"Todo lo que comienza, tiene un final"
Everything that starts, has an ending. Luckily, today's ending is a happy one. In fact, I could also call it a happy "new beginning." Because today, I can walk away with all that I've learned and continue applying it in my classroom. The difference is that I will do it, not because it is an assignment, but because I want to.
Teaching with Technology has exposed me to the great variety of tools and software available to include technology in my classroom. I have learned to see technology as an ally, not as another thing to do. I have been pushed to risk my fears of the unknown, only to look back and see that "it wasn't that bad!" I have also learned to differentiate according to my students' needs using computers, Ipads, podcasts and oral presentations on PowerPoint!
When I started the class, I was most nervous about the Tech skills assignments. However, looking back, they were the most useful assignments. I had to opportunity to set up my class website, which I will continue using. I also created a fun podcast, which my students love (another one to keep!). And I enjoyed learning how to upload a presentation online. I already have ideas for the future!
I must say that I also discovered that I prefer face to face class discussions. Maybe that is because of my personality, but I had a hard time feeling connected to my classmates. I enjoyed reading everyone's posts, blogs and even watching and/or listening to podcasts and presentation. However, I feel that the dynamics were a little awkward for me. Still, I realize that the educational world is moving towards more hybrid and online courses. Because of that, I appreciated learning about the collaborative tools. I would hate to see our society become a cybernetic, cold one.
The textbook Educational Technology into Teaching (Roblyer & Doering, 2010), gave me a great foundation into the history of how technology has changed through out the years. I liked how the authors were able to explain complex terms into words that were easy to comprehend (at least for me!). I also liked the great myriad of examples (all grade levels and subjects!) to put into practice the TIP project. Best of all, I liked the chapters that went into specific details on how to implement technology into my area. I got tons of ideas and websites that I will continue to use and share with my colleagues!
Overall, I think this course has a great setup: 4 face to face classes, weekly discussion questions and/or blog postings, 6 tech skills assignments, 2 big projects, a midterm and a final test. I wouldn't change much of it. It fulfills its purpose: to give students a thorough introduction to technology incorporated into education.
