Module 1
The keywords of this course were quickly established from the outset; ‘technology exploration’ with an ‘open-mind’ and lots of ‘imagination’! This course has been the start of a journey to investigate many different ed tech tools, for use both in the classroom to support the ES students. I have been able to use many of these tools to support me as a student; organizational tools, book marking, time management tools etc. I will be using these tools in all my courses and in future as an EA. I am strongly committed to mastering the course material and high grades are very important to me. In order to do this, I plan to be organized with my assignments, completing them in time for deadlines. I also plan to be a very involved student in class. I enjoy participating and contributing to class discussions, as I feel this helps me gain a more in depth understanding of subjects.
Reflections
Module 1
The keywords of this course were quickly established from the outset; ‘technology exploration’ with an ‘open-mind’ and lots of ‘imagination’! This course has been the start of a journey to investigate many different ed tech tools, for use both in the classroom and to support the ES students. I have been able to use many of these tools to support me as a student; organizational tools, book marking, time management tools etc. I will be using these tools in all my courses and in future as an EA. I am strongly committed to mastering the course material and high grades are very important to me. In order to do this, I plan to be organized with my assignments, completing them in time for deadlines. I also plan to be a very involved student in class. I enjoy participating and contributing to class discussions, as I feel this helps me gain a more in depth understanding of subjects.
Module 3
I have been a stay at home mom for the past three years so my biggest obstacle is becoming familiar with technology that goes beyond searching for recipes and crafts! This slowed me down considerably to begin with. I removed this obstacle partly with an open mind. Being open to learning new things reduces the frustration greatly. I made sure I gave myself enough time to learn about and understand the tools I was using, without negatively impacting my deadlines. I also made use of my tech savvy son to guide me when I was completely stuck navigating new tools or applications. My son also introduced me to the joys of You Tube tutorials. I discovered that there are tutorials for just about every piece of software out there and this helped me learn at my own pace. Keeping organized was also a challenge as a full time student, but using tools we had explored in class, like Pinterest and Evernote, made a huge difference in keeping my sources and time organized.
Module 4
We utilised several types of e-collaboration tools for our team demonstrations, including Whats App, Google Docs and Google Hangouts and in doing so realised how effectively these tools could be used in a school setting. The benefits of e-collaboration include the removal of social and physical barriers. Students who may be absent from school frequently, can participate as fully in assignments as students in the classroom. E-collaboration can also help students who are anxious about participating in class; students can be more confident when contributing to a google document and this in turn can develop self-esteem in the classroom. I like the idea that a teacher can still be involved in a shared document; guiding from a distance; making the students feel more independent. Various learning styles can be supported by utilising visual or audio content and students can also work at their own speed; making education more flexible and open. I feel that integrating technology ultimately removes barriers and creates more engaged students.
Module 6
I have had a Twitter account for quite a while, using it primarily to follow educational resources which tie in to my volunteer work on an elementary school reading program. As a stay at home mom turned student, I am new to promoting myself via networks such as LinkedIn and About Me, however, I feel that these tools will be very important to me in job searching and future development. I am now working on building my professional profile and online presence in preparation for graduating from the ES course. Several of my profiles are available below. Social networking is imperative from a professional networking perspective; providing opportunities to build your long term career. It is also important for professional development; through identifying the latest in ed tech trends, building collections of personal resources, identifying training opportunities and taking part in online discussions (Tweetchat) or webinars, all resulting in greater awareness and a larger professional footprint.
https://about.me/debrasouthern
Module 7
My mid-term test was very successful, and I was very happy with the results. I am very anxious about tests and so I do tend to spend a lot of time studying. My major strategy for preparing, is to write my knowledge down, repetitively. Seeing the facts written on paper makes my learning feel very concrete to me. I also feel it is important to be able to translate my learning into my own words. This makes me feel that I really understand the subject. I enjoy being a mentor, so if I were to do anything different, I think I would like to arrange group study sessions. Being able to work with others would allow me to share my knowledge, which in turn would help to solidify my own understanding of concepts. I think this may also be helpful to other students who find some of the ideas difficult to understand/grasp.
Course Wrap-up
This course has opened a world of opportunity for me starting with a newfound confidence with technology. I have a great collection of tools that will be useful to me as an EA, but also on a personal development and self-organizational level. E-collaboration has been the biggest eye-opener for me. I have been able to use WhatsApp, Google Docs, Google Slides and the amazing Google Hangouts for video chats on all my courses. Jennifer encourages and applauds creative thinking and this is infectious. I have explored so many new tools and have shared this knowledge on through even more tools such as Pinterest and Twitter. I have learned that I love discovering new tools and advances in ed tech. I also love sharing my new found discoveries and enjoy being part of an enthusiastic network of educational professionals. I shall be sure to continue tweeting and networking because I feel the benefits are priceless.
I would like to take a moment here, to thank my family who have each helped me so much as I have progressed throught the ES courses so far. My son, Callum, has been so very awesome in helping me with my website and helping me develop my tech knowledge. I am truly in awe of how much he knows and I am so glad we were able to spend time together talking about tech stuff!