Final Walden Posting

This is the final assignment posting for my technology course at Walden University, in which I have learned of the plethora of resources available to enhance the learning experiences in my classroom.  The course has helped me develop my technology skills by introducing me to and giving me the opportunity to use blogs, wikis, and podcasts.  I have learned the skills that I hope to incorporate in my lessons, and that makes me a better teacher because I will be familiar with the tools my students are using.  I can be a true collaborator with my students to create meaningful learning experiences on the Read/Write Web (Richardson 2009).

Taking this course has not only shown me how to use different technology tools in my school, but it has also deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process.  Students do not learn in the same way that they did twenty or even ten years ago because they are "digital natives" (Prensky 2001) who require a different set of approaches when presented with information.  Students want to multitask and be stimulated with visuals and graphics because it is how they function outside of the classroom, so why not in the classroom, too?  In making shifts in my teaching practices, such as using more graphics and game-like approaches, I am taking a learner-centered perspective.  I need to change some classroom practices to make the best learning environment for my students, not necessarily the most comfortable and familiar environment for me.  As long as I am open to new technology applications and adaptations that can aide my instruction, all of my students have the opportunity to be successful 21st century learners.

I plan to continue to grow in my knowledge of using technology for student achievement by investigating and promoting cost effective applications that can be used in my school.  As one of the more technologically-inclined teachers on my staff, I need to be a "change agent" (Richardson 2009) who uses 21st century tools in lessons and shows other teachers how to do the same.  Just as teachers expect students to take initiative to find new problem solving strategies for homework, teachers need to be investigators who continue to look for new ways to form expert decision makers and complex communicators (Thornburg 2008).

Two long-term goals that I hope to achieve over the next two years are to organize a mini-workshop in which I teach my fellow teachers how to use blogs and/or wikis in their classrooms and to form a "Bloggers Anonymous" club for junior high students.  To organize a workshop for teachers in my school, I have to wait until I have had some time to experiment with blogs and wikis in my classroom so I can speak from experience.  Then, I need to collaborate with my principal and technology instructor to get approval and support for the program.  To create "Bloggers Anonymous," I need to organize all of the initial directions and information about blogging, especially security, before I can suggest the club.  Then, I feel it is best to meet with the students to discuss the goals of the club (not just social networking) and send home information for parents to sign for approval.  The greatest obstacle in achieving my goals is administrative support, which I plan to get by being prepared with security information, personal samples, and knowledge.

While I have some feelings of dread going into a new school year when it is still eighty-five degrees outside, I am excited to show off my knowledge of how to teach with technology.  During a recent faculty workshop, I realized that my perspective about approaches to teaching students has completely changed because of my exposure to technology literature and resources.  A course checklist that I completed in week one to assess my use of technology and 21st century skills in the classroom also revealed my development in using technology.  The school year has not started, but I am confident that most of the checklist will show that I "often" (Walden University 2009) give students opportunities to use digital tools to collaborate and critically think about class content and the global community.   If I am to complete the same checklist at the end of the 2009-2010 school year, I plan to not check any "rarely" (Walden University 2009) boxes because 21st century skills will be an integral part of my classroom.  I hope that my fresh perspective serves as a revival for my teaching and motivator for my students and colleagues.

References

Prensky, M. (2001).  Digital natives, digital immigrants.  On the Horizon, 9(5).

Richardson, W. (2009).  Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.).  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Thornburg, D. & Dede, C.  (2008).  The changing work environment.  DVD.  Laureate Education, Inc.

Walden University.  (2009).  Assessment checklist for technology integration practices.  Laureate Education, Inc.