Happy Sunday! The first course for all of us is just about finished. Looking back, there are definitely some topics worthy of reflection. From my experience, the "trends in technology" research paper, the SAMR model, and the PLNs are the most memorable modules from the course.
I really enjoyed working on the "trends in technology" research paper. What stood out the most to me is that what is happening with technology and education right now is laying the groundwork or setting up the infrastructure for what's to come. Granted, the extreme is the AltSchool network of lab schools that use technology to analyze big data such as heart rate and facial expressions to predict outcomes of student learning. This notion of 21st century, personalized learning where the focus isn't on learning (what's being taught) but on the learner is certainly a trend right now. Many of the digital resources that we use in our classrooms aim at getting a snapshot of what students know over many different checkpoints. An article I read addressed the current model of standardized testing as an antiquated model for students to show what they know. How can one test be an accurate measure of what students know? This idea has been something that educators have been discussing for years and with the movement of formative and summative assessments, I have no doubt that taking a test like PARCC will eventually be phased out. Instead, we will be using data from programs such as STAR360, MobyMax, and IXL to create a personalized learning experience for the individual. Most of the trends enable the teacher to create this experience in one form or another. Another topic that I found intriguing is the SAMR model as a lens to consider when using technology. Does the technology work at just the substitution or augmentation levels or does it actually modify or redefine the learning task? As educators, we should strive for those more transformative levels, but there certainly is a time where the lower enhancement levels are appropriate. I find myself thinking a lot about where my ideas about using technology fall within the model. When I think about using technology, I find that deciding how the technology plays a role and striving for those transformative levels is now part of my thinking. I am designing a PBL unit where the essential questions involve students changing the frequency of classmates' use of plastic water bottles. While creating the unit, I want students to use technology in a way that can persuade and change thinking. Students will use a variety of tools to create public service announcements and a print media campaign that will encourage students to curb or eliminate using disposable plastic water bottles. Finally, the experience of participating in a PLN was significant. We created Twitter accounts and exchanged information back and forth between classmates as well as shared information from prominent educators who have their own Twitter accounts. I don't think that Twitter is for me. I find the format too brief, too cluttered with symbols, and I have a hard time following the lines of communication. However, I did find that those websites and educators that I follow are good sources of information and Twitter can act as a filter for finding good information. I found the Illinois Computing Educators website and am interested (among quite a few of us) in attending their conference. Overall, I learned a lot from the class and am going to continue pursuing my endorsement in Instructional Technology. I understand that slowing down and focusing on the process of learning all that I can instead of just trying to get it done as quickly as possible is extremely important. The details of each module build upon the other as concrete tools to use in the classroom. Certainly, a foundations course is a good first step and it has shown me what I might be able to do for my students and for myself. Thanks for reading! I look forward to collaborating with all of you in the future. Michelle Lingle
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