I believe I stated in an earlier post about what I knew when it came to integrated technology in a classroom setting, this being simple things like Moodle, Blackboard, wiki-spaces and basic email interactions. Thinking about it I also had a small idea what blogging was and new a few tools that exist out there, nothing fancy. Most of my knowledge was based on more hardcore programs used mostly for computers classes and almost only for computer classes.
what did you want to know
Although I have never really liked the idea of blogging I was curious to see how it can be used in a classroom along with what else is out there. I've known about Twitter, YouTube Google Docs and a few other sites they can be used in an integrated classroom, but I need to know more. I wanted to learn about new tools, and just how exactly you can use tools in the classroom. A big idea I thought about was how can you combine tools to make a richer learning environment.
what did you learn (or not?)
The biggest lesson I will note first is that I didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did. I state this mostly about blogging and some of the other tools which I thought I knew. I learned a great deal about Google Docs/Drive like hangouts, you can install different application to the drive, some are very helpful and even the fact that you can link the Google plus account to blogs and so many other tools just makes it a wonderful management device. I've become I little bit obsessive with it, using it for almost everything.
I learned a lot about blogging and the many different types of blogging. Macro to micro, photos and more, it is a big wide world of blogging. I may not like it personally but I can see the merit of using it in a classroom, assignments, and lessons. I learned the advantages of using social bookmarking and how it can be useful for many things like research and group work.
How will you use what you have learned in this course to further your technology integration into your own classroom?
Still don't have a classroom so this questions a bit hard to answer in a specific situation but I do have some ideas. I liked the idea of using a blog for reflective homework assignments. I like the idea of using Google Drive as a place to help students work through problems and questions from different locations and times. Social bookmarking is great for research and getting up to date. I think one thing I want to do when I get a classroom is have the students do social bookmarking to find articles, Ted-talks or blogs to keep them up to date with technology, they would then review and reflect on a blog about what they learned. Its simple weekly assignment but a lot of computer science classes don't have reflective aspects thus this introduces something different for student to experience.
How far have you come?
Bring it all together what did I accomplish this semester, well for starters I created, maintained, update a blog which gave me a chance to experience digital etiquette and responsible social interactions in an online setting. I learned about many useful tools and got to play around and integrate those tools into my professional learning and social interactions. I got to look at and learn about new technologies and the issues or not issues that surround those technologies and share those issue with classmates and the internet as a whole. In the process of all this I started creating my own personal learning network, which is not complete and there is plenty of ways I can improve it and continue to evolve it. Lastly I had plenty of time to reflect on every issue, technology and concepts that I learned.
This may be my last post for this class, but its just the start of learning and integrating technology.
Hi Dan,
ReplyDeleteI can't read your blog this week. It is all white.
Just wanted to tell you that I appreciated learning with you and I wish you success in the rest of your classes and especially when you finally get to begin your career.
I am so excited to see how you have learned a lot about blogging and new tools to take with you to help organize and integrate technology when you have your own classroom. I love the quote! It is true. Keep moving ahead. It is important for the students that you keep yourself one step ahead of them or at least a little ahead of them by constantly participating in your personal learning network you have created. It has been a pleasure learning with you.
ReplyDelete