Going into this course (my final graduate course!), I did not know what to expect. I did not anticipate the huge influence it would have in preparing for this upcoming school year. I have to admit, I knew the impact of using technology within the classroom, but I only utilized it on certain occasions. I realized I viewed technology as merely implementing interactive lessons using a Smart board, but I was amazed there are so many technology applications out there and I was not doing my students justice in engaging them and meeting their individual needs.
The first take away from this course is the amount of availability of resources for educators. Each week I researched many applications, websites, and programs that I had no idea existed. It was exciting to learn a variety of implementations. I enjoyed learning from my classmates as well. I always tried to comment on a blog that included a different technology than mine, rather than familiarizing myself with only one. It was interesting to learn another’s perspective on how to incorporate it in the classroom. The second takeaway is how rapidly technology is advancing and it is essential to incorporate into everyday instruction. Technology provides many authentic learning opportunities that would not have been possible a few years ago. My third takeaway is the goal of incorporating technology in education is to increase engagement for all students by differentiating needs of individuals. Instruction should be designed to create meaningful experiences by enhancing learning opportunities.
My favorite project while taking this course was the video assignment. I had some previous experience using iMovie, but I was unsure of how to edit the video to include music, pictures, and other aspects. While creating the video, it taught me so much about myself. When I set on my graduate journey, I was unsure whether it was the right profession for me. I was passionate about Music Therapy, I could not imagine anything else. Now, I am passionate about including Music Therapy in classroom instruction by meeting individual needs academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. I enjoyed sharing how my passions all tie together in just a short clip. Although it may not be to this extent, the benefits of my students sharing about themselves through video production are great. I am excited to watch my students grow by increasing their self-esteem and independence while promoting self-expression.
Prior to taking this course, I merely substituted technology for a traditional method. For example, I reinforced concepts through PowerPoints, provided videos on how to work out math problems, and we watched and listened to songs to memorize certain patterns in phonics or concepts in math. I am thankful I waited to take the course in educational technology in the summer so that I can design a plan on what I want to implement in just two short weeks before we are in full swing. There are many programs, technologies, and applications that I would love to include. One that I am most enthusiastic about is using assessments in technology (and I am not being sarcastic). As a resource teacher teaching multiple grades, I spent the majority of my time providing testing accommodations and modifying tests to suit individual needs. I had little time to informally assess understanding, which often made it difficult to track progress towards their IEP goals. With technologies such as Quizziz, Kahoot, Edpuzzle, and Formative all that is changed. I am able to design interactive and engaging quizzes appropriate to the students. They are easy to use, assessments are automatically graded, and can be printed to record in a gradebook or as documentation for meeting their goals. I also plan utilizing these applications as instructional tools in a group setting, review before major tests, and individual practice. I am excited to share my learning experiences with my colleagues and further develop my knowledge of incorporating technology in my instruction.
Aubrey Grice 