Technology is changing education and how we interact in the classroom and globally. The classroom of today is drastically different than the classroom I grew up with. People often hesitate with change, this means learning something new or having to relearn something that you may have been doing the same way for years.
I find the best way to approach technology in education is with an open and critical mind. There are thousands of tools and apps that can be used, but should they? What can they offer?
For example, one day after class we discussed smartboard. Smartboard can be beneficial if used appropriately but their are other tools like the IPEVO that may be more appropriate for different classroom settings.
My posts on this blog reflect what I am interested in, or snapshots of interesting topics related to technology in education. They do not reflect in-depth reflections, and I would probably use a different forum than a blog to go into very in-depth analysis of different tools. I have also included an education in technology twitter, that is slowly gaining followers and anything that I post or repost will be forwarded this blog in the future. I plan to keep up this blog, it will probably shift from technology in education to technology, education, and ESL, but I would like to keep it as an open space to share and collect interesting information.
Even after this course, I still have questions about how to use technology most effectively in the classroom. Technology is not going to take the place of the teacher, but it can amplify the lesson. It can also make the work of organization easier and thus allow the teacher to spend more time on the lesson than on student papers.
No matter what, technology needs training. I consider myself tech savvy and even I learned new things about googlesites that I did not know from Rebecca. Right now we are working on our flat classrooms assignment, and we are using diigo(a website that one our classmates reviewed), voicethread, and skype in our project description. Technology can be used effectively, but since it is so novel to many few take the initiative.
In addition to ESL I am also interested in higher-ed. Bonk's presentation has made me think about where is education going in the future. While younger grades are more regulated, higher education has been changing drastically with open source material. This makes me think about my current situation now and what it will be like in the future. Both Bonk and the Flat Classroom project have brought global into the classroom, and also pushed educators minds to think globally.
The question that it leaves me with is : how to prove effectiveness? Technology is very expensive and those who fund it want numbers and quantitative data. I think over time, and if technology is being used effectively than quantitative data will be easier to collect and thus more funding for technology will be possible.
You are a very introspective educator! You think deeply about topics that many of us gloss over during our hurried days. You are also very tech savvy and will be a great role model for your students, whether they be in K or college. As a matter of fact, I hope you have considered--or will consider-- teaching at the college level. You have a voice and style that would be very effective with that age group. Your blog is exemplary in every regard (see "A Rubric for Evaluating Student Blogs" by Karen Franker, U.Wisc., Stout, in Bb materials for the blog project). Your posts are thoughtful and encourage response from others. Your voice is strong and authentic. You are knowledgeable. Layout is inviting and easy to navigate. Thank you for your contributions to the course.
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