Amy's Notes

Reflection on Technology & Me

My best advice on using technology in the classroom is to start small and keep learning and adding technology to the curriculum based on your needs and your learners’ needs. Technology is such a vast field that one can quickly become overwhelmed if one tries to do everything possible all at once.
Technology will be part of my students future as well as my own. It is certainly in all of our best interests to keep pursuing new knowledge in this area. My students rarely are intimidated by the use of technology and usually find the use motivational and engaging. Using technology to teach all subject areas usually is a beneficial adventure.
I completed the Teacher’s Survey “Rubric for Advanced Computer Use (http:www.ed.gov/pubs/EdTechGuide/appc-7.html) and generally scored threes. I am comfortable using technology with my students and helping my coworkers with technology problems and projects. I still have room to grow to become a true “techno geek”.
I plan to continue my personal and professional growth in the field of technology in several ways. First, I just received a new iPod for my birthday. =) Now, I can experiment with podcasts more easily. Subscribing to a technology podcast will help to keep me aware of current advances in technology. I will also continue to read my RSS feeds involving technology: T.H.E Journal (http://thejournal.com ), Technology and Learning (http://www.techlearning.com )and Wired (http://www.wired.com/technology.html ), as they arrive as daily reminders on my computer. I will continue with classes focusing on technology at UIS. These classes have been very helpful with current technologies and applying them to my classroom. My district is also helpful in maintaining my tech awareness. I receive an online newsletter and attend tech facilitator meetings and SpICE (Springfield Illinois Computing Educators) (http://chapters.iceberg.org/spice ) meetings. Finally, Jason’s presentation reminded me that my school has a “Jeopardy type” response system in the wire closet. (Yes, the closet!) My goal is to get it out over winter break and see if it could be used with my students.
I will continue to add technology to my class curriculum and to enhance my personal life as a learn about new technologies and grow as a technology user.