My AHAs!

My Blog - My Vision #10

Reflecting involves looking at where we've been and where we are now. So this posting is a reflection of the past few short weeks in general. Troughout the semester you have been exposed to a variety of technologies, researched studies to further your knowledge, develop your educational technology philosophy, a blog, and much more.

What has made the biggest impact on you? How are you going to change as a result of it? What are some other "Aha" moments you had this semester? Finally, will you continue to utilize your blog and how?

Integration and Engagement Using Technology

MyBlog - My Vision Posting #9

You have been exposed to a variety of technologies in a short period of time. Many of these technologies are available for free (all the Google fun gadgets, Del.i.cious, Bloglines, Wikis, Blogger, etc.). Others are standard software applications (PowerPoint, Word, Spreadsheet, Publisher, MovieMaker).

Think about the ability to empower one's learning by expanding relationships and how to plan for learning rather than plan for technology. This requires a shift in mental models and the way schools have normally gone about planning for technology integration. We must utilize technology to engage both the teacher and the learner in order to create cultural connections, increase important communication skills, critical thinking, and much more. Despite overwhelming evidence that effective technological integration is key, we still tend to teach in a mode that reaches the left brain in a classroom overloaded with right brain students!

We also are failing to ask the right questions regarding planning for technology in our schools, classrooms, personal space, etc. How will you harness the power of the technology you've explored and make it work for you? Identify at least two technologies and discuss your ideas for integration and engagement.

Overcoming Technology Fears

Blog Posting # 8

Describe your worst fears and best hopes regarding technology implementation/integration as they relate to your vision/educational technology philosophy.

How will you overcome these fears and use technology for personal empowerment?
How have the skills you've learned in this class contributed to realizing your fears and/or hopes?
What changes will you make regarding your continued investigation and implementation of technology in the future?

Blog Posting 6 & 7: Online Learning

Please address the following two topics in two separate blog postings so that we may easily read your thoughts.

Post 6: Online Learning - Facilitating Interaction Online

What are your thoughts regarding the facilitation of interaction in the online learning environment? Have you taken an online course that incorporated the three types of interactions--learner to learner, learner-content and learner-instructor? Was that course effective in facilitation online interaction? If you have not taken an online course discuss your thoughts based on the information provided in the Michael Moore article you read on Three Types of Interaction. How does the concept of facilitating interaction in an online course align with your educational technology philosophy?

Post 7 - Online Learning - The Student

After reading the articles Characteristics of a Successful Online Student , Engaging Learners in Online Learning Environments and taking the two assessments provided in Week 10, what are your thoughts about your ability to be successful in an online course? Additionally, virtual schools are popping up across our nation for K-12. What are your thoughts regarding online learning and the K-12 student? How does this tie to your educational technology philosophy?

Desktop Publishing & Movie Maker

Blog Posting #5 - (Week 8)

This week we focused on desktop publishing (DTP) and explored Movie Maker. How will you use these skills to empower you? How do they align with your vision and definition for educational technology? Do you believe that the use of technologies like desktop publishing, movie maker, and other applications which incorporate the use of images is expanding? If so, why, and what are the implications for education?

I challenge you to use Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word and design and develop something for instructional, training or personal use. Also, if you downloaded the Digital Photostory 3 provided as a link in week 8. What are some possibilities you see for utilizing this program?

Web 2.0 Technologies

Blog Posting #4 -Weeks 6 & 7

Think over the past two TSD sessions we had in class relating to Web 2.0. In class we learned about using RSS feeds to streamline information in order to keep up to date on our class blogs using Bloglines and how to better access our bookmarks saved on a home computer from anywhere in addition to the social bookmarking concepts using Del. icio.us.

We also introduced the concept of Wikis in education and are collaboratively writing a class wiki in addition to creating one for your own use. How do you think Web 2.0 technologies will and/or should impact education? Describe the wiki you developed and its purpose.

Information Literacy - What is It? Why is It Important?

3rd Blog Posting - Week 5

What does it mean to be information literate and why is this so important given the abundance of information available and the ways in which information is disseminated? How will you encourage information literacy in your field...whether that is the K-12 classroom, a library, or another work environment? How does being information literate apply to your personal vision?

Educational/Instructional Technology Organizations

2nd Blog Posting - Weeks 3-4

We've discussed the meaning and definition of educational/instructional technology and you were presented with a few of the educational organizations that exist. I want you to search for more and find at least two other educational/instructional technology organizations that align with your vision and educational technology philosophy. Describe the organization and provide a link. Why did you select it? What's their definition, mission, and purpose?

Introduction & Vision (Weeks 1-2)

First Blog Posting: Weeks 1-2

In your first blog posting(s), introduce yourself and develop your vision based upon a combination of the following:

• your purpose and expectations in taking this class
• reasons for obtaining your degree
• your current and future goals
• key elements from your educational technology philosophy
• and what has meaning for you when working through activities/assignments this semester.

This vision will serve as the basis for future assignments, research, etc.


Also address the following in this first blog posting:

• In addition, you need to research credible resources to develop a definition in your own words of educational/instructional technology (cite your resources) and from this definition create a list of technology skills you would like to develop (for our technology skills development sessions--TSDs).


• Why do you want to learn these skills? How will you use these skills to be an informator of technology?
  
• Be sure to list technological skills you would be interested in sharing this semester.