1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
I was not sure what would come of this class prior to starting. The information provided at the beginning of the course was very encouraging. I am able to understand better how it is that the students that we are getting in our C&T department are better prepare than in previous years. Through the readings, I was able to relate what my department is going through. I now understand how the federal and state laws have pushed my department and district forward in technology. The cooperative attitude during the course of other students and the use of web conferences was a great benefit. The material that is brought up in these conferences makes me wonder why more students did not attend unless they were viewing the recordings. I am looking forward to my future course for several reasons: vital information of technological use of equipment available, opportunities to pass information on to students and teachers and my masters.
2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?
As the school year is about to start, I will be able to answer the question that has come up in last few years “How is it possible that the kids are so far ahead in Office Suite”. I can now address this question by explaining that the law requires the students to be able to work with this software. I will be able to use my principal by asking him for a platform to promote the use of technology in two instances. The creating of workshops to introduce teachers to technology that is currently available but not being used by the majority of our teachers and prepare them to have an open mind for the technology that is in the pipeline for education. The creation of blogs and wiki’s for student interaction with teachers in the same course in order to get different forms of teaching instead of just those assigned to them.
3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?
I have been out of the education system as a student for a long time. It has been an ordeal to get back in gear and even thought I work with deadlines all the time this has been an experience with scheduling. Especially starting during summer, I had plans that had to be adjusted to create the work for this course. I have learned to adjust my time to fit my family, my work and my college course. The lack of scheduling is one thing that I have gotten into concerning class. I understand that the deadlines in this type of courses are harder to adjust so I need to adjust in setting my priorities for the next year and half. My contribution to the cohort could have been more. Participation in conferences was what added the most to my course work. I look forward to continue successfully towards my masters.
4. Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?
I was successful in completing the majority of the course assignments. I was not able to get the books in hand until the third week so some of the information discussed was unfamiliar. Based on the conversation, I was able to put the information together so when the book did finally come everything fell into place. There was one that I was not able to complete because of family issues that came up unexpectedly. I had to change the book I was going to read because I was not able to find it at the local library but I was able to find one on the list that was available and I did the report on that book. The samples that were provided helped in getting the light turned on in my brain. I did the readings but the first week I took a short cut in getting to the readings until I noticed that the time was being allocated to only one reading instead of to all that I had read.
5. What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?
I have a better insight into what the district is doing to get both our teachers as well as both students and parents into the modern world with technological access. In the classroom I have been exposed to many forms of software that will be used in my classroom with the permission of my principal. I will expose my co-workers to the educational software out there and what is available already which they are not using. Most EIKI have the capabilities to record presentation both visual and audio without any extra cost. I have tried to keep up as much as possible with technology by attending TCEA conference and reading as much as possible on this theme. I try to attend workshops that are innovative and not just an excuse to get out of the classroom. I am constantly keeping up with ways to certify students in different soft wares so that students can use these in future job interviews to give them and edge on competition.
