During this past trimester, I learned a lot about different types of learning. Throughout these past weeks, my minds has become overwhelmed with all of the new and interesting information that I have taken in. After learning about many of these online learning techniques, I think I will be on my way to teaching a blended learning class soon enough.
In my school, the 10th grade History and English classes are using tablets in their classrooms as a blended learning initiative. There are also Algebra 2 and Chemistry classes that are using IPADS in the classrooms to incorporate blended learning. I feel as though this idea of blended learning is on its way to all classrooms and the more prepared we are, the more resources we have, the better off we will be in the end. I am ready for the task at hand. Bring on the technology classroom!!
I always thought I was such a "technological" teacher because I use a SMART board in my classroom. After taking these courses and learning about the different types of online learning techniques that are out there, I know that I can be doing so much more with my students. Do I feel like I am prepared to be the most successful online educator? I do not think I would be the most successful, but I think that just like any other teacher, I would learn with the students and grow with them.
Even as I learned tools in this class, I began to grow with them. From my first storify clip, I remember just taking quotes, articles, and videos and compiling them together. I did not understand that I needed to summarize what I had read and completed. After looking at classmates storify clips and learning about what was expected, I started to include stories and videos that I had read and that had interested me. I also began to include a commentary that gave an explanation of what I was discussing for that week. As I began to become more and more familiar with the tools, I got comfortable and I even had co-workers viewing my work.
Another huge turn that I took in this class was my use of twitter. I began this class with having only tweeted a few times (Maybe 10 at most!). I began this class with 20 twitter followers. (I was following 28 people.) I now have increased to 37 followers, where I now follow 48 people, and I have tweet a total of 88 times. I try to tweet a few times a week to keep up to date with everything. It is also a really cool feeling when someone retweets your comments or favorites your tweet. In some way, it makes you feel like you said something right! It is also interesting to see where the people that follow you are from. I have people that follow me from all the way in Germany! It is amazing where technology has taken us.
However, not every part of technology has worked well with me this year. With Bring Your Own Device in full effect at my school, I am always trying to incorporate ways for the students to use their devices in an educational way in class. I am somewhat at a stand still. I think Bring Your Own device has good and bad qualities. Some students are very well behaved with their devices and use it only for educational purposes; while others think it is a time for listening to music, playing games, and talking to friends. How can I change the attitude of students and get them to put away the devices at certain times? This is the crossroad I have come to. When is it OK to take out the devices? I recently read an article that was posted on twitter about tips for classroom management with mobile devices. It gave me an inside look as to some ways I can change how I approach the Bring your Own Device Policy. If you are interested, please feel free to read the article here: 5 Tips for Classroom Management with Mobile Devices.
In the end, I feel that there are going to be struggles, as there would be in any classroom. However, I am ready to learn and really can not wait to incorporate all of this information into my classroom.
Below are links to all of my Storify clips:
Blending Technology Into Teaching
Online Learning
Cognitive Impact of Online Learning
Learning Management Systems
MOOCs
Cloud Based Learning
Student Voice
Differentiation
Academic Mindsets
Assessing Deeper Learning
Global Learning and Student Work Curation
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