Reflection Prompt 8 Summarize your learning for this term. How will you use the knowledge you have constructed to improve your use of technology for learning in your class and for your own personal and professional development?
1. Description. Briefly describe your experiences (class activities, reading assignment, your school or job experiences). Do this in a descriptive rather than a judgmental way (merely record events without editorializing or agreeing or disagreeing). Make connections.
The Introduction to Instructional Technology course has taught me about the National Educational Technology Standards for Coaches (NETS-C standards), from the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE), a concept called TPACK, and 21st century skills.
The NETS-C standards introduced to me the expectations for technology coaches. I learned that the role of a technology coach is someone who helps other educators use technology correctly in schools. Technology coaches could help to integrate, facilitate, and design how to use technology to enhance teacher productivity and student learning. They work with teachers to help them understand how technology can support learning for the digital learner. A technology coach helps teachers meet their goals set forth by the NETS-T. By helping the teachers meet their goals established by ISTE, the teachers will be able to help students meet their goals defined in NETS-S.
Next, TPACK is a concept that describes how to integrate technology in the classroom to support learning. TPACK combines three types of knowledge which include: Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Technological Knowledge (TK). Effective teachers understand how to combine what they know about a specific subject\content (CK), what they know about methods and strategies of teaching (PK), and what they know about technology (TK). By understanding the relationship between all three types of knowledge, teachers take learning to another level.
Finally, I learned about the 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, decision making, and problem solving. I read about the importance of using technology to teach these 21st century skills. The students of today will need to learn these skills in order to be successful when they graduate and begin working.
2.Impact. Tell what you have learned (or confirm what you had already believed, or how what you have learned differs from what you believed). How do you feel about what you learned? My eyes were opened when I first learned about the technology standards. Being a teacher I have always been aware of the standards we have to teach when it comes to math, science, language arts, and social studies, but I was unaware of NETS and their standards for coaches, teachers, and students. Having these standards in place makes complete sense because educators and students need to learn the standards. As far as TPACK is concerned, I have been using technology in my classroom as much as I can. What I have realized while taking this class is that it's not just about using technology, it is about using technology appropriately. Now, instead of just using technology for the sake of using technology, I consider what type of technology will enhance my lesson and provide students the best opportunity to learn. The 21st century skills described above are extremely important for students to learn. In most cases, they are more important than learning the core subjects taught in schools. These are the skills that students will need in almost any job they have when they are older. These are also the skills that most students of today need the most help with. Many of the students I have taught over the years have struggled with their critical thinking skills, problem solving, and decision making. I have had numerous discussions with other teachers who feel the same way, but aren't quite sure how to help these students. With websites out there that specifically focus on these 21st century skills I now realize I have resources to use to help me teach students the skills they will require in the work force.
3.Intent. Make a statement about what you intend to do as a result of your learnings and feelings. BE SPECIFIC! Phrase this in a personal and positive way ("what I will do is . . ." rather than "what I won't do is . . ."). My focus now is to make sure I am using technology in a way that will benefit my students the most. I will continue to research the best ways to use technology for the subjects I am teaching and for the activities the students will be completing. It is not enough anymore to simply just use technology. I will find the right type of technology that fits my lesson the best. I will also continue to use the websites like http://atc21s.org/ and http://www.p21.org/ to help me teach the 21st century skills to my students. I also want to conduct workshops for teachers where I can teach them how to correctly use the technology we already have in place at our school. I want to show them how it will not only benefit the students, but how it will benefit them as well. Finally, I would like to get my students more involved in using technology. I want my students to apply the 21st century skills and create websites and e-portfolios.
Summarize your learning for this term. How will you use the knowledge you have constructed to improve your use of technology for learning in your class and for your own personal and professional development?
1. Description. Briefly describe your experiences (class activities, reading assignment, your school or job experiences). Do this in a descriptive rather than a judgmental way (merely record events without editorializing or agreeing or disagreeing). Make connections.
The Introduction to Instructional Technology course has taught me about the National Educational Technology Standards for Coaches (NETS-C standards), from the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE), a concept called TPACK, and 21st century skills.
The NETS-C standards introduced to me the expectations for technology coaches. I learned that the role of a technology coach is someone who helps other educators use technology correctly in schools. Technology coaches could help to integrate, facilitate, and design how to use technology to enhance teacher productivity and student learning. They work with teachers to help them understand how technology can support learning for the digital learner. A technology coach helps teachers meet their goals set forth by the NETS-T. By helping the teachers meet their goals established by ISTE, the teachers will be able to help students meet their goals defined in NETS-S.
Next, TPACK is a concept that describes how to integrate technology in the classroom to support learning. TPACK combines three types of knowledge which include: Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Technological Knowledge (TK). Effective teachers understand how to combine what they know about a specific subject\content (CK), what they know about methods and strategies of teaching (PK), and what they know about technology (TK). By understanding the relationship between all three types of knowledge, teachers take learning to another level.
Finally, I learned about the 21st century skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, decision making, and problem solving. I read about the importance of using technology to teach these 21st century skills. The students of today will need to learn these skills in order to be successful when they graduate and begin working.
2.Impact. Tell what you have learned (or confirm what you had already believed, or how what you have learned differs from what you believed). How do you feel about what you learned?
My eyes were opened when I first learned about the technology standards. Being a teacher I have always been aware of the standards we have to teach when it comes to math, science, language arts, and social studies, but I was unaware of NETS and their standards for coaches, teachers, and students. Having these standards in place makes complete sense because educators and students need to learn the standards.
As far as TPACK is concerned, I have been using technology in my classroom as much as I can. What I have realized while taking this class is that it's not just about using technology, it is about using technology appropriately. Now, instead of just using technology for the sake of using technology, I consider what type of technology will enhance my lesson and provide students the best opportunity to learn.
The 21st century skills described above are extremely important for students to learn. In most cases, they are more important than learning the core subjects taught in schools. These are the skills that students will need in almost any job they have when they are older. These are also the skills that most students of today need the most help with. Many of the students I have taught over the years have struggled with their critical thinking skills, problem solving, and decision making. I have had numerous discussions with other teachers who feel the same way, but aren't quite sure how to help these students. With websites out there that specifically focus on these 21st century skills I now realize I have resources to use to help me teach students the skills they will require in the work force.
3.Intent. Make a statement about what you intend to do as a result of your learnings and feelings. BE SPECIFIC! Phrase this in a personal and positive way ("what I will do is . . ." rather than "what I won't do is . . .").
My focus now is to make sure I am using technology in a way that will benefit my students the most. I will continue to research the best ways to use technology for the subjects I am teaching and for the activities the students will be completing. It is not enough anymore to simply just use technology. I will find the right type of technology that fits my lesson the best.
I will also continue to use the websites like http://atc21s.org/ and http://www.p21.org/ to help me teach the 21st century skills to my students.
I also want to conduct workshops for teachers where I can teach them how to correctly use the technology we already have in place at our school. I want to show them how it will not only benefit the students, but how it will benefit them as well.
Finally, I would like to get my students more involved in using technology. I want my students to apply the 21st century skills and create websites and e-portfolios.