Tech Trek
Perhaps more than my classmates, I needed to suspend disbelief and start with a blank slate. When it came to technology skills and experience, this was fairly easy. I had to admit that my frustrating relationship with technology didn’t mean that it was destined to remain that way. When it came to an open mind about the value and use of technology in the classroom, it was harder. I am the product of a different educational era. Many of the” truths” that I brought with me needed to be questioned and reevaluated.
Working on the Wiki page on blogging and podcasting opened my eyes to new uses of technology in the classroom. Before working on this page, I had no real idea what blogging was or what podcasts were. The idea that they might have a legitimate place in my classroom was unimaginable. I now look at blogging as a very real possibility for literature units. My students may soon be sharing reactions to and intepretations of literature in cyberspace. My own blog gave me the hands-esperience to take my understanding to a new level. While I engaged in authentic learning, I was preparing to use it in my classroom and bring a more concrete knowlege with me. My first attempt at creating a WebQuest was challenging and fun. I plan to build on this first attempt and create WebQuests to use with future students. I also included a class discussion of assessments. I believe it is important to always be mindful of the ways that our decisions as teachers affect our students. We can never lose sight of how important the human element is.