Reflecting on the Journey...

I have discovered many things this semester concerning technology in education. Some things were fun and interesting, while others were hard and tedious.

So I would like to take a few minutes to reflect on the journey I have been through this semester. 

• I was a little nervous and apprehensive at the beginning of this class, because – despite what others may think – I have never considered myself a tech guru.
• But over time in this class, I surprised myself with the scope of technology that I can use and what I have accomplished with it. 

• It was definitely  not easy  or a  “walk in the park,” and many times I had to go back over concepts, applications, and directions.

There were many Ups and Downs and All-arounds

Ups:

⮞When I first started doing my blog posts, I was FRUSTRATED that I had to learn a different way to write that was more personal than academic, in order to keep people ENGAGED.

• But as I kept doing blog posts and using VDT (Visually Differentiated Text), they became easier and my VDT skills grew.
• It was not as much of a struggle, but became exciting to transform my thoughts and see them be more than just words on the page.
• I also think that by doing it, my academic writing style improved and I became more expressive in writing.

⮞One of my favorite assignments was looking at QR codes.

• It was fun seeing how they could be used and learning how to do something I never thought I would be able to do.
• By learning about them, I was able to see more of the practical benefits of using technology in the classroom

Downs:

⮞Creating a unit of study that included using an educational app, was one of my least favorite assignments.

• It took a long time to create, and I felt like I had no idea what I was doing.
• By doing it, I did learn how to incorporate technology in lesson planning, but it really stretched my mind and knowledge (which was beneficial, but not fun). 

⮞Also creating a parent contact log and google form to send updates to parents was more involved  than I thought it would be.

• I had to follow the instructional youtube video to a “T” and pause it every ten seconds.
• It was complex and time-consuming work, but it was also beneficial, and I hope I remember how to use it in the future (I’ll have to save that video link!).

All around:

⮞After this class, I view technology as a tool in my teacher tool belt.

• Just like any other tool, it must be used correctly in order to achieve the desired result.
• For example, if I was going to hammer a nail, I would use the flat side of the hammer, not the curved side - so also there are right ways and wrong ways to use technology in the classroom. 

I am not sure if the country, city, or school where I teach will have tablets for students, or interactive whiteboards, or projectors, or even internet access. But wherever God leads me, my technology tool is ready to be used, and I am sure that it will be sharpened as I continue on in my teaching journey.