities to build more student-centered learning where students can build, demonstrate, and practice their 21st century skills. I believe that these skills are important because they not only promote effective learning, but they are skills that students will need and use outside of the classroom. That is my goal as an effective teacher. To not only help my students become effective learners, but effective members of society as well.
