Reflection

Looking back on my “Personal Learning Theory” from week 1, I was actually somewhat impressed by some of the things I was able to key in on during that first week of the course.  The points that I touched on had to do with meaningful information, memorable moments, comfort and safety, and last of all active engagement.  I believe that the first 3 really are to be assumed in the classroom for excellent learning to take place, and obviously engagement and active participation is an important part of that as well.  As I look at how I would modify my personal theory, I believe I would put even more emphasis on making sure that students are active participants in the learning process.  Whether through creating something or working in groups, a student who does is a student who learns.  One thing that has stuck with me for a while now is the idea that the students should be going home more tired than the teacher.  They’re the ones who need to be doing the work; we’re just there to facilitate it.  I believe that more now than ever. 

One adjustment I would make right now regarding technology integration is to continuously check out what is new and available out there.  There were many times during this course that I was introduced to a new program and remembered back to a lesson or unit I did that would have been greatly improved through the implementation of that tool.  The two major tools that I will be trying to get more use out of in my classroom is concept mapping that can be exported to each student and using classroom blogs as a means of communicating essential information and schedules for the week.  We will use the concept maps to organize information and create interactive study guides, since studying is the majority of what we do.  The blog will provide dates and guides for upcoming tests with links to helpful websites and google doc study guides.  I feel like overall I have probably doubled the amount of technology tools I’m aware of and tripled the effectiveness with which I can use them. 

My long term goals for implementing technology in my classroom are as follows:

1. Have student and parent participation in a blog that is specific to my course.

This year, because the blog started in the middle of the year, I didn’t really have much of a chance to show it off to parents and it wasn’t an immediate part of the classroom routine.  Next year I plan to push the blog early and demonstrate to everyone how helpful it is so that they get in the habit of using it.

2. Demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of technology to my administrators in order to improve my own technological situation in my classroom.

In order to make this happen, I may have to resort to getting out some of the resources from this course.  One of the big things I would love to get is a projector so that students and I can work collaboratively on a study document that they can all see and then take ownership in.  I just have to keep asking and prove to them that it will be beneficial.