Final Reflection Paper
Instructional Media was a very important and beneficial class as a college student and as a preprofessional elementary education teacher. I can see how this course has been very beneficial to me and has shown me how to create connections with my students and with their parents. I will be able to have my students more engaged and increase learning on concepts that I might not be able to teach them without the use of the web. I feel much more prepared to enter the workforce and use technology as I teach my students.
I have developed much more general technology skills with computers, networks, web 2.0 and other devices that are changing the way we deal with information. In today’s world students are becoming more familiar with computers at a very young age. I think that I will correlate my assignments in class with the ability of the students as they progress working with computers and other networks. The activities I chose should help increase the students’ learning and understanding with technology. Their skills both academically and technologically should improve and help them advance further in education.
When I first started using a computer the main purpose was to play games. I got really good at Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, and Mind Sweeper. Then I learned more about the internet and Google games. I played Frozen Bubble and Sudoku online for weeks during my senior year in high school. That was the only technology experience I really had. Now from this course I am able to go anywhere in the technology world. I know how to use the World Wide Web to search and gather information for research. I am able to work collaboratively with other people from my Blog and email address. I am able to keep in touch with my friends using AIM. I use PowerPoint a lot to create useful information when I am teaching because it makes my lessons more interesting. I now know how to create a movie and watch it at home or right on the web. The biggest accomplishment to me in using technology was learning how to make my very own Web Page. I feel like I am not just an observer of the internet but a contributor.
As I had mentioned before as my learners get a better understanding how to work with technology tools I will be able to work with them and have them create more of their creative ideas become a reality. For example during Reading time students usually always have to write a book review. In my classroom I will now be able to create an assignment where the students may read their book and write a summary about it. Then maybe I will have them learn how to use a camera and create their very own digital story about their reflection on the book that they read. Another interesting thing I would be able to do is help my students learn about Math by using excel. As my students learn how to collect data and create charts and graphs I will be able to show them how they can expand and make a variety of graphs and nice neat charts to read by using excel. Students may have to do research on a city or a historic person in Social Studies. I could have my students work in the library using the books as resources as well as have the students work on the World Wide Web and find useful educational sites from the internet. They will be able to learn how to search and find useful information as well as learn how to give credit to the person that posted the information on the internet. All of these different ideas I have been able to generate from my readings in our Technology Integration book.
I have already taught lessons using Power Point. However, since I have taken this class I have been able to further my interest into Power Point. I can now create a Power Point Presentation with videos from the web. I can add music and my own voice using a microphone. These small details create an even more attractive Power Point then what I was use to making before. The website was a fascinating experience to do in class. I feel so much more connected to the world. I always thought how the internet was a huge communication system and I was on the outside staring in. It was Santa Claus looking at his crystal ball at all the boys and girls and not being able to give them any presents. Now I feel like I don’t have to be Santa and I can go from house to house with my website being out there. I can connect and collaborate with people. They may help give me ideas and I can give them ideas about being a school teacher and creating lessons. Creating a movie is a fun activity that I did in about two hours working with three other girls. This is was a bit challenging at first because I was so unfamiliar with the different things you can do with Movie Maker but once we were done our production was a great success. It was a feeling of accomplishment. I want my students to feel the same way when they are in my classroom. This would be good for students to work collaboratively and come up with ideas about a certain topic that they wish to talk about. They would be very connected with each other and their topic of interest. I think it would be a very useful and engaging activity that I would want my students to experience.
As a developing teacher I plan to continue working with technology. I will keep on working with technology that I am still not completely comfortable with to help ensure that I am doing projects correctly and most importantly I will continue working with the technology that I already feel comfortable with so I don’t forget how to use it. I know that every day new teachers are getting more and more objectives thrown at them. Today’s society wants teachers to never stop learning and never stop helping others learn. I think society is becoming more involved with technology and that is why it is so important that teachers keep up to date on the newest technological advances. I feel that the new National Education Technology Standards are appropriate for teachers to keep understanding how to use technology in their classroom.
Monday, December 1, 2008
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