As I reflect upon what I have learned in this course, I feel that my technological skills, as a professional, have increased greatly. Being forced to explore Web 2.0 became an experience that opened my eyes to the potential of the Read/Write Web. Assignment requirements included creating a personal blog, a group wiki, and a podcast, none of which, previous to this class, had I experienced. My newly established social bookmarking site has become an invaluable resource. I can find good information faster, due to the fact that the number of times a site is tagged is part of the services offered by social bookmarking sites. If a site has been tagged often, it must be of interest to its many visitors, and therefore has more potential to be of use to me. The collaborative wiki that we developed, as a group, has also, identified many other resources that I anticipate will be useful in the future. Before taking this class, none of these resources were available in my educational toolbox, and now they are.
My awareness of the teaching and learning process now has more depth because of the fact that I have these tools to use. For example, I had previously recognized the power of collaborative learning, yet I had had no experience with the potential and impact that Web 2.0 could offer in this process. A small group collaborates and shares the responsibilities of a project within the classroom to share with classmates, yet, if a wikisite were created to present the project to a larger audience, the classroom walls could be extended to reach across the world, to include many classrooms from diverse cultures with different perspectives. Collaborative learning, in this sense, gives the teacher as facilitator a much broader scope. The teacher is not only giving up control in his/her own classroom, but is accepting other facilitators from around the world, as well. The combined knowledge of students from such varied backgrounds, could only serve to extend and deepen their educational experience.
My ideals on the focus within a classroom, has evolved with time. In the beginning of my career, the focus was more teacher-centered due to my need for control and accountability. With continued experience and exposure to new ideas, I have learned to appreciate the effectiveness of a leaner-centered classroom. Each year that passes, lessons are adjusted, so that, most importantly, the students are involved in active discovery for most of the class period. Ideally, I can then circulate and assist with problem-solving. Yet, there are many areas that need to be improved and expanded upon to make the acquisition of vocabulary, art history, and art critiques more learner-centered, as well. My perspective on getting students involved with the more academic side of my curriculum has changed since learning more about Web 2.0. There are now many ways I can make the drier side of my teaching more learning-centered, as well as, entertaining.
In order to continue my growth in technology, I need to take advantage of any learning experience that presents itself. Just recently, I was asked to become part of another technology class, to be trained to assist faculty at our school, facilitated by Shelly Paul. Much of the material is similar to this course, but I felt that more exposure would help make this new technology second nature. I also, need to have fun with my new knowledge and play with it. If I have fun and play with information, I remember what I’m taught more easily and with more breadth. I will continue to expand my class blogsite which has proven to be challenging, as well as, fun. In addition, I am going to continue to “fiddle” with the union of technology and artistic expression. Adobe Photoshop Elements is a simple, yet versatile tool to use with students, and I have the application at home and in my classroom computers. Now, all I need is time.
If I were to set two long term goals for the next two years, one would have to be to establish a school wikisite that focuses on a humanities approach to learning. The human experience is an intricate web of interrelated events that include all subject areas in a traditional curriculum. How could we tie it all together through a school wiki? If I structured the site, provided simple instructions for my colleagues, and put in visual arts information first, maybe, with the help of administration, we could work together to make interdisciplinary learning relevant and fun. My obstacles will be removed next year, according to my boss. We will have access to a school wikisite in 2009-2010. Therefore, there might not be anything standing in my way, other than lack of involvement.
The second goal I have for the next two years would be to introduce art assignments that are computer generated, possibly combining photographs with text, and other images. The images could be hand drawn and scanned into the computer, or created with a drawing tablet. My obstacles with this goal are financial. Four computers would not be enough to accommodate a class of thirty and art applications are not available on any other computers at school, with the exception of the four in my room. I also, have no drawing tablets, which would limit the scope of expression. In order to efficiently use technology to create artwork, I would either have to limit student involvement in these projects, or campaign for an Adobe school-wide site license. Instructing a limited number of students is possible now, but a school site license would require a plan to present to administration and support from our Instructional Technology Specialist. I plan to approach the subject before the end of the year, but realistically, I will probably need another year to convince them of its value to the school, as a whole. In the meantime, I plan to learn as much as time allows, and produce products of my own to demonstrate the value and versatility of the applications offered by Adobe, or similar applications on the market. Given the technological changes in store for us in Henry County the next two years, I will certainly have fewer obstacles than I have had in the past. I am looking forward to the ride.
In the process of reviewing the checklist from Week 1, I concluded that my answers to four items had changed. “Using a variety of digital tools to collaborate and communicate with students, parents, colleagues, and community stakeholders” was used rarely on Week 1, but by beginning a class blogsite, I now believe, I am developing at least one communication tool.
Due to my involvement in this class, as well as, my recent involvement in the technology class I am taking with a few of my colleagues, I believe that I am now, beginning to “promote best practices in technology integration by researching, evaluating, selecting and sharing new tools for classroom instruction”. While in collaboration with these professionals, I hope to continue “seeking out other professionals, both at my school site and in the larger global community, with whom I can share best practices and build a personal learning community to further my own professional growth”. With my first goal in mind, I anticipate increased “participation in developing a vision for technological integration and to communicate the reasons for using technology across curricular areas”. All of the above criterion on the Week 1 checklist, have changed considerably since the beginning of this class. I hope to continue to build on what I have learned in order to improve the quality of education in my classroom and the school, as a whole.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
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