CEP 811 Reflections

photo © 2009 George Eastman House | more info (via: Wylio)


1.
What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?

Everything needs to tie in with traditional teaching strategies. Sure our goal may be to transform our teaching with technology but the foundations of teaching must be adhered to.

Discussions
Lectures
Questioning (and Answering)
Explaining
Demonstrating
Group work (collaboration)

All of the above can be transformed by using technology but we must make sure we don't transform it so much that we lose the vision and the pedagogical processes that teaching and learning is founded on.

2.

How did integrating web-based technologies help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?

The use of web based technologies have blossomed over the last few years. No more dodgy educational software on CDs that you have to install on every single student computer. It is a testament to the amount of web based software out there that the images that we create for our students have fewer and fewer software titles installed on them.
We are going towards the "cloud" more and more. You can edit videos, create music, create maps, create mind-maps, edit pictures and design objects all online now. I rarely give educational software a second look now if it's on CD only. In fact, music software we had to install recently for some African Drumming compositions was the most buggy software I (and the students) have had the displeasure of using.

I think Web first, offline second in relation to integrating technology.

3.

How have you met your own personal goals for learning about technology integration?

The major thing I've taken away from CEP 811 is basing any technology integration ideas on the "traditional" strategies of teaching and evolving it from there. Everything I introduce into my school tends to do it by default but it is very useful for me now to think a little deeper about what we are actually changing, why we need to change it and what is the added value in changing it.
My goals remain the same always. To always learn, and to always learn from others; students and teachers. And as I have mentioned above to think a little more about what we are doing and how it changes and adds value to the teacher and the student..

4.

Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?

I'm constantly looking at what I'm doing in my profession and looking for ways to improve. If I didn't have something new to improve upon or learn I would feel weird! Especially in this profession. I've been thinking a lot about how I express myself within my professional social circles. I definitely realize that I am a better writer than speaker. If given the time to prepare I can make a killer presentation but in a very immediate and instantaneous environment I know I don't come across as well as I should (or I'm just paranoid!). As I've recently been accepted into the ADE class of 2011 I am aware that this aspect of my character needs to be worked on. I am going to look into the different ways I can approach this.