Week 5 Reflections

• What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
The outcomes that I had envisioned for this class is that I would become more knowledgeable about technology and become more proficient in that technology. I also thought I would be introduced to more information about the development of instruction. Those outcomes were achieved somewhat. I did learn a lot from the readings as to all the different types of technology out there and the different perspectives from many different authors, but the name Instructional Technology was a bit misleading. There was a lot of technology but not so much instructional ideas or real ways to improve AEIS or TAKS scores. The course outcomes really did not align with those that I envisioned. The class was very confusing regarding the discussion instructions and the online forum was very chaotic and disorganized. I did come away with the knowledge that my district needs to put the Instructional Technology Facilitators back on campus or my district will continue to lag behind others in the area of technology.
• To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?
Even though the outcomes were not as I had wished for, I did learn a great deal. I learned that I am going to have to take the initiative when it comes to implementing technology into my lessons. One computer in my room and a power point occasionally does not equate using technology. Through this course, I was exposed to blogs, podcasts, and online forums. I really like the ease of blogs and feel that would be something I could incorporate into my science class, especially at the junior high level. For my content area, I feel that the use of interactive computer games would have the most benefit for my students. They could play the games and even create new games which would serve as good reviews. In addition, the glogster website is a great creative tool that we have used that picques their interest. This class has made me more conscientious of the need to be more aligned with my student’s technology skills.
• What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I felt that I did not achieve how to assist with instruction from a principal’s perspective. I learned a lot about various types of technology in the classroom and why students should be using it but not how to implement it across the curriculum. I really think the article on copyrights, etc. for principals was very helpful. Information from that perspective would have been much more helpful. The class was very heavy on technology. It was helpful to view and assess the STaR chart results but the lengthy responses to the district long-range technology plans was tedious. In addition, the discussion board part of the assignment was too redundant. Responding to two people for the same quote had no more effect than responding to one. The same outcome could have been achieved without the extra work. I am all for work if it is meaningful.
• Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
In regards to the assignments and discussion board, this class was definitely one of the hardest. One of the reasons I feel that way is they discussion board. I totally agree with posting the quotes on the board and then responding to another’s quote for the same reading but to have to respond to two for each quote was a bit much. Also, they “last byte” method was never clarified and therefore confusing as well. There was some major confusion with the discussion board when people posted and then halfway through the week, people were put in groups and their posts were gone. Regarding the assignments, the instructions were not very clear and vague. It was hard to know what the professors were looking for. Given the time of the year that this class took place in, clear parameters would have been very helpful. The idea is to learn so a scope would have beneficial so one would know what to focus on in the readings, what to analyze, and what exactly should be learned in the end.
• What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
The most beneficial thing that I learned from this course is that I am not doing enough with technology in my classroom. The occasional power point is not sufficient for today’s students. I have to admit, I am not proficient at technology and I am scared of it. But without it, I am going to become an ineffective teacher as the years go by. I also learned that I cannot wait around for someone else to show me how to use the technology. I am going to have to “take the bulls by the horns” and do it myself. This will require more thought and planning into my lessons, as well as scheduling. In addition, I did learn that I am going to have to take a much more proactive role in teaching cybersafety and cyber ethics. These were areas that I had never really given much thought to except with my own children. The readings really opened my eyes as to the role I play in my student’s safety and ethical behavior.
* What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?
To be honest, I was only vaguely familiar with blogging before this class and the limited knowledge I had was pretty inaccurate. I only knew of celebrities that blogged and never really gave it much thought. This class has shown me how relatively easy it is to set up a blog, post to it, and make comments on other people’s blogs. The readings associated with blogs showed me all the different ways blogs could be used in the classroom, school, and community. I really like the idea of blogging now and would love to come up with some ideas of how I could use it in my classroom and with my students. One clear educational value is that the students would be writing. Any way to practice their writing is of definite value. They can organize their thoughts and share them with others. It reinforces their writing skills along with computer skills at the same time.
• What are the concerns of blogs and blogging in education?
One of the concerns I have about blogging in education is that not all students will have access to a computer or to the internet. It will be difficult to expect all students to participate if it is an at-home assignment. In the even that the blogging is done in a school setting, a concern would be how will the blog be monitored before it is posted for the whole world to see? Procedures would have to be in place prior to blogging and most school districts have not addressed blogging, etc. specifically yet. My school tested a program called I-Link last year as a way to start blogging. It was linked to the school website and students could get on to comment about their reading book. The site turned into a bashing social site and had to be closed. Students were reprimanded for their behavior on a school-sponsored site. That class learned a valuable lesson but the new crop of students haven’t received any instruction or guidance from the previous mistakes.
• How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?
Blogging could be used to let the community, parents, and students have a say or voice their opinion on certain topics. The school could post a topic and let the community respond. The responses would be viewed by the administrators and staff and they would know immediately if the topic was embraced or rejected. In addition, a school support site on a social network would be a good place for people to leave comments and suggestions. The advantage of blogging is that stakeholders can have a say even when they are not at the school. They don’t have to call the principal or teacher, they can stay connected via the internet and it is a great way to stay involved. But keep in mind, comments and opinions should be kept professional and courteous at all times since students will have access to the site. In addition, personal attacks or information should not be put into the blog. Definite parameters must be set before a blog is initiated.