In the EDLD5306 class, I did not really know what to expect, but the class gave me much to think about using surveys, internet safety and ethics, and how to use Web 2.0 tools. This class opened my eyes on realizing how much technology affects students today – the 21st Century student. I really enjoyed learning more about copyrights, intellectual property, and laws that I did not know existed. I enjoyed seeing issues that concern the principal and parents when technology becomes a factor in the classroom. I liked the use of the discussion boards because I can see how other school districts use technology, and I have and understanding if other teacher’s views align with what I am thinking. Some of the members of the class have giving me some different perspectives at looking at some of the issue dealing with technology.
After taking this class, I have been enthusiastically adding these tools to my classroom lessons for this year. When teaching character traits to my students, I never thought about internet ethics and safety going hand in hand because of so many students converse or socialize on the internet. Some of the Web 2.0 tools that I have learned, I have discussed them with my principal and she is very interested in them. Since I am on the District Technology Plan committee, studying the plan and programs that affect it, I feel much better at discussing issues or providing ideas during meetings.
The first thing I wish I had more time to devote in this classroom is to get a better understanding of the laws. They were covered so fast that I did not have time to absorb what was in them. I think that part of the class could have been made its own course. I feel that I just got my feet wet and did not get as depth of an understanding that will actually be needed. Another thing that I wish we would have studied and gained better knowledge on is the technology standards. I think that it would have made the Internship Plan easier to fill out.
The assignments in this course were outlined in a way that it was easy to follow. I appreciated the detailed step-by-step instructions. The rubrics were helpful to know what was expected. The number of assignments was quite overwhelming. I did not realize the amount of work that needed to be done in each course. I was able to complete each of the assignments within the scheduled allotted time though; however, I took this class during the summer. I worry that I might not be able to devote the amount of time to my classes as I need due to teaching and other school demands. The conference calls were an added benefit in doing the work, and having access to other students’ wiki’s to see how they accomplished the assignment made it easier - especially when I had no idea how to accomplish an assignment.
The self-assessments were beneficial in that I can see how I learn and why I might think a particular way. By learning more about myself, I know what my strengths are and what weaknesses I need to focus on. I realized that my knowledge of Web 2.0 tools was nonexistent. This course forced me to get my feet wet and use these tools. Now I am excited about using these tools in my classroom. The assignments in this class took a lot of my time to complete. At first I did not know about how to complete them. After jumping in and getting started on them they proved not to be as difficult as they first appeared to be. Realizing this will help me keep the right frame of mind on completing my 300 hours to complete the program.
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