6711 reflection

In my Personal Theory of Learning from week one, I emphasized student engagement. I still believe that engagement is the key to learning. This course has provided me with a toolbox of technology applications based in teaching and learning theories that will help me to actively engage my students. However, it is not about what I can do with technology, but what the students can do with the technology.

I am just beginning my career as a teacher, and am still adjusting and making improvements to some basic classroom management issues. My studies with Walden have expanded my horizons and will allow me to think outside the box as I try and solve these routine classroom dilemmas. Immediate adjustments that I am making to my teaching practice include brainstorming ways to convert teacher centered lessons to student centered lessons. And how might I integrate technology into those student centered lessons so that students are engaged in the content and using class time wisely. I am thinking of how to present content to students in the form of problems to be solved, provide them with access to the tools they need to find solutions and set specific expectations for concluding their research and presenting their information to an audience. We could use word documents or spreadsheets to analyze data. Web Quests can connect us to a world of experts in any field. Virtual field trips can take us to see places we might never have the opportunity to visit in person. Power Point, Voice Thread and Prezi allow us to share our thoughts with the world beyond the classroom through multimedia.

Long-term changes I am planning for my teaching practice include creating an on-line classroom. For example, when a student is absent, how and when do I take time to catch them up to date on the material they missed? If I had a course wiki set up, I could keep a running syllabus and have pages where the class compiles notes in the form of reference materials. I could have links to handouts so students could print out a copy of anything they missed or lost. I would like to record instructions and rubrics for class projects on Voice Thread so students would have a reference that they could consult anywhere, any time. I would like to find web-based applications like Quizlet that I could use to administer assessments that would provide immediate feedback to students and reduce the paperwork for myself.

There are a multitude of changes I could and should make to my teaching practice. It can easily become overwhelming. What I intend to do is pace myself by trying out one new idea at a time, and improve upon it through reflection until it works well. Then I will add another new idea and polish it in the same way. I also need to consider students individuality and group dynamics. What works well with one may not work with the next. And I must always remember to teach the skills behind the activities and not assume them. Teach the students to work in groups before assigning them a group accountability project. I am enjoying the process of filling my toolbox of theories and applications, and look forward to the next course. …after enjoying a little well-deserved break.