5362+Reflection

Teaching with technology is largely an issue of philosophy, rather than technical skills. media type="custom" key="6495455"


 * EDLD 5362**

The network systems management course was interesting. I often looked forward to the courses that required me to look at aspects of information technology that I haven't been able to explore much. The first assignment concerning how the Internet has affected education was interesting. I have been teaching for 19 years, and the teacher I interviewed has been teaching for 40 years or so, I believe. She said something that I have been trying to get across to teachers and my technology coach colleagues for a long time. The Internet has changed the classroom philosophically as much as anything else. (Miles, 2010) My colleagues feel that they should just teach which buttons to push, but when teachers don't implement what they learn in training, they wonder why. The truth is that technology can't be implemented in education with the same philosophy as teachers have followed. Technology forces a student-centered classroom.

The second assignment about social networks was something that I have used extensively for four or five years. I haven't had time to do much the last couple of years with expanded job responsibilities and this degree program. This assignment allowed me to review these tools and refresh myself on their usefulness.

I appreciated the opportunity to review student information systems in the third assignment. This was one of those aspects of educational technology that I haven't had the chance to explore much. I learned a lot about our information system, but the examination was very superficial. I couldn't tell you much about it today, beyond what I know from regular discussions with the technology staff that manage it.

The fourth assignment analyzing the Horizon report just happened to be due just after I participated in a webinar about the 2010 Horizon report. The assignment allowed me to think more deeply on it. The opportunity to consider these things helps a great deal.

The final assignment was designed to bring everything together to apply to the school technology plan. My concept for the video hit a snag as I was putting it together, but the idea of applying that to real practice was sound. I work extensively with the instructional aspect of our technology plan regularly.

Group interactions in the discussion boards are an important aspect to learning. I also had informal interaction with others from another cohort. These were more helpful to me.

CramlingtonLV,. (Producer). (2007). //20th century & 21st century teachers//. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJYpsB3o0Uc

S. Miles (Personal communication, August 15, 2010)