Eyes wide open!

Boy have my eyes been opened. Never have I considered myself as a "guru" of technology by any means, but I did think I knew more than most.  Was I ever wrong!  I am struggling to keep my head above water in this class.  Though if I can make it through I feel I will be a stronger educator for my 21st century learners. Hopefully at the end of this I can look back and say this was a great experience. 

Never Been Done Before

This is the first time I have ever posted to a Blog.  Technology has come so far in such a short time.  I wonder what it will be like during the next 15 or so years.  I have a very limited ability in using technology.  Hopefully, this class will afford me the opportunity to be immersed in it.  One could only hope!

A Little Nervous

As I began this class, I had to take a moment to reflect back to my first year of teaching.  When I began, I was the technology guru for my school.  When problems occurred, I was the one they came to for help.  I was by far the youngest teacher there and just out of college.  Now, I am in my 12th year of teaching and when I read through the list of assignments, I had no idea what I am supposed to do.  Oh well, it will be good for me to learn new ideas that can help me become a better teacher.  I completed the first week and will continue to work through the course.  I look forward to learning new concepts.

Well, I made it through the first assignments.  I really think this class is going to be good for me.  I don't know much at all about many of the topics, but I need to learn!  I am excited/nervous all at the same time!

Have you ever known exactly where you are, and yet felt so lost that you thought you might never get out.  I am THERE now!!!  I am NOT a technology guru!  I like to stay ahead on my studies since I am a full-time mom and full-time teacher.  As I went browsing through the assignments for this technology class, I see that during week 2 I have to make a PowerPoint.  I think, "hmm, this is no big deal, I use PowerPoint in my class all the time."  I go through the process of making a new PowerPoint.  Since I am going to need one soon on cause and effect for my Language Arts class, I decide this will be my topic.  I finish my PowerPoint and submit it for grading.  I then continue browsing through the next weeks of the course and realize this... I AM IN BIG TROUBLE!!!  I have no idea how to do any of the other things that are to be done in this class.  In fact, I have only heard of one of them (the WEBQUEST).  I break out in a cold sweat, take deep breaths trying not to cry, and realize THAT is a losing battle and burst into tears.  I am a straight A student!!!  What am I going to do???  I think I might have an anxiety attack because I am in an alternate universe and cannot find my way out. 

Please help!!!  Someone find this universe and get me out of it!!!  Technology has taken me captive, and I have to learn all of these things to get out!!!  I think I may be stuck here FOREVER...

Technology in the classroom

I picked my daughter up from school today and she reminded me I had to be at school Thursday after school to sign papers and pay $50 for a surface tablet. She goes on to tell me it is basically an iPad. Perry County is providing these to students in grades 8-12. WOW!!!!

This is awesome news! When I went to M.C. Napier in the 80's we still had manual typewriters!!!! My daughter asked me ..."what's a type writer?"

It is amazing  what technology is now available to us as educators and students. I do have to admit I am in favor of learning in a classroom the old fashioned way when it comes to math, reading and science. I know  a few people who are getting their education degrees and most all their work was online. That is scary to me. Maybe I am just old-school???? What do you think?

Creating a Blog

I have wanted to create a blog for a long time but kept putting it off because I didn't know how.
I am still working on my blog but I must say I am so glad I have started working on the blog.
This class is awesome and has held me accountable for getting started!

I consider myself to be average when it comes to working with technology. I love learning new things.

I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I am proud to say I successfully taught high school biology for seven years and worked in pharmaceutical sales for the past twelve years. My passion involves teaching others and photography.

I have gained some very useful knowledge from this class and I am so glad I stuck it out.

Technology for Educators

Great Class. Very scary at first but I seem to be catching on...hopefully!

Web Blog

      I believe one of my favorite activities in this class was the use of creating a Web Blog. There have been many times that I know students would like to have had a way to communicate with me or just with the other students within the class to help them in some of our assignments. After creating a blog I have realized how beneficial this could be for my students, parents, other professionals, and myself. It allows students to view assignments from class. I now know that this is very important in case they need a refresher when they get home from school; students will have access to material in class that will better help them complete their homework. Along with this, it gives parents an opportunity to step within the “classroom” and see what their child is working on, as well as a record of activities that I am teaching. I am excited about all the possibilities that a web blog has, and look forward to continuing my blog within the future.

Learning Experience

   It wasn't until taking this class that I came to the realization that I had not been using technology in my classroom to its full potential. I was accustomed to using the active board, document camera, I-pad, and laptops within my classroom, but did not realize how much more there was that I had not been utilizing. I was familiar with using the internet, but didn't realize all the possibilities of the world wide web until participating in the assignments for this class. I had not ventured out in using Power-point and embedding hyperlinks to the web in those presentations. I also did not have much understanding of using or creating Web-quests, Web Blogs, and Screencasts. With this new knowledge I will be able to incorporate more of these activities into the daily instruction of my classroom to enhance both mine and my students learning, and better prepare them to be both college and career ready.

 

 

Not so scary...

As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't get along so well with technology; I am always hesitant at the thought of using technologies that are new to me in my classroom, so using technologies that are CREATED by me (webquests, blogs, basically anything other than your run-of-the-mill PowerPoint presentation) was a terrifying concept, and simply NOT going to happen!

Until.... The webquest helped me realize that this 1. isn't so bad after all.... and 2. is nothing I am not already doing!!  It's just a way to make it more relevant (because it's technology) to my students, and a way to make it more visually appealing to them (much more colorful, and interesting than a handout!)

And now, although I fear they will think I'm even more of a dork than they had first realized, I am SO excited to share my blog with them!!!

Maybe I am a complete dork, but this has been a TRUE revelation for me!  Anybody else??

Struggles & triumphs

This semester has been very Foghorn Leghorn for me (you know, the rooster from Looney Tunes that steps on a rake and gets hit in the face every time he turns around... Yeah, that guy!)!  For example, when accepting my invitation to this blog, I assumed I would have the opportunity to enter my own information...  NOT the case!  My husband was the last one to check his Gmail account on the laptop I used when accepting the invitation, so... Here I am, showing up under my husband's name :-p
But... All in all, I have to say, this course has proved to be one of the greatest learning experiences I have had in some time!
I FEAR, and LOATHE technology!!!  When beginning my Rank I at UC, I realized I would have to take 15 hours of electives, and jumped at the opportunity to take this course in hopes of defeating said fear and working on my love/hate relationship with all things technological.  Thus far, despite all mishaps and unforeseen circumstances, I can report that I have been successful in both!
My students have even commented on my improved use of technologies in the classroom when showing off some of the new knowledge I have attained!
Go me! ;)

I also really enjoyed learning how to do a web blog! I have already used the one I created for this class in my own Political Science class. The students have already started responding with comments and questions as well as links of their own. This is the future of education!

Webquests

I really enjoyed learning how to do a Webquest! I have used the one I created for class in my own U.S. History Class and my students really enjoyed doing it! It was a vey positive learning experience for me as well as them and I will continue to do them with the rest of my classes.

Screencast

Screencast was something that was completely new for me & I have to admit was my favorite assignment in this class! Screencast are a great learning tool & another great way to bring learning to life! I plan on using screencast as an introduction to new material. Students who view the screencast can get a look into what will be taking place the next day at school or it can be used when working at home on assignments when students need assistance! Screencast allows for students to have access to their teacher by a push of a button! Technology is making teaching so much easier & is exposing students to a world of learning! Technology is powerful & something I will continue to learn and expose my students as much a possible!

Web Blog

I have really enjoyed this technology class & I have learned so much that I am taking back to my classroom! Technology is all around us & it is important to expose students at an early age! Technology is a way to bring learning to life & engage ALL students! My favorite thing I'm taking away from this class is the web blog! This is a great way to communicate & demonstrate with the parents what is taking place inside the four walls of my classroom! Instead of doing weekly newsletters to parents, I can save paper, copies & time just by uploading information on the web blog! This tool is something I want to continue using in m classroom for years to come! :-) Web blogging ROCKS!!!