Week 9: A brave new world

 
Final class reflection

In some ways this class has validated goals I had already set for myself.  I had already decided that I need to better understand and use technology in my work as a community-based educator. I saw the opportunity to reach new audiences and reach them move efficiently and effectively with Web 2.0 tools. This class has definitely expanded my knowledge and confidence in using new tools, many of which I didn’t know about. I had also concluded that it would benefit me to develop a Personal Learning Network (although I didn’t know there was a name for it), which I have been doing using Google+, Communities of Practice, and Twitter over the past 12-18 months. This class has validated that goal as worthwhile and offered new resources to expand my PLN and new ways of thinking about it.  My “colleagues” are from all over the country and have many different experiences from which I can learn.  I have appreciated learning what other members of the class are doing with technology in their classrooms.  Those ideas have been inspirational. I have also appreciated the long lists of resources that have been part of the class “lectures.”

My future goal for using technology is to keep learning and trying out what I have learned. In terms of my professional relationships, I will definitely find ways to encourage others to use technology and reach out to collaborate on new projects. I have, in fact, seemingly emerged as a leader in the technology efforts within my organization. Although I’m not usually the person who knows the most, I am often the person who is willing to try something new and look for the opportunities represented in the learning.

In terms of course objectives, the following is an explanation of how I have met objectives.

• Provide instruction and modeling regarding digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.  In addition to learning and using digital etiquette and appropriate social interactions through the class requirements related to blogging, I have met this objective in my work.  I teach a financial literacy class using webinars; I spend several minutes reminding participants how to communicate with each other respectfully, how to mute themselves to avoid background noise, and how to use the chat room feature to ask and answer questions and contribute to discussions.  

• Promote and demonstrate effective use of digital tools and resources. Familiarize students with Web2.0 tools that may be used professionally or within the classroom environment to establish deeper learning experiences through proper curricular standard driven development. Through class requirements I have promoted and demonstrated effective use of digital tools and resources. I have learned to use Google Docs, Animoto, AudioBoo for podcasts, GarageBand, blogs, wikis, Diigo, SlideShare.  In addition I have promoted and demonstrated effective use of Twitter, Google+, Google+ Hangout, Pinterest within my work environment. By taking this class I have expanded what I know and what I am aware of, in terms of tools and resources.  In terms of familiarizing students, I have used webinars to help my students understand the value of using Web 2.0 tools; I have also shared what I have learned in this class about Web 2.0 tools with colleagues.

• Become familiar with current technology issues, trends and technology use within the K- 12 environment. Discuss how technology use impacts student learning outcomes.  I have used the resources provided in the class, along with resources I’ve found in my own explorations, to increase my familiarity with current technology issues, trends and the use of technology, not only in the K-12 environment, but also in the higher education and workplace learning environments. By keeping bookmarks and lists on Diigo, I am able to go back to resources I have found.  I am following new contacts on Twitter and also have new followers on Twitter and Google+. In terms of student learning outcomes, with technology, learning can be more student-driven. Technology gives students the tools and resources to develop their own project-based learning.  It gives students the tools and resources to directly explore, without waiting for the teacher to teach; students can be empowered to own their learning.

• Design and implement digitally-based learning experiences with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments.  With the use of many of the tools I’ve used for this class, I have started looking for more ways to expand the use of technology in my classes.  Many of my students have had limited involvement with technology, so, although the main objective of my classes has nothing to do with technology, the fact that we are using various tools (webinar, excel spreadsheets, Survey Monkey, and now SlideShare) makes technology part of the learning environment. I have started exploring ways in which to expand this use of technology to develop more formative and summative assessments for learners.   

• Establish a core personal learning network of technology leaders to follow. Utilize this new network of educators as personal professional development. Since my midterm reflection I have continued to identify and follow technology leaders using Twitter, bookmarking in Diigo, RSS feeds, and Google +.  In addition to colleagues I identified in my midterm reflection, I have found a wider range of technology and education leaders using resources in class and exploring on my own. Twitter is my favorite source. I am following and reading tweets from @SNBeach, @teach1tech, @edudemic (and website), @theipodteacher, @wfryer, @MrJFawson (and blog), @MarkWagner (and blog), @schwier (and blog), among others. It’s not just education and technology leaders I follow. I also use Twitter, Google+ and RSS feeds to follow leaders in other areas of interest: marketing, financial education, workplace issues, politics, wellness, parenting, public health, nutrition, child care. I find great information and resources I wouldn’t have found otherwise.  I also contribute resources I find.  In addition, I’m working to more actively engage and share ideas in blogs and posts in social media.

• Use knowledge of digital tools and technology applications to facilitate experiences that advance learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.  Learning about and using SlideShare in my final project will definitely be something I can use for other situations in both face-to-face and online work.  In addition, in my midterm reflection, I mentioned developing a greater use of social media as an education tool.  I said, “One idea I have is to create a social media campaign as a type of lesson plan to educate learners on a specific learning topic with specific educational objectives. I would use social media to reach a larger audience ….”  I have done this by collaborating with UNH Health Services to promote the use of an online financial education resource for UNH students called CashCourse.  We used Twitter to encourage students to find information on the site and then tweet what they found. A prize was offered for the best tweet, encouraging more students to explore the site, find information, and tweet about it. In the process of exploring and tweeting, students were also hopefully learning new information and finding new financial resources they could use and go back to in the future. Social media seems to be somewhat controversial, even among those to whom technology makes sense in the classroom.  Using social media can also enhance learning. Here is a recent blog post from the Association of American Educators about the value of social media in the classroom.   In my midterm reflection I also mentioned fully embracing the concept of curation as a result of this class and the learning I have done.  I intend to continue using that concept in my work.

• Evaluate, adapt, and reflect on emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities and by reviewing current research and professional literature. In my midterm reflection, I mentioned “two of my sources for current research and professional literature are Shelley Wright, a teacher, and Jane Bozarth, an expert on eLearning. Shelley Wright recently wrote a blog post called “The Flip: End of a Love Affair," a commentary that demonstrates an evolution of thinking on emerging tools and trends.  Jane Bozarth shared a recent post at Learning Solutions Magazine on storyboarding, a discussion of an emerging tool."  I continue to read those sources.  In addition, I am following other blogs and RSS feeds that include current research and professional literature.  Such sites include “The Journal”, and “Learning. Change. Design.”, “Blogging about the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom” and “Remote Access” .