Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tool #11 - Self Assessing and Reflecting

1. What are your favorite tools you now have in your personal technology toolbox? Briefly describe a particular activity that you will plan for your students using at least one of these new tools.
I use several of the tools already, but I plan to implement new ones as time progresses. Trying new ideas provides a type of energizing scenario for the students and for me.   I particularly liked Edmodo and want to use it to communicate with other teachers.  
 I also liked Animoto.  To add some variety to the lessons that I already teach,  it would be interesting to assign a research topic such as cell division to lab groups and include in the final product, a brief presentation that includes the students recorded explanation of the images.  

2. How have you transformed your thinking about the learning that will take place in your classroom? How has your vision for your classroom changed? Are you going to need to make any changes to your classroom to accommodate the 21st Century learner?
I don't think I really changed any major ideas that I have about technology use in the classroom.  Primarily, my personal opinions were reinforced. I will continue to familiarize myself with web tools and incorporate them into lessons. I have been working on this for several years because I am, unfortunately, one of those individuals that has to really study this aspect of instruction in order to feel comfortable with it.  The main change is really just to add more "learner friendly" instructional methods.

3. Were there any unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
No particularly unexpected outcomes occurred.  I just need TIME to do more of this.  Working with peers is vital.  Together we come up with new approaches, many of which incorporate technology.