Reflection

In reflecting on my learning from this course, I believe that I have increased my knowledge and skills as a teacher. This course has allowed me to learn about additional Web 2.0 tools and how I can use them to transform learning in my classroom. This course has also given me the opportunity to explore ways in which I can increase the use of essential 21^st skills such as collaboration, communicating, problem solving, and critical thinking in my classroom on a consent basis.

Through this course my knowledge of the teaching and learning process has been reaffirmed through reading articles and text that discuss the importance of technology and technology tools in our students lives. This is the main reasons I choose to focus on Integrating Technology in the Classroom for my degree of study. I realize and this class allowed me to see the true importance of why technology must be a focus in our children’s learning and achieving in the classroom.

I have always believed that the classroom should be student or learner- centered. I believe that teachers must be the facilitator of knowledge and allow students to learn many concepts through inquiry-based models of learning. I believe that as a teacher it is essential times in which students must learn materials through direct-instruction i.e. phonics and learning to read. However, there are many opportunities to learn through the use of technology, collaboration and communicating ideas with others. I believe this is essential to students’ success in the future and in society as a whole. Richardson (2010) affirms using the web allows students' work to " have real purpose and real meaning for the audience that reads and consumes it. Information created and published in this way takes on a new social context that requires us to change the way we think about what we ask our students to produce" (p. 151). I believe as teachers we must keep this idea in mind when planing learning experiences for our stduetns.

I plan to continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology through this degree and continued professional development. I believe that a teacher must continually approve oneself in order to be the best for ones students and student achievement. My focus will continue to find ways to integrate and use technology to help my students to become as successful as possible.  

As I continue to transform my classroom into a 21^st century classroom, I have two goals that I would like to accomplish. First, I would like to increase the use of collaboration and interactions with others using a blog and/or wiki in the classroom. I plan to continue this blog and allow my students to use it to reflect and show learning growth. I would also like to connect with other kindergarten classrooms using this blog. This way we can establish a partnership where we can interact with one another on a consent basis. My second goal is to increase the amount of technology use in my classroom through ipads, ipods, eReaders, and additional laptops. My plan is to apply for and receive technology grants from DonorsChoose, Digital Wish, or other educational or technology-focus grants. Recently, I became involved in my school’s grant committee. I have learned how to write specific grants and the key wording that is needed. I believe this will help me as I strive to increase the amount of technology in my classroom.

As I review the checklist from Week 1, many of my answers have changed. In regards to 21^st century practices, many of the items have increased from sometimes to often. Specifically, the items of  designing collaborative activities, modeling reflective practices, and using digital tools. In regards to the environment, I have increased the use of modeling and using integrated practices and promoting the use of technology by students and schools. I believe as I continue on my journey, I will be able to increase the use of these practices in my workplace.


Reference:

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.