Program of Study
7377 Introduction to Technology in Schools
Course Description
This course serves as the foundation for the program of study in Educational Technology. In this course, I was introduced to basic instructional design processes and strategies for integrating technology into teaching/learning. The course will emphasized learning theories/perspectives underlying these processes. It also included an overview of the degree field, an exploration of emerging trends in educational technology, and basic understanding of digital information and media.
Reflection
Introduction to Technology in Schools (7377) was the first course on my journey to an educational specialist degree in Technology in Schools. Not only was this my first course in the program but also the first completely online course I've ever taken, though I did experience hybrid courses in my masters program. Prior to taking this course, I really thought I'd prefer the face-to-face classes better. With a full high school teaching load along with teaching a college course this semester, I can now say this is a much better approach. I was able to complete work on my own time rather than hassling with driving to campus, finding a parking spot and spending several hours in a classroom. I was able to interact with members of my team and the instructor with ease and, I would guess, quicker than through other methods. I was also able to meet with classmates from all over the United States.
If asked, I would say I’m fairly technology-savvy. As a digital media instructor, I have access to a lot of technology: fast computers, the most recent version of all the Adobe products, digital video cameras, interactive response systems, etc. I consider myself very proficient in the Adobe software like PhotoShop, Illustrator and InDesign. What this course has shown me, however, is that while I may be tech savvy in some areas, I definitely have been out of the loop in relation to educational technology available to the regular classroom teacher.
The discussion boards provided an avenue to discuss various philosophies on educational technology; from various grade levels, from different state levels, from different technology levels. It was interesting to gather perspectives from those different avenues. Our small learning team worked well together on our article discussion, again, bringing in perspectives from all levels of education.
It was very helpful and enlightening to step outside of my narrow world of digital media in a secondary education setting to see what others are doing in elementary education, in the business world, and outside of Missouri. The discussion post that I found the most valuable was the sharing of resources. I had no idea there were so many websites devoted to teaching strategies, free downloadable software, lesson plans, educational videos, and tutorials, to name a few, and other resources like electronic scrapbooks, portfolios, binders, and concept map making sites. I can’t wait to be able to try some of these out.
In creating my Technology in Learning Plan (TILP), I found very valuable information via the Internet that I was able to incorporate into my assignment. I was also able to explore the Senteo Interactive Response System available in my classroom but as yet infrequently used. Now that I have a better handle on how it works, I plan to incorporate it into my regular activities. I see this as a great tool for formative assessment. Rather than asking open-ended questions that only one or two students will raise hands to answer, I can do a quick check for understanding in which all students participate.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of information I gained from this course. Unlike some college courses, I didn’t finish the course thinking it was mostly a waste of time. I gained valuable information that I plan to incorporate into my classroom.