Reflection

Deciding to pursue my masters in integration of technology in the classroom was an easy decision for me to make. I have always wanted to learn more about the new technologies available for the classroom and ways to implement them to increase my students' abilities. Throughout this course I have learned a great deal about blogging, podcasts, wikis, and other technologies available for me to use in my lessons. Now that I am knowledgeable about these technologies I will be able to teach my students how to create and use them as well.

Before taking this course I did not know about all of the 21st century learning skills that my students will need to know in order to succeed in the 21st century workplace. By learning about these skills and the Web 2.0 technology I will be able to differentiate my lessons so my students are prepared for the workforce with the skills necessary to succeed.

My lessons are now more student-centered instead of teacher centered. It is proven through research that my students are digital natives and learn a lot differently than students of the past. I have been able to design and implement lessons where the students are multi-tasking and discovering through exploration instead of listening to a lecture each day.

To be successful at implementing Web 2.0 skills and 21st century learning targets I will have to stay abreast to the new technology available and how to implement it in my classroom. In order for me to stay informed I will continue subscribing to several technology blogs through my Google reader. By staying in tune with the new technology and 21st century learning skills I will be able to develop improved lesson plans to keep my students interested and cover the content they are required to learn.

In the next two years I hope to transform several of my units to include Web 2.0 technology and 21st century learning skills. To do this I will have to find a way to have computer access for my students who do not have a computer at home. I will also need to monopolize one of our schools computer labs. I would really like to run my class online. For me to accomplish this I will have to overcome the lack of funds to purchase technology. This means I will need to look for grants and other ways to earn money in order to purchase lap tops for use in my classroom. My goals seem large to some teachers in my building but I think for the sake of my students and their education I need to focus on their learning styles for them to be successful in the future.