Reflections

This course has helped me to become more technology savvy and to explore so much more than what I was use to.  I have learned to blog, create wikis and to do podcasting, things I never dreamed I would be doing.  I know how important it is for me to keep up with the things happening in society to help get my students prepared for the 21st century and beyond. I must continue to get them ready for what lies ahead and for what is expected of them when they leave high school and enter the work force. I do not feel I have to be an expert in all of the technological advances, but I need to know enough to be able to guide my students in the direction they need to be guided in and assist them in understanding how important it is for them to be creative, self starters with good decision making skills and able to problem solve. I am encouraging them to take the lead in class and to tell me the kinds of things they are interested in as well as to engage in meaningful dialect with their fellow classmates.  I am making sure they are exposed to the standards but I am making it as real world as I possibly can and I want them to see the need for the lesson.  I am reading articles, and working hard to keep informed about all technological advances and I am making sure I am keeping myself current. Many of the questions in the checklist have changed and will keep changing as I continue to embark on my journey with technology.

One of my long term goals are to get students involved in developing wikis with other students in other high schools and be able to continue with them after high school to develop net works with students in other places. The other long term goal is to have students make their own sites to have as long as they choose to and to update them and make them work for them.  I hope to have access to all kinds of technology in the classroom so my students can get that much needed exposure. I am also working with my students to teach them the importance of appropriateness on the computer and reminded them that once they publish information good or bad it is out there for the whole world to see.

I will continue to plead with my colleagues to add technology to their lesson plans and to do different things to get and keep the attention of the students. I am not sure how I will approach the obstacles from the district, but I will certainly  work to find ways to make sure my classroom is filled with students involved in enriching real world lessons incorporating as much technology as possible.  As we continue using the High School That Works model, I think it will dictate the use of technology in the classroom more which is one of the ways the district will have to comply. I have begun using technology in ways I never thought I would and I am excited. I have seen my students come alive and it is wonderful.

Update

I am happy to report that I have started my Business law class blogging.  All of them have their sites up and going the sites are wonderful.  Some are a little slower than others but they all have set up their own sites and have started blogging.  We are using the weebly site, that is one of the few sites our district will allow.  The students really love this, they have been making blogs as well as responding to the questions I have them commenting on.  I have warned them about their grammar and spelling and the fact that they must check their work before posting because I am going to take points off for words spelled incorrectly and slang.  I am looking for comments that have been researched, written with well thought out sentences without a whole lot of words spelled incorrectly. I will provide information about the site for your viewing at a later date.  I am so excited about my students and what they have accomplished.  I am able to use what I am learning  to help my students. With this being said it is still so important to make sure they are learning to problem solve, make decisions, read, and communicate effectively in order to be prepared for the real world.