Wow! I believe that interjection sums up all of the amazing resources I have gained from this course. I have been in education for 15 years and for the past 5 years I have attempted to immerse myself in anything technology. During my own exploration, I merely scratched the surface of an ever-changing and dynamic tool.
The weekly explorations during this class gave me clarity on what online learning should look like and what it entails from the teacher stand-point and the learner stand-point. Exploring Google apps allowed me to put the aim of my district and many other districts into perspective. There are so many ways to use technology in the classroom that will engage and inspire students to think deeply and more creatively. Online learning must foster an environment of discovery, critical thinking, collaboration, interactive learning, and provide rich resources just like a traditional classroom. It is even more important to provide opportunities for students to share and provide feedback through discussion boards, forums, blogs, and/or wikispaces so that they are engaging one another. During this class I also learned that online learning can vary from course to course, teacher to teacher.
Reviewing the designs created by fellow students in the class gave me ideas I had not considered. I was and am still amazed at all the talent and expertise within our class. It proves that there is tremendous power in collaboration and sharing of ideas and products. I want to ensure that I can pass on my experiences with online learning to my future students, as well as provide them with the rich knowledge base that I have been afforded through fellow students and professors such as Dr. Mary Jo Dondlinger.
Graduate work has been a challenge due to juggling between a full-time job, family, and church obligations; but it has been well worth it. I have been challenged to stretch my thinking and creativity and am the better for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment