Initially when I started
this course, I had limited knowledge of some of the latest web 2.0 tools that I
can use within my classroom. However, the media, resources and activities of
this course have helped me to develop my own technology skills as a
professional teacher, as now I am more aware of the various web 2.0 tools that
I can use within my teaching and learning environment. I was new to using some of these tools and as
such some of the activities was a bit overwhelming, for example when I was
creating the Twitter account and using it to post tweets. However, after
completing this course my knowledge have now been broaden on the tools that I
can use within my learning environment. This
new awareness have now transformed the ways in which I view teaching and learning
and how much more effective my lessons can be if I explore the new changes
within the technological environment and use such change to influence the way I
plan and conduct my lessons.
I have deepened my knowledge
of the teaching and learning process with respect to integrating technology, in
how I am able to use the tool to promote collaborative learning among my
students. I am now more aware of how powerful technology can be within the
learning environment. In a bid to
facilitate the changing 21st century classroom, I would integrate
technology within my lessons so as to promote student engagement, communication
and collaboration.
One web 2.0 tool that I am
willing incorporate within my classroom is creating wikis or google-sites to
enhance my learning environment. However the potential roadblock to using this
tool within my classroom is access to resources such as a reliable internet
access. The institution at which I work is located in a rural environment,
therefore, there is not much I can do to overcome this issue of limited access.
Another potential roadblock would be the time to effectively create the wiki-site,
and also time to teach the students how to properly navigate and use the
website. However, I would schedule my time to create and update the website,
and also have sessions with my students outside of the regular class time to
teach them how to use the tool. I believe, my students will eventually become
fully competent in using the tool and consequently overcome this issue of time.
Using the Wikisite/googlesite will help to develop my students “technology
literacy” skills (Applied Educational Systems, 2019) as they will be able to
develop competence in using the tool. According to the ISTE Standards for
students (2016), my students will be able to develop “communication” skills and
also become “global collaborators, by using the digital tools to broaden their
perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others (ISTE
Standards for students, 2016). My students will be able to use the tool interact
and work with others to complete task thereby building their 21st
century collaborative skills. As an educator in implementing this web 2.0 tool
within my classroom, I am able to achieve the ISTE (2008) standards for
teachers by becoming a “facilitator of learning” by using technology to enhance
learning as well as “designer of learner driven activities, (ISTE, 2008).
As a teacher of information
technology, there are two long-term SMART goals that I will set for
transforming my classroom.
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Within two years my students will develop
competence in using various technology tools and applications, to effectively
to carry out specific tasks.
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Within two years my students should be aware of the
various technological advances within society and be able to use the web 2.0
tools to collaborate with others to complete given tasks.
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Within two years I will effectively use technology
to differentiate instruction so as to cater to the diverse learning needs of my
students.
It is my intention as the educator to help my
students develop awareness of the resources available to them by continuing to
foster an environment that incorporates the usage of technology, and teaching my
students how to use the tools effectively. Also allowing my students to gain
more hands-on practice with using the technological tools.
The
concepts and topics covered within this course aligns with an issue I might want to study, in finding out how
technology can be used effectively within the classroom to facilitate learning.
There is minimal usage of technology within my school environment. Hence, I see
a great need for us as educators to know how to use the advances in technology effectively
within our classroom environment to impact learning. I believe for us to move with
the changes within society then we need to start within the classroom. Our 21st
century students, requires diversity, hence the onus is on us as educators to
cultivate a learning environment that focuses on using technology to enrich
learning for our learners. I chose the
specialization, “integrating technology” within the classroom, so as to aid me
becoming more aware of how I can use technology to transform education and
lives of my 21st century students.
References
International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE). (2016). Standards for students. Retrieved from
from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students-2016
Applied Educational Systems, (2019). What are 21st century skills?.
Retrieved from https://www.aeseducation.com/career-readiness/what-are-21st-century-skills
International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from
https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful
web tools for classrooms ( 3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
