EDLD 5306 Concepts of technology was my first graduate school course. I envisioned it to be a rigorous learning experience. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I had prepared to dive in to technology and fine-tune my skills. We indeed did just that. We dove in head-first and I learned about more aspects of technology than I had ever dreamed. It was a fast paced but very thorough course. The course was laid out in a very detailed manor to allow us to efficiently transition from activity to activity. Through all of the web 2.0 skills that we were exposed to I was able to really get my skills into shape. The WORDLE was a great editing tool, the blog was a great way to learn new forms of communication, and the video was a valuable asset to my skills as well. That being said, the outcome of this course was in perfect sync with my expectations.
I think I am at a mid-level of knowledge of the activities in the class, and with constant integration in my classroom those skill levels will increase. As I teach pre-k, it is hard to incorporate all that I learned, but through my internship I will be teaching the staff and faculty in my school to utilize the various web 2.0 tools etc. I have collaborated with several teachers already to plan how we will approach integrating more technology into their rooms. Web 2.0 tools have been the main interest to the teachers so far. The special education teacher was the most excited as she is always searching for new ways to motivate the unmotivated. My building principal is all in favor of implementing the new ideas that I have and is anxious to begin seeing results.
I was able to achieve everything I set out to accomplish for the most part. The one thing that I had a difficult time with was the APA format for writing. I have not been a writer in years and really need to work on that. I have had several blogs and I enjoy carrying a “funny” tone in them. It is hard for me not to include that in my writings, even the assessments. It is my nature to crack jokes during a serious and stressful time. I am working hard at not doing so for these assignments. The technology of this course I feel like I can handle. The scholarly writing will be something that I work on throughout my program. Mrs. Borel gave me many greats suggestions. I plan on working with those suggestions to move forward.
I felt very successful in carryout the course assignments. They each seemed very daunting at first glance. After taking each assignment apart into smaller sections I was able to breathe and complete each task. I learned very quickly that the key to success was to begin early and plan ahead. I could not have been able to complete the assignments had I waited for the weekend to roll around. The only part of the assignments that discouraged me was the volume. It seemed like a lot at first. But as I stated before I took it slow and it was much less daunting.
Throughout the five weeks of this course I learned that I have more organizational skills that I had thought. I realized early on that organization was going to be a major factor in the success for the course. I also learned that I am on target with my work, and I possess good leadership qualities. Several of my classmates came to me for guidance, so I am guessing I appeared approachable and helpful. I always feel like people do not take me very seriously, so it was a huge boost to be contacted with questions. I truly hope that I was able to lead them in the right direction. I have become very good friends with one of my classmates and I treasure her friendship. She has been a sense of security in the moments when I didn’t think I could handle to course load. Overall the course was a huge benefit to me and I truly enjoyed being a part of it. I look forward to my next journey!
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