I currently do not have much confidence with technology, well, computers really. I more often than not always run into errors while working on computers. These issues can be as simple as trying to open Internet explorer and getting a message that the server cannot connect. Then, of course, my husband will come over and click the button and eureka, the Internet is up and running. I was intimidated to take the 486 class because of my bad luck with computers, and the fact that I dislike being bad at anything. I wish that I understood technology better and I hope this class helps with my technology competence.
In addition I hope that taking 486 will increase my confidence with computer use and provide me with skills that I can widely use in the classroom. For example the tool used in class to demonstrate our overviews of chapter four by creating a web was something I found interesting and applicable to any content being taught in Geography or History. This will be especially important when including differentiated instruction in the classroom. Today's k-12 students are greatly tech savvy, and providing them with forms of assessment that use technology will be extremely beneficial to them. I am looking forward to learning as much as I can to incorporate in my lessons.
About Me
- Kristin Trammell
- I am a student at UT about to enter my internship year at Anderson County High school. I have a major in Geography with minors in History and Business. In addition to being a student, for the last four years I have worked at Agri Feed Pet Supply as the aquatics manager. I am extremely passionate about education and hard work. My interests include fishing, hiking, cooking, eating , reading, and movies.
I'm sure after taking this class we will all be better with technology. I think a class like this would be beneficial even for teachers every five years or so because technology changes so often. I also liked the web tool we did in class I think that could be used in just about any subject.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it so frustrating with someone just walks over and within the blink of an eye can fix something that we have been trying to figure out? Even when I think I'm kind of adept at technology, someone always comes along and shows me how to do something faster or more efficiently. While most of us are fairly comfortable in using computers, I think our students will possess skills and knowledge that we will have to learn. I agree that a class like 486 today will be completely different in a few years. That's the beauty with technology, I suppose. We're always learning new things.
ReplyDeleteThe tool you all like is called Inspiration (it's on the desktops in our lab), and it's Web sister is Webspiration. Feel free to play with them now, if you want!
ReplyDeleteTucker and Genevieve, you both make good points. Providing relevant and effective technology training for inservice teachers is something I am very interested in learning how to do. If you talk to teachers nowadays they will more than likely say they get zero training or that the training is ineffective or limited (a one-shot training with no follow-up or support). Can you imagine veteran teachers trying the new tools that we are learning in 486 while simultaneously balancing their everyday classroom duties? It's almost too much to ask, or is it? I've said before that if you can upload photos to the Web and/or post a Facebook status update, then you are already proficient. The component we all need to work on is identifying educationally valid uses for these "cool tools."
In light of ever-tightening budgets, teachers may have to become more self-reliant than ever when it comes to staying current and learning how to integrate technology effectively. That is why the focus should not be tool-specific. We should be focusing on the metacognitive processes and learning how to learn with technology, transferable skills that can apply to any tool, any context. Because, as Tucker noted, the tools themselves are ever changing.