Mission Accomplished: Technology Learned!

The end is here. EDU 554 is over.  It’s time to reflect on what I have learned in my ‘technology in education’ class.  First of all, I have to say that I cannot believe how much I have grown throughout this one class!  Before this class, I thought I was ‘proficient’ in technology.  However six weeks later, I realized that I was waaaay off in thinking that I was ‘tech savvy’.  I have learned about several new types of technology.   Some of these I had never even heard of and others I knew about, but never would have attempted.  As this course is wrapping up, I have a feeling of great accomplishment!  I am proud of the Webquest, classroom web page, and technology enhanced lesson plan I have created.   

Now, what am I going to do with this learning?  I am going to integrate it into my classroom!  In fact, just today I acquired five student computers for my classroom.  I am going to use these as a center (in addition to the Smart Board technology center) so students can work on skills by completing Webquests.  I am also going to keep my classroom web page updated and start a classroom blog in order to create another form of communication for my students and their families.  I feel these changes in my classroom are a great way to begin preparing my students for the requirements and demands of the 21^st century they are growing up in.

Reflection Time

The end of my technology class is almost here.  It’s time to reflect on what I’ve learned and what I’m going to do with that knowledge.  One thing I have learned from this course is that technology is important and it is going to be a HUGE part of all my students’ futures; therefore, I must integrate it into my classroom.  I learned about a website called Delicious during my last class.  This is a website for sharing links to other websites.  I am always coming across great websites, whether it’s when I am searching for lesson activity ideas, or when my daughter is playing games.  Often I send or receive emails about ‘great sites’.  So, reflecting on what my plan of action for integrating technology will be, I think the first step could be as simple as setting up my fellow first grade teachers with a Delicious account.  Then, moving on and helping the second and third grade teachers as well.  If all the staff in my elementary building had a delicious account, sharing technology would be a breeze and having sites readily available would make it easier to actually integrate technology in the classroom.

Is Time on Your Side?

Trying to incorporate technology into my classroom has been an exciting process.  However, time has been NOT been on my side!   There are so many wonderful websites to explore, but finding the time to choose activities to fit the skills I am teaching has been a challenge.  I think one thing I can do to alleviate this challenge is to start with just one or two really great sites.  Once I narrow done the millions of sites to just two, I can then focus on planning lessons to incorporate technology into my classroom.

Reflecting on the Technology in My Life

Technology is all around us, from the self-debit/credit card slider at the store to the cell phone in our purse.  Have you ever thought about how much technology you use every single day… and how much you depend on it!?  I remember surviving high school without Facebook and my college years of traveling 40 minutes to campus without a cellphone.  YIKES!  How did I survive!?  Well, I did and we would probably all would be okay without so much technology, but the fact is, we DO depend on it and it DOES make our lives and jobs easier. 

Looking at my classroom and school, I rely on my email, Microsoft Office, SmartBoard, and even the simple tape player every day!  I use my computer for sending my attendance to the office, making activities, lesson planning, and for recording grades.  I depend on my SmartBoard to work so that my students can record their lunch choice in the morning and complete their workstation activities in the afternoon.  When one of these pieces of technology is out of commission, I feel lost! 

One tool I would like to learn more about and use is Microsoft Excel.  I’ll admit that I don’t know how to make a spreadsheet efficiently.  It would be a great tool to use for organizing many things in my room.  We need to learn a little every day, so I am going to look at the Microsoft Office website and search how to use Excel.  I think it would make my job a little easier; I would use it to keep track of homework. 

Take a step back and think about how much technology you use in your profession and life? Is there some kind of technology that could make your job or life even easier?  Step up and try it out.  Technology is great! 

Afraid of What the Future Holds?

Remember the whole Y2K scare…when the world was afraid that technology would not be able to keep up with us when the clock rolled over into the 21^st century?   Well, on January 1, 2000, we discovered that everything was okay and the technology held strong--it was able to keep up with the human race. 

Now that the 21^st Century is here, I am thinking quite the opposite…we (the human race) are scared that we are not able to keep up with technology!  I am not an ancient dinosaur, I graduated high school in the year 2000, yet I already feel I am running to keep up with all of this new and changing technology.  Although I do not feel the most competent in the technology skill of the 21^st century, I realize as an educator, it is my job to prepare my young students for this rapidly changing world.  I am using a SmartBoard for the first time this year.  During the training, I wasn’t so sure I would be able to incorporate this type of technology and activities into a classroom with first graders.  However, I practiced with it, created lessons and daily center activities and I have immersed my six year old students with daily activities on the SmartBoard.   

Technology is not the only 21^st skill (refer to my previous blog) my students are going to need in the ‘real world’.  Two other skills that are extremely important are communication and collaboration.  I feel my young students are going to be well prepared for these skills.  They are constantly faced with activities where they have to collaborate and communicate with their peers, such as working collaboratively in groups of 4-5 students to complete center activities (even on the SmartBoard).  I am stepping away as a ‘leader’ and taking the role as a ‘facilitator’.  I am giving my students opportunities to become the ‘leaders’ all while they are sharpening their 21^st century skills!   

For all the teachers afraid of the next new thing in technology…fear not!   

Techy Talk

Technology is the hot topic in schools now.  Have you ever thought about how 'tech savvy' you are?  I recently took a personal technology audit and was hit with the reality of how little I know.  I thought that since I am always showing my fellow educators how to do certain things on Word that I was pretty tech savvy.  Then, I got a wakeup call when I started my master’s program.  Prezi (bless you!), Moodle (yum??), Wiki (what!?)…what in the world is all of this!?  I have learned after one class that I am nowhere near as tech savvy as I thought I was.  Although I do meet some of the NETS for teachers standards, I do not feel that I am proficient in the majority of these standards.  My school corporation as a whole is attempting to advance in this growing field of technology.  With time, I know my coprporation and I will excel.  In my classroom, the main barrier for using technology is TIME!  For example, this year is my first year having a SmartBoard in my classroom and I have enjoyed creating lessons on it but there have already been days when I go to use my SmartBoard lesson and I can’t find it or the board freezes.  I must not have any fear of technology.  Technology is not going to disapper--it is only going to progress, so I must face it head on and do the best I can with it.  With technology practically progressing at the speed of light, my goal is to become knowledgeable in various types of technology so that I may better educate my students and prepare them for the 21st century.