Reflection ~ EDUC 6710

In reflecting back on this course, I have found that I have stepped out of my comfort zone and succeeded. I have used technology and different resources that I have never utilize before. I feel comfortable and confident that I can successfully apply these within the confines of my curricula. I have reexamined the idea that we never stop learning and hope to continue to make great strides to implement and discover more Web 2.0 technologies in the future.

Educators today have so much to cover during the school year; it is difficult to step out of the teacher centered aspect of learning. I will try to make a conscience effort to change some of my practices and be more attuned to my students needs. I also believe that self reflection for the students is needed more in my classroom. This will then allow them to take a stance on topics and then give evidentiary support for their position.

Currently, I am in the technology cohort for the archdiocese and hope to inspire and instruct my colleagues on these latest methodologies. I feel just as Will Richardson stated in Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts does. He stated, [I}n order for us to prepare our students for what is without question a future filled with networked learning spaces, we must first experience those environments for ourselves. I feel if you play with the technology enough and become familiar with it, one can then apply it easily to the pedagogy. I have first hand experience now and hope to learn from my colleagues as well, as we start out on this 21st Century Skills journey together.

Students in this day and age are constantly connected. I believe as an educator, I need to stay current with the media and technology the students are connected to show new ways of using those tools. This in turn, will keep the students focused and questioning. If they question they can then learn to support their stances on a global stage that is the web as well as learning responsible and effective web etiquette.

I feel this is just the beginning for me. I hope to use my degree to ascertain more leadership roles within my school and utilize web 2.0 tools on a grander scale. I know the dioceses and school is on board, it is just a matter of experimentation and implementation of ideas. Smart Boards, projectors, wikis, and Youtube.com are just the first step. I hope to have the students using Glogster.com, and Facebook.com within the next few years. I have to just get moving and play!

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Perrin, Robert. (2008). Pocket Guide to APA Style (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

First Podcast!

Here is a link to my first ever podcast! How crazy is it to listen to yourself?!!!
Enjoy!!
Michele
http://mrscahoone.podbean.com/

Partnership the 21st Century Skills

After reading and reflecting on the website Partnership for the 21st Century Skills; http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/images/stories/otherdocs/p21up_Report.pdf
I was taken back by the amount of information and resources that are available to aid those not as versed with technology and web 2.0 tools in regard to the classroom. I was also elated to see that there is a movement forward to progress with the times and that people understand that this will be a process that we will continue to grow and change.
I was pleasantly surprised when the site started discussing how we have to make our students aware of civic literacy and financial, economic, and business literacy. Before reading the site I thought that this was going to just discuss web and 2.0 tools in the classroom. But it did much more then that. It gave plans for making our students become productive members of society not just students. A student of the future must be well rounded and be able to collaborate. This site shows what specific states are proposing as well as were we are heading to keep us contenders in the job market in the future.I believe they will have to be much more worldly then they are now. I did not agree with anything in particular but I wish that there skills could be implement. There are so many variables to attend to with this. I hope that things settle down and get done, not just talked about.
I love using technology within my classroom. We must remember that technology is ever changing. Staying focused on our aiding our students and moving forward should be a few of our goals. Our students deserve the best and we should have the resources to aid them in this venture. The Internet has changed our lives and the work force. We have to change with it and use it to help our students.

Blogging in the Classroom

I hope to use my blog in my classroom to poll, and have the students take a stance on different science topics. Biotechnology, genetic engineering, and using science in there everyday life are just some of the ideas I have begun to explore. I think this a way for them to learn to take a position and support their decisions. This would be a great way to make cross curricular connections and practice effective writing. This would count as a homework assignment, and will create a rubric for this. I hope this will be another way to prepare them for higher education while still covering course content.
~Michele

Hello everyone! I am a Physical Science, Algebra, & Biology teacher. I have found the use of technology an integral part keeping my classes engaged and on task. They even question the use of textbooks. They can't stand them. They feel that using them is work and that web 2.0 use isn't work. Anyone have that situation?

Hello!

Hello Everyone!!!
Welcome to my Blog! Hopefully I can give you a suggestion or to and I can have great input from all of you!
Talk at you later,
Michele