This week we continued moving forward by going backward. We looked at where we are now, where we want to go, and how are we going to get there. I am a high school science teacher. This is my 5th year of teaching and my 7th year in education. Before that, I did a brief stint in graduate school (part 1), first in research for aquatic science, then in education to get my certification. One of the classes I took was how computers and technology can transform classrooms. I have been engaged in IDT ever since. I enrolled in the Educational Technology-Leadership program because of a class I took as an elective for my Master’s in Biology (the cycle continues…) because, it turns out, I am still interested in using computers to transform my classroom. I have since learned that the computers won’t transform the classroom, but the strategies that I employ to make the most effective use of computers will.
At first look to a time after graduation, I was looking forward to a technology position somewhere at the campus or district level. I think that is still in my future, but it will be farther down the road once I have gained experience and confidence using technology in my own classroom before I become a leader for my school/district. I think that would be the best fit, since my interests lie in curriculum design, technology integration, grant writing, and implementation in public education. I feel that I would do well in this field because I have a passion for IDT in public schools, technical knowledge (IT support, hardware systems, etc.), and some experience using different educational technology tools. My weaknesses lie in the amount of experience using the tools I have learned about in a real setting. I don’t have data on how effective I can be using these tools in the classroom. Part of how I will obtain these skills is by continuing to use my classroom for projects in my different classes. This will be my starting point but most of my classes are short-term, so I don’t have examples of long-term usage of technology tools. In order to get that, I have to take a leap of faith that I have internalized what I have been studying and just go for it. This will also help me troubleshoot problems that come up and present solutions (Man…that sounded like a good rough draft for a cover letter).
Upon reading the last chapter, I feel that I would most benefit from membership in the following organizations: American Educational Research Association, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, Association for Educational Communications Technology, International Society for Technology in Education, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education. I think I would benefit from going one or more of the above listed organizations because they would keep me informed as to advances in IDT, including emerging technologies and new research findings. I feel my biggest deficit is my lack of experience in designing and implementing IDT in my classroom and membership in those organizations would be one way to fulfill that shortcoming. The chapters this week have only served to reaffirm my opinion that I will be best served pursuing practical experience in using the skills and concepts that I have been learning during my time in the Educational Technology-Leadership program in order to create a more robust portfolio of work.
At first look to a time after graduation, I was looking forward to a technology position somewhere at the campus or district level. I think that is still in my future, but it will be farther down the road once I have gained experience and confidence using technology in my own classroom before I become a leader for my school/district. I think that would be the best fit, since my interests lie in curriculum design, technology integration, grant writing, and implementation in public education. I feel that I would do well in this field because I have a passion for IDT in public schools, technical knowledge (IT support, hardware systems, etc.), and some experience using different educational technology tools. My weaknesses lie in the amount of experience using the tools I have learned about in a real setting. I don’t have data on how effective I can be using these tools in the classroom. Part of how I will obtain these skills is by continuing to use my classroom for projects in my different classes. This will be my starting point but most of my classes are short-term, so I don’t have examples of long-term usage of technology tools. In order to get that, I have to take a leap of faith that I have internalized what I have been studying and just go for it. This will also help me troubleshoot problems that come up and present solutions (Man…that sounded like a good rough draft for a cover letter).
Upon reading the last chapter, I feel that I would most benefit from membership in the following organizations: American Educational Research Association, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, Association for Educational Communications Technology, International Society for Technology in Education, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education. I think I would benefit from going one or more of the above listed organizations because they would keep me informed as to advances in IDT, including emerging technologies and new research findings. I feel my biggest deficit is my lack of experience in designing and implementing IDT in my classroom and membership in those organizations would be one way to fulfill that shortcoming. The chapters this week have only served to reaffirm my opinion that I will be best served pursuing practical experience in using the skills and concepts that I have been learning during my time in the Educational Technology-Leadership program in order to create a more robust portfolio of work.
I feel like I say this every time I comment, but I really enjoy the way you write! It is funny how you mentioned "this sounds like a good rough draft for a cover letter", because in the two courses I am taking at the moment i find myself thinking in terms of the future and a shift in how I think as a leader verses a teacher. Interesting stuff. Thank you for the comment on my blog too about the elective class. I will definitely check that out!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Laura...your blog is really enjoyable to read!! Looks like you have a path planned for your future. Based on what I have read about your classroom this semester, I know it's absolutely achievable. Best of luck!!
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