How far have I come?

Attitude is Everything

Prior to this class I had a moderate to negative view to technology in education, for a two reasons. First, we don’t have the resources. We have even less resources with all of the computer-based assessments going on.

My 2nd graders on tables purchased with a Donors Choose grant.

Second, some people think that technology, like Kahn Academy, Moby Max, YouTube, etc. can replace teachers or that technology can make the profession “idiot proof.” Our school is considering purchasing yet another technology tool for reading instruction. Isn’t teaching reading my job?

After this class my attitude has softened towards technology in the classroom.

To address my first issue, we have limited resources. That said I like to look for solutions. After my class worked on thinglink I realized it was better to work with technology with small groups of students as opposed to the whole class at once. That means I only need four or five netbooks and not an entire cart. It is much easier for me to get some resources than all of them. It’s a win-win situation.

I also took matters into my own hands last year when I wrote a Donors Choose grant for five Google Nexus 7 tablets. While tablets have their limits, we definitely put them to good use.

And a computer will never replace well-trained, compassionate teachers. It is up to us to make sure we are always innovating and reaching our students; and technology can help us. If we are replaced by machines we have messed up.

To Infinity…

I still consider myself to be a fairly early adopter of technology for myself (I had a PalmPilot before wireless was a thing). This class has challenged me to do the same with use of technology with my students. I am looking forward to working on the webquest Francesco and I created so they can investigate the causes of the American Revolution. They have had so few opportunities to work with technology, but when they do they rise to the challenge.

Bag of Tricks

This class has introduced me to a bunch of new tools that I will add to my bag of tricks, including Blabberize (I am in love with that alpaca!) I also would like to use Adobe Voice, which we used with Dr. Silvers in Reading and Writing Improvement. These are great supplements or alternatives to written assignments. I also have Geocaching on my end of year bucket list; I want my students to see a real-world application of their weekly geography lessons. I am already thinking towards next year and how I can ease the students into technology in the classroom right out of the gate.