Class Reflection

Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology has opened my eyes to many new ideas. I have been exposed to numerous technology tools that can be incorporated into my classroom. I have learned that technology is a great way to instruct students and there are many tools that can be used that are fun and interesting to students. This class has opened my eyes as a teacher on the importance of having technology in the classroom. We are a technological world and our students should have the opportunity to use the technology while they learn.

An adjustment that I would like to make immediately in my classroom is the amount of technology that is being used by my students. I felt that I used some technology in my classroom but when I really stepped back to look at what was being used I noticed that I was using majority of the technology and not my students. I would like to have my students using the technology more and having me as a facilitator. I would like to start incorporating Voice Thread as well as more virtual field trips being used in my class. Voice Thread is a great opportunity for the students to make the learning more meaningful by creating a project and the virtual field trips allow for students to go places they may never get to go to in person.

Two long term goals that I would like to set in my classroom would be the following
1. Start next year with one technology lesson a week and then build from there. By the end of the year I would like to be incorporating more technology in my lessons a week.
-In order to achieve this goal I will be using this summer to plan out different technology that I could incorporate into lessons that I plan on teaching. Since I taught the same grade last year I know what lesson I will most likely be teaching so I can start to think which technology would go with which lesson.
2. Have the students monitor their own progress.
-To achieve this goal I myself must be familiar with the spreadsheet layout that I would like my students to be using. I will begin this summer by finding a spreadsheet that is kid friendly and practicing on how to use the program so that I can have my students monitor their own success next year.