This is my last week as a CEP-810 student at MSU. Time does fly when you're having fun! I've learned a lot in this course. It has opened my mind to new ideas and projects for integrating technology in the classroom. Now that I've reached the end of this course, I will answer the next questions as part of my Personal Learning Reflection:
What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?
As Technology Coordinator, I now feel more confident of how to advise and guide my teachers on integrating technology. I learned about the TPACK model which I think is a great resource that describes the essential qualities of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their classroom. It helped me acquire a better understanding of the complex and multifaceted relationship between my technology knowledge and the content and pedagogy knowledge that my teachers have. "True technology integration is understanding and negotiating the relationships between these three components of knowledge. A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and greater than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert (say a mathematician or a historian), a technology expert (a computer scientist) and a pedagogical expert (an experienced educator)." (tpack.org)
I also revisited the ISTE NETS for students and teachers, and learned more about XXI Century Skills. I still discover new things every time on how to apply them in my work. These standards and skills are so widely adopted and recognized around the world, they're a great road map for the future of education. They address learning and teaching across entire educational systems and at all student levels. I don't think I'll ever stop learning of how to improve their implementation in schools.
I've learned about Personal Learning Networks and started my own. This is something that I will continue to work on. I'm really happy with all the new ideas and tools that this new network has provided me. There is so much information out there! My RSS Reader and Twitter account are now an essential part of my PLN.
I now have the experience of creating a SIG. I really enjoyed working with my group on this project. You can learn so much collaborating with other talented and smart people. It's wonderful making friends while you learn new things.
How did integrating the Internet help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?
I really liked using a variety of Web 2.0 tools. I didn't realize how many were available! Cloud computing has really taken off... I just can't wait for next year's school year to start and try out all these Web applications. I'm thankful that I got to see how it would be from a student's point of view. My teachers gave me a good example of how to integrate the Internet in different types of lessons. All the materials and activities in the course served as a model to follow. There is no excuse for not using the Internet in the classroom if you have access to it.
Which of the assignments that you turned in do you feel really exemplifies good teaching with technology and why?
The PLN visualization was one of my favorites because I got to be creative and had fun working on the assignment. I was also impressed with my classmates' projects! They used a variety of tools that I could later use in other assignments.
The SIG Project was very challenging. It was my first academic experience working on a collaborative project using Web 2.0 tools with people that I've just met and are miles away. We got to use many methods of communication e-mail, Skype, forums and instant messaging. Writing the proposal and creating the presentation required the participation of all the team members. I'm very happy with the end result and I know that it's possible to achieve great things together regardless of the distance and different cultural backgrounds.
How have you met your goals established in your Personal Growth Plan?
My main goal in my Personal Growth Plan was to gain a better understanding of how I could use technology creatively and efficiently in a learning environment. How could I translate my technology knowledge for teaching or learning purposes. I also wanted to acquire better leadership skills in educational technology. I think that this course has been the first step for reaching my goals. All the lessons or sessions have made me more confident with the decisions I'm making as Technology Coordinator. I feel I can be a better guide to my teachers when integrating technology in their teaching. The course has provided me with many valuable resources and tools that I can share with the school's staff.
Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?
Yes, I have many new goals! I want to learn more about TPACK and share the model to all the schools. I also want to plan a SIGs project for all the schools. I believe that by creating these groups teachers will learn new teaching techniques more effectively and they will find the support that they need from other colleagues that are interested in the same subjects. I want to work on Mobile Learning, it's the future and as I read in one the presentations from the course that it's more likely for a student to have a cellphone than a book... what are they doing with their cellphones? Why not teach them how to use them for good instead of making it prohibited to bring them at school... I also want to encourage the use of cloud computing, the schools would save a lot in costs and students and teachers would benefit.
