Background
I am a student in the Computing in Education Online Masters Program. This Spring is my last semester. I have been teaching for six years, and have recently changed jobs to teach in an elementary magnet school in Hartford, CT. Before this, I taught middle schools (grades 7 and 8).
Through my experience teaching, I discovered that my love of technology started to become more and more integrated into my lessons and classroom activities, and I saw positive growth in my students. Because of this, I was motivated to learn more about how technology could be used in education, which is why I decided to apply to this program at TC.
What made you interested in this course?
Even though I have taken many online courses on technology and its use in the classroom, I have not really studied online schools themselves. I am especially interested to learn what research has been done in incorporating online courses or classrooms in younger students. My school district is also looking into developing an online professional development program for teachers, and I am interested to see how well their ideas are supported by research.
What experience do you have with online learning?
Being in the Online MA program, all of my coursework has been online. I have taken eight classes online and have a good understanding about the structure of online courses, and which aspects of online learning work best for me. Overall, it has been a positive experience, mainly due to the flexibility of being able to manage your assignments in your own time. The only negatives I have experienced have been that there have been discussion topics where it has been difficult to explain your opinions in a written context. When this happens it becomes hard to explore a topic with other students in the class, ideas may get misinterpreted and it is harder to explain your thinking than it would be to talk it out face to face.
Hi Heather-
ReplyDeleteI wanted to comment on your blog because I think that it is just amazing that you are going to implement technology into an elementary school program. I was wondering what type of technology the students at an elementary school are going to be exposed to. Are you going to try to blog with them? I teach high school so I am unsure what type of internet technology the students would be using. I also, have implemented technology into my classroom to where the students are blogging to each other each week about the classes that they are learning about. This way it is giving the students feedback and it also gives myself some feedback. I was ostersized in my school because I was using an outside source (other than the regular school fusion) that my school currently uses; because I was using Google Blogger for this assignment. I think that when I explained why I was using this (because this is what the students are going to be using once they exit high school) that the technology I was using was more accepted and now other teachers are going to be using this for their senior classes.
I am looking forward to learning about our uses of technology and how we can increase them throughout the semester.
-Lindsay
P.S. I like the background of your blog. Very Nice!
Thanks, Lindsay. I've tried to test out what works best in the elementary setting. So far, I have used an iPad to use in small groups and also to pass around the room in order for students to vote in different polls and surveys. I've also done projects in PowerPoint with the grades 1-6, however, it is much more difficult than it was when I was teaching middle school!
ReplyDeleteThis school also does not have much technology available, due to its Montessori philosophy, but I try to use what I have from home. They have a computer lab and projectors, but it is limited - that is why I'm starting to think about what students could do at home, online. Most elementary schools have smartboards, smart tables, and laptop mobile labs.
Hi Heather-
ReplyDeleteYour post really got my attention when you said that you have taken 8 online courses. You have probably become somewhat of an expert, from the users standpoint.
One question: You wrote that it was difficult sometimes to express your opinion in a written context. Upon reflection, what would have helped you do so, both in f2f and online classes?
Thanks!
Hi Kristin - I think it might have to do with being familiar with the professor your classmates. Usually you get to know people a little bit better when you are in the same classroom with them. You might also see them or the professor around the school. When you are online, and have to type all your responses, you have to be careful to write your sentences in a clear way - you don't have the ability to explain yourself right away. Also, even if you are in a video chat with a class, it still does not feel as comfortable as a real classroom unless it is done often.
ReplyDelete