From this Master’s class, I have not only learned a variety of new technological tools for myself to use, but also how to integrate the use of these tools into my classroom with students. Before this class, I had never created a blog, wiki, or podcast. Now that I’ve learned how to use some of these tools, I am excited to teach my students how to use the same tools as well as integrate these tools into my classroom environment.
I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process through this course in many ways. Through readings of research articles, I now understand the importance of teaching students 21st-century skills and understand what 21st-century skills are. Before this class, I thought having a technologically advanced classroom meant using different forms of technology in the classroom, such as an interactive whiteboard, responders, and computers. Now I understand that teaching students 21st-century skills is much more than that. Students need to develop their knowledge and skills of internet based media, build their ability to problem-solve and think critically about the world around them, and learn to collaborate with others through a variety of tools. 21st-century skills are not just technology based skills. They are knowledge based skills that will help students be successful in the future.
I have always tried to make my classroom more learner-centered rather than teacher-centered, but as a teacher sometimes it is hard to give up control. Next year, I will work on developing a very learner-centered classroom environment. In order to do this, I will create activities and projects that allow students to build their knowledge through independent and group activities and also allow opportunities for students to be independent thinkers and learners.
In order to increase student achievement, I will continue to research ways to develop 21st-century skills with my students. Developing skills such as higher-level thinking, analysis, problem-solving, and critical thinking will help my students be successful academically. I will continue to frequently visit technologically based blogs and resources through the internet that help me apply 21st-century skills with my students.
There are two long term goals that I would like to see myself implement into my classroom in the coming years. One goal for transforming my classroom environment that I would like to see happen in the next year is changing the way I think about lessons and activities so that they become more student-centered than teacher-centered. I would like to try and encourage my students to become independent learners and also develop their abilities to collaborate with others within the classroom environment and with others around the world through the use of internet tools. Another goal that I would like to implement in the next few years is incorporating the use of internet tools such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts for student learning. With the use of internet tools, I can teach my students how to professionally collaborate with others and critically view information found on the internet.
While reviewing the checklist from Week 1 after completing this course, there are a few answers that have drastically changed since I completed the checklist at the beginning of this class. One area that I feel I was not incorporating into my classroom successfully before this course, but now feel I have the tools to successfully implement in the future is using a variety of digital tools to collaborate and communicate with students, parents, and colleagues. Because of my deeper understanding of a variety of digital tools and how to use them, this is an area that will become a major component of my classroom in the following year because I see the importance of using these to prepare students for the technological world in the future. I have also developed my own understanding of internet tools in able to collaborate with other teachers and to share ideas. One area that I feel my understanding has changed is with “providing students with multiple and varied opportunities for using technology tools and resources to support learning.” While I thought I was doing this successfully in my classroom, I now realize how much more I can be doing to use technology and resources to help my students be successful. Finally, I have learned new ways for my students to share and present information in the classroom using a variety of technological tools. Having this knowledge will not only change how I teach my students, but will also drastically change how my students learn.
