Final Blog Post

We covered so much in class this semester. Where do I start? There were so many new programs we were introduced to. Some I love and have begun to use on a regular basis. Others were just nice to know they existed, but I don't plan on using them.

Here are the answers to the questions posed by Dr. Strange in our Final Blog Post Assignment

1.Google Docs-I am a new fan. I have started using it exclusively(unless a teacher requires us to use another program)

Screenjelly-I use this a lot to explain things to people instead of trying to talk them through it over the telephone. Not something I would use in the classroom, but helpful none the less.

Delicious-I use this all the time to mark websites to go back to for a variety of things. I even have tags for websites my children go to for school. A great resource.

PLN-This is something I am still working on(and will throughout my career). I love getting feedback from other people and be able to learn from others successes or failures.

Google Earth-There are so many uses for Google Earth. I still have a lot to learn about this, but will enjoy exploring. I think this will be something I will use in the classroom.

ALEX and ACCESS-I think these are sites that I will utilize once I become a teacher, but not so much now. I may be wrong, but I do know what they are and where to find them if I need to use them.

Post I have read and Comments4classmates-Most of the post have been informational. It has been nice to read others perspectives on the same post we have read or videos we have seen. It amazes me how 2 people can see or read the same thing and have such different views on it. It opens up discussion and I love this aspect of blogs.

2. One thing I wish we had spent more time on was Twitter. I am not a Twitter user and have only been on Twitter maybe 10 times. I don't understand the aspect. This is something I am going to work on after this class is over. Everyone we spoke to seemed to use Twitter a lot. It can obviously be a valuable tool, I just need to learn it and make it work for me.

3.There was nothing in this class I learned that I wish I had not. I found everything very interesting although I did not find all things useful. Even though I did not find it useful at this time, that doesn't mean I won't find it useful in a later situation. I am glad I was exposed to it.

4.Did it excite me? YES!!! Ask the teachers at my children's school. On several occasions I have ask them if they were using this program or if they had seen that blog. Most have them had not. I am excited because I feel like this class has made me a better teacher. I think, no, I know I will now be able to engage the students in a classroom with all the technology available. This is what I am excited about.

5.I didn't find anything intellectually challenging, but I found a lot of the class to be intellectually stimulating. This class introduced to me so many ideas and perspectives that really made me think. I said in a previous post that I have stepped so far outside of my comfort zone that I have created a new comfort zone.

6.I was never bored in this class at any time. If anything, I was probably overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed in a good way. Things that should probably have taken 2 hours to do took me 4 or more. I would read something and then click and read something else and so on. I found so many things that really interested me. I guess this will be an "occupational hazard".

7.The only thing I would change about this class is to be more organized. I did feel like I had to look too many places to try to find answers to my questions. I did find them, but it would have been more helpful to me to have them in one location instead of having to go from blog to syllabus.

8.Am I technology literate? When I first walked into the classroom, I thougth I was. I quickly learned I was not. I would consider myself in the middle of being technologically literate. This is a huge accomplishment to me. I only can go up from here and I will enjoy the climb.

9.I will continue my technology climb by contributing to and reading the alumni class blog. I am very excited about this opportunity to talk and discuss with other students who are in the same situation as I am. I enjoy learning and see learning new technology as a challenge. I am up for the challenge and welcome the excitement that learning new things will bring.