Relecting on my Experience

Choosing to pursue a masters in integrating technology is one of the smartest things I have done for my career as well as myself. Prior to this course I would have considered myself a digital immigrant, but after a quick eight weeks in my first technology course I am more on my way of becoming a digital native than ever been (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). This course has helped expand my limited technology abilities as a professional by introducing me to a variety of skills my students must attain to be successful in this new global society (Trilling, 2005). I now have experience in blogging, wikis, podcasts, social networking, social bookmarking and knowledge of what an RSS feed is and how to manipulate it. Every item in that last sentence was a first for me. I am very thankful for these new skills and media sources. They have made me more of an asset to my classroom and to my school.

While completing this course my knowledge of the teaching and learning process of today’s classrooms needs to be more learner-centered. I came to this realization while reading the article It’s a Flat World After All by Thomas L. Friedman. For some reason this article had a dramatic impact on me. I realize the importances of letting students explore new ideas for themselves, problem solve and be critical thinkers (Cramer, 2007). Employers are looking for these skills. As a high school teacher I need to instill these skills in my students for them to be more marketable when entering the work world. They need to possess as many skills as possible to compete globally.

Continuing to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching and leading with technology with the aspiration of increasing student achievement will continue on through-out my masters program and after. I am very excited to see what the technology courses to come have to offer. I feel as if I have learned so much in such a short period of time. The new skills and knowledge I have gained reflect on my aspirations to increase student achievement. Now when I think of student achievement, standardized testing scores is not the first item I think about. I now think about making them successful citizens and what skills they need to make them so. Technology is the present and definitely the future. I intent to continually educate myself even after this program to make sure I was an asset in my students’ future.

Overcoming the obstacle of our internet filter will help transform my classroom environment to more of a tech savvy workplace. By tackling this one obstacle will help me achieve multiple goals. One of these goals is to encourage and educate our administrators on the necessity of some of the medias we are being blocked of. A second goal is to be one of the staff members to conquer this barrier and actually utilize the new sources we are able to use. Meeting with my building principal, asking for permission to collaborate with my students via blogs, wikis and podcast will be my first step. My final result would hopefully end with an overall district change in policy.

Cramer, S. (2007). Update your classroom with learning objects and twenty-first century skills. Clearing House, 80(3), 126–132.

Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Trilling, B. (2005). Towards learning societies and the global challenges for learning with ICT. TechForum. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/pdf/events/techforum/ny05/Toward_Learning_Societies.pdf