End of Semester Reflection

This semester I have gained insight into the various positives and negatives of technology. I have been encouraged to get my hands dirty and really learn about different types of programs and technologies which will benefit me and my future students. More than anything this class has really "wowed" me with all the possibilities technology brings to the classroom. It works to get students more engaged in the learning process, it brings creativity and fun to the classroom, it changes the roles of the students as well as that of the teachers, and it is a huge part of our new age (so we should embrace it and use it to empower us). Some specific examples of things I have become much more familiar with are the Smartboar, Web 2.0 software, creating my own website, drop box, different types of blogs, podcasts, and many more.

In the beginning of the semester, I touched on some NETS for teachers standards that I really thought were important for me as a future ESL teacher. The standard that I felt were important to adhere to were Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. This standard holds that teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. This standard is important to me as a teacher because I want to be a teacher who is fun and keeps learning fun. I want to inspire my kids to use their imaginations and be creative with their learning. I feel like this is something that I should focus on because, as much as it is ideal, being creative and inspirational takes work and is something that a teacher needs to put time into. When I decided to focus on this standard, I outlined three ways that I would work on this standard this semester. the goals I set for myself were: being creative with developing my blog, exploring the different current events in the world (via the internet) and blogging about them, and finally by responding to the posts of my peers. I definitely did work with my blog a lot, exploring all it's amentities and on a simple (but very useful level) I became comfortable with using the blog. In reflecting on the benefits of using a blog this semester, I can go back through all the blogs I posted and see refresh myself on all the new material I learned this semester. Those articles, insights, and reflections are all documented and saved for me to be able to go back and refresh myself on their enlightening messages. The second goal I created for myself was to get involved with reading about the current events online and then blogging about them. I did stay intune with what was going on in the news, however I did not blog about them. That is something I could still work on (being that this blog is mine to keep forever)! The final goal I set for myself was to comment on my peers blogs, which keeps me interacting and informed on new stuff they they found through this class as well. I did do this through out the semester and found that they sometimes approached issues differently than I did, which gave me a better understanding of certain issues. Altogether, this class has provided me with the opportunity to set goals for myself (in line with the NETS for teachers), which will help me be a better teacher in the end, and I am thankful for that!

Reflection # 12 Wired Classrooms

Today I found a website devoted to informing about the downfalls and shortcomings of a Wired Classroom. Wired classrooms work to creat technology-enhanced student centered learning environments. The author of the article I read, Jamie Mckenzie argued that the theology behind Wired classrooms is good, however the classrooms are not set up in a way that they are working to accomplish their goal. For instance, she fears that way too much attention, money, and energy is being pored into technology and not into the teacher development of the technology. Mckenzie wrote the following, "Having witnessed four years of efforts in a fully networked school district which offered its students robust access to the Electronic Highway beginning in 1994-95, I can report no miracles, no amazing transformations and no phenomenal shifts in student achievement which can be traced to the advent of these information technologies." While she believes that technology enhanced classrooms have the potential to transform the way students learn and get them further engaged in our new age, she also feels like the wired classrooms need to be set up differently. There needs to be more computers for the students, students should develop their own projects and when they questions the teacher should start a class discussion regarding their questions, and she also believes that the teachers need to be given more education on the use of technology.

So What: In reading this article, it was interesting to get insight into someone who has seen technology incorporated into the classroom, and has taken a negative viewpoint on it's effects. Mckenzie even went as far to compare the technology craze with that of the gold rush, arguing that the only ones benefitting at this time are the companies selling the technology.

Now What: What I took from this article is the fact that when not used effectively in the classroom, technology can become a hinderence to the students. It can take away from their learning time if they are not actually gaining from it. So, I want to be sure that I know how to use it effectively and in a way that furthers my students understand of technology and of the class content.

Reflection # 11: Technology brings a change of role

In an article I read entitled, "Effects of Technology on Classroom and Students," the author was suggesting the idea that when a teacher uses technology in the classroom, the roles of both the teacher and the student change. For instance, the learning is now in the hands of the students. If it is online communicating with peers, they take initiative in the communication, choose their own goals, and then execute their plans almost independently. If it is a group project, the same idea applies, in that they have to take initiative and work as a group to learn, understand, and then execute the technology project. This type of learing is very hands on, and puts a new spin on the learning process. In the same respect, incorporating technology into the classroom also changes the teacher's role. In years past, the teacher has mostly served as facilitator of information working to impart that information directly to the students via lecturing. But, with this age of technology, the teacher role changes to that of fostering an evironment where the students are required to take initiative on their own. The teacher is then there to initially explain the projects, and then be available (walking around from student to student) to help if any questions or problems arise.

So What: This change in roles has really worked to positively change the self-esteem of the students. In the article I mentioned earlier, a personal story was posted by a teacher. The story worked to describe a elementary student who was not excelling academically. However, he discovered the computer and a computer program in which he was able to make music. Once he figure this out, and created a beautiful song (staying in recesses to complete the song), he played it for the class and he was able to express his skills in a way not typical of elementary classrooms. When his peers and his teacher saw him in a different light, his confidnece was boosted and he was able to see himself differently as well.

Now What: This story really encourages me to get more familiar with technology. It ca be used as an empowering tool in many ways if it is used correctly. I think that it's awesome that it changes the role of the students to requiring them to take initiative and learn independently. In conclusion, this article really inspired me to learn new ways I can use technology in my classroom..