Course
  Description



  Reflection

          Introduction to Technology in Schools

Study of theories and practices associated with educational technology. Explores basic instructional design processes and strategies for integrating technology into teaching and learning. Provides an overview of the EdTech field and a survey of emerging trends.

There were many aspects of this course that I enjoyed thoroughly. I didn't expect the
level of camaraderie among students to develop so well within a digital environment. It
was helpful to have a classmate profile page with a photo, but I feel that I got to know my
teammates through interaction better than I predicted I would at the beginning of the
course. The course's requirement of collaboration also allowed me to evaluate from the
student perspective.

Interviewing another teacher about her technology practices was another requirement
for the course which gave me a lot of confidence about my own practices. Also, indirect
discussions that developed from our online topic forums supported practices I should 
implement as an online teacher. As an elementary and middle school teacher, the ability
to learn about another teacher's technology use on the secondary level gives me insight on
what my students need as they grow older and leave my classroom.

The interchange of resources and suggestions that I made with classmates in the course was a tremendous benefit. I have previously only experienced this at conferences perhaps once a year. To have access to other teacher’s frank opinions about applications, online resources and teaching strategies was enlightening. I will take away with me numerous applications that were recommended and am, in fact, already planning to develop activities around them and share them with local educators.

I enjoyed reading the textbook. Some of the information was not new to me, but much of it gave name to learning processes I was aware of but had not labeled. For example, before the course I understood the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 activities, and I knew that implementing Type 2 was desirable because that had been my own experience. But now I have a differentiation of the two and can identify them more easily. Before the course, I would think, “I’ll use this application in this way because it’s more creative and the students will benefit from it.” Now I understand what it is and the why of implementing Type 2’s and can discuss it effectively with colleagues. Creating a TILP (Technology Integration Lesson Plan) enabled me to develop my teaching skills further by requiring me to implement technology in new ways to meet standards for models of learning.

Ending the course, I realized the increasing importance of developing and using technology curriculum in our schools. This is the greatest benefit of the course for me. I finished with the terminology and knowledge I needed to evaluate the tools I currently use, the new tools constantly being introduced to educational technology, and the ability to make sound judgments on what is the best way to implement them. My role as a teacher is to prepare students for careers that are not even created yet with tools that evolve almost daily. If I can prepare them for the unknown, the best way to do this is to understand the scaffolding involved. I understand that the pedagogy of teaching has changed and how important it is for all teachers to embrace this change fully. We are not effective teachers if we don’t provide what our students need for the future. We must remain open-minded and flexible to the changes that are occurring globally and shoulder our responsibility in student preparation.

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