Wow I can't believe we are already to the end of the term. Time sure does fly by when you are learning about technology and how to use it in a classroom. Looking back I have learned so much.
Even though I Google about everyday, I did not know that Google had so much more to offer. We worked with Google docs and reader, pages and gmail. These are all things that I will continue to use in and out of the classroom. In addition, we collected many resources which will be helpful for when I am a teacher.
Out of the things that we have used in the class I can see myself using blogs with my ELL (English language learner) students. It will be a great way to learn writing skills, social norms, voice, etc. I will also love to use Podcasts. They will be a great way to practice speaking, listening, and pronunciation. I may use a WebQuest in a future classroom. They would be a great thing to have for the students to do when there is a substitute teacher in for the day.
Above all it wasn't the resources I obtained or getting to use all of the great sites, it was becoming comfortable using technology. It is funny I say this because I have a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop, a Playstation, I play World of Warcraft, I social network, I blog, I listen to Podcasts on my iPod; so why would I say I wasn't comfortable with technology? I am comfortable messing around with technology on my own, trying new things and such, but to be able to teach it to someone else or incorporate it into educational lesson plans seemed overwhelming and intimidating. This class gave me ideas on how to use technology in a classroom and how technology can be used educationally which gave me the confidence to use it in a classroom. I believe this was what I got the most out of the class.
