In this course I learned a great deal about using technology for teaching and learning. I felt like my biggest area of growth was technical knowledge. I was really happy to learn some basics about FTP and a little bit about HTML. These were both concepts that were pretty foggy to me before having to complete the assignments for this class. Now, I feel like I can handle things like this, I'm not as scared of them as I may have been before, and I might even take over the maintenance of our company website (if I feel like I can find the time). I want to keep learning more about these technical aspects, because I feel more in touch and in charge with the little bit I know now.
Another technical aspect I found very helpful was using presentation software in an interactive format. I had no idea of all the capabilities of PowerPoint, and I was pleased to see all that it could offer. I was also happy to be able to put together something that worked reasonably well and did the job it set out to do. Again, this is a skill I would like to develop in the future, and use in my instruction.
On the pedagogical/instructional side, I was pleased that we were introduced to Understanding by Design in one of the early sessions. I actually borrowed a copy from my local library and did a little more reading on my own. Having this methodical, long-range outlook when planning instruction makes perfect sense to me, and it was nice to see it laid out with clear examples and anecdotes. I think about this all the time now as I plan my lessons, making sure my students (and I) have a good grasp on the point of everything we do in class. These are principles I will definitely continue to use and develop in my instruction.
All of the activities we were required to complete made me think a great deal about useful technology implementation: doing things that make sense and are useful rather than just because they are "cool" or flashy. Many of the skills I've gained through this and the previous course allow me to do things that are interesting and engaging on some level, but I always try to keep in mind the need for activities and lessons to be useful for my students' learning and for my instruction. I think all of these experiences have given me the ability to make better judgments about what I'm going to put my time into, and what I expect my students to put their time into. Overall, I think developing this ability to evaluate learning tools and experiences is probably the most important thing I gained from this class. I plan to continue developing my evaluative skills as I complete the certificate program this semester, and the master's program in the following years.
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