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Course Reflection (M8)

I think I have become much more comfortable with the idea of bringing technology and activities involving technology into the classroom. I have had a lot more exposure to ideas for doing this over the entire course. I can use learning experiences I have designed or been inspired by and I know where to find new ones if I choose. I also have a much better grasp on how to choose what experiences I think will be most valuable. Knowing that I can use the ISTE standards and others to evaluate different learning experiences is very reassuring. I feel much more prepared to integrate technology into my future classroom. I feel a lot more confident answering questions related to technology and teaching after the course. I would answer a question about keeping up to date on technology by discussing resources I'm familiar with, teachers I would talk to, and my own experiences experimenting with technologies. When it comes to differentiating instruction with technology, I would mention my flexi...
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Compass Points for Mod 7 (M7)

Excited: I'm very interested in the idea of building my teacher brand! I've already considered what I want to do with this blog when the course is over. I have a lot of thoughts on education and ideas from my Teaching Ideas document. I think that I have some interesting ideas and could use them as a way to interest others. I'm also excited to try other methods of building my brand that I'm not as familiar with. Worrisome: I think I'm most worried about the uncertainty I'm headed into when it comes to my landing spot's level of technology. I also don't know my colleagues level of comfort with technology. Although I have some goals and hopes for where I teach, I'm obviously not certain of where I will start teaching. I actually feel pretty comfortable with lower levels of technology as I think I'll be able to make a classroom function without too much. On the other hand, I feel like technology could potentially be overwhelming in an environment I...
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FAQ's for Mod 6 (M6)

Is computational thinking only important for math and science classes? No, although computational thinking might shine in a math or science environment, these skills are universal and can be used in nearly any setting. When given the opportunity, students can find creative ways to use technology and this sort of thinking in different classes, in fact, they might be more motivated to bring these skills over into unique environments as it gives them different problems to solve. In addition, some aspects of computational thinking are necessary for any part of education. Looking at data, creating models, and different methods of problem-solving are skills you want to bring to every  classroom. Is design thinking really that different from other problem-solving methods? Yes! Design thinking is a more open and free method to solving problems. As opposed to other methods that might constrain students to one solution or one perspective, design thinking looks to incorporate multiple perspec...
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Top 10 Most Important Ideas from Mod 5 (M5)

 Technology has greatly expanded the idea of global collaboration, that students can collaborate far outside of the walls of the classroom. New perspectives and better sources that have long been unavailable are becoming more available and widespread. Students have a great varieties of options to pick new collaborators from. Encourage creativity and the use of technology in problem-solving tasks. Effective and transformative uses for technology will increase student engagement. Digital storytelling can be a powerful tool in a classroom. The most basic description of this is combining some form of multimedia with a story, but there are endless methods to do this with technology. Digital citizenship can be more effectively taught with a greater focus on what students should be doing as opposed to what they shouldn't. Although caution and awareness are necessary, students will feel more compelled to embrace technology when opened up positively to the world of technology. Some key skil...
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3-2-1 for Mod 4 (M4)

Three Important Takeaways I really appreciated the backward approach reading for the reminder that a curriculum is focused on the learning. I think it's important to focus on what needs to be taught and then looking for creative ways to teach that, possibly with technology. I think this is the best way to make sure technology is being used appropriately in the classroom. I think the first three letters of WHERETO are really important. I think preparing students for what's ahead with primers on lessons and what they'll need to know is a really important step and I also think it's important to get them excited. I think students recognizing things that they've been prepared for will help keep them more engaged. I agree with this module's stance on technology as a means of assessment. Technology allows for many different forms of technology and usually speeds up the process compared to written methods. I think students and teachers alike really appreciate the stream...
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Letter to Future Self (M3)

 Dear Future Owen, After completing Module 3, I'm writing to remind you of the most important concepts from it. One of the things that stuck with me most is that technology is becoming an unaviodable part of the classroom. Students, teachers, and people outside of classrooms are going to continue innovating new uses for technology in the classroom. Your students will probably gravitate to more technological-based approaches for their learning and you should encourage it. They are more likely to be engaged in the learning process, especially if you give them the freedom to decide how they use the technology.  While embracing your student's use of technology, you ought to remember to be careful and watchful. One of your jobs is to help your students become proper digital citizens and help them avoid plagiarism, inappropriate content, and other harmful aspects of technology. They need to understand that what happens on technology is permanent and they should always be aware of wh...
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Compass Points for Mod 2 (M2)

Excited: I'm most excited to see my students finding new ways to get engaged and empowered with technology. Knowing how it increases motivation gets me really excited to see how it will get them excited in my classroom. I want my students to be coming to my class, ready and waiting to use technology with the material I teach them. Worrisome: I am a little worried about finding new ways for my students to interact with technology. I understand that everyone will have different interests and preferences and I don't want them to not be interested and engaged. I feel like if they weren't interested they would feel like they didn't have much autonomy in the classroom. I would like to learn to find more ways for students to use technology. Need to Know: I would like to know a little more about the way to find a good balance between student-centered and teacher-centered learning. My guess is that it will be found with a little bit of experimentation. I can gauge how my student...
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