C&I 579 Course Reflection (1)

- What attitudes, skills, and concepts have you gained from participating in the course so far?

  Above all I have gained time management skills. I had these skills prior, but becoming entrenched in following blogs, referring to twitter, and overall just staying informed does take time and an understanding that there is always more to see. However, setting time limits is important. I have also gained a better understanding there appears to be endless resources individuals can use in regards to technology. I have also gained a more comprehensive respect for individuals who embraced technology as it was appearing in our society and not trying to shut it out, as I did for many years. I am beginning to understand much more of the jargon associated with technology and the internet while just beginning to dip my feet into the technology world. This course has helped me understand how to follow blogs with googlereader, how to follow tweets more productively, and overall stay informed on a personal and professional level via the internet.

- What have you learned in the course that you will not forget tomorrow?

When reading this question the one thing that stands out to me is the Google video we watched. I have referred to that many times in conversations with people and have shared it with many of my friends and family. I never understood to what level Google or for that matter any other Internet source was so entrenched in our daily lives. Other than that life changing video I have also gained knowledge in websites that can be helpful and fun tools you can use on the internet, including Diigo, which I have begun using with a professional organization I am connect with and in my own research. Just having access and someone to guide the way to indicate where there are neat and helpful resources has been incredibly unforgettable, along with bookmarking these helpful sites.

- How will you apply what you have learned to your teaching and future learning?

The idea of using this knowledge in my teaching is a question I have been asking myself since the beginning of the course and am still contemplating the use of technology and how I can help build these technology skills within the 21^st century frame of mind. As a practicing early childhood teacher I can see using many of the websites or resources with parents as a way for us to connect. Being able to blog and link blogs for parents to read when they have questions, or being able to upload videos or recordings for parents to access as home with their students will all be helpful. Using these resources though with my actual 3 and 4 year old students is something I am still contemplating.

As far as my own future learning I am now open and willing to try new things on the Internet and with technology. I have to say at the beginning of this class I had a lot of anxiety and stress because I was diving into an area I had consciously ignored for a long time. I knew this class would open up my mind and my experiences and it has to all the possibilities with technology. I will begin building my professional groups of individuals, meeting people, following applicable blogs, and communicating my own ideas to people. I understand the push for incorporating technology into secondary classrooms after this class because of the huge network you can build and use as a professional. However, I do see the need to teach technology ethics and good use because some resources can be deceiving. I am still exploring and getting used to the technology, but it is a world I am ready to explore, thanks to this class.