Web 2.0 Tools
I was very happy with the Web 2.0 tools that were taught throughout this course. I was amazed at the different uses that Google alone offers. I find that the most useful tools I wish to incorporate into my daily work are Google Docs and Google Sites. I work with a team of people and we use email everyday to send documents to one another for proofreading and editing. I also find Google Sites to be useful when talking with prospective students about the university. I plan to continue adding to the site I have created with more information about our different majors. When a student comes in that is interested in a specific major, I can bring up the site and use it as a visual aid. I can also incorporate links that are beneficial for them to check out when they are at home.
Although I would not consider it a Web 2.0 tool, I do wish that a section of the course on smart boards would have been useful. Even though I am not an educator in K-12, I am a student myself and have never been taught the benefits that a smart board has given to the classroom. I also believe that a smart board could be brought into other areas than just a classroom such as a conference room for team meetings and presentations.
Readings of Educational Leadership 755
I enjoyed the way Thomas Misa’s Leonardo to the Internet: Technology and Culture from the Renaissance to the Present was set up with each group reading and creating an online presentation for their chapter. It allowed for each of us to put the tools into use and by using the online format, it forced me to use the tools that I would not typically use. However, I feel that the way it broke down left many of us with a section of a chapter that went into greater detail than was necessary. In my instance, I spend study time reading about the development of steel and glass. It was hard to understand how it all wrapped together until everyone had completed their online presentation. Although it was beneficial to learn about the development of technology throughout the years, it may be better to incorporate it more into educational leadership.
The readings of Carr and Shirky were easy to follow and in many cases entertaining. It also brought in two contrasting perspectives that I found to be interesting. However, I would have liked to spend more time reading about technology in education. In addition, since the course is titles Technology, Culture and Learning, it would be interesting to learning about technology in different cultures and how it may differ depending on where you live. I found the last class to be very interesting when Dr. Kim spoke about the advances that are being made in Japan and how it differs from what we are doing in America. I feel that having a day devoted to talking more about this topic would have wrapped together what I expected from this course.
Reflection Paper
The reflection papers were a great way for us to think deeper about the readings. It is easy to read words, set down the book and walk away but to sit down and write your thoughts help you absorb the information you are reading and sort out what you truly think. Although it is great to read others thoughts on their blogs, I did find it hard to read many of my classmate’s reflection papers and to make comments. Many times I felt that I was re-reading the book all over again. Perhaps a list of questions for us to address in these reflection papers would help give direction.
Final Team Papers in Wikispaces
The final team paper was much more intimidating in theory than it ended up being in reality. At the start of the project, it was difficult to take a direction without knowing how other team members felt. It was also something we weren’t able to start until after the last class since I was a bit confused about the specifics of what the project was about. When doing a project on your own, you know at all times where you stand in the process and what needs to be done. With the online team paper, it was hard to know what your team members were working on or if everything was being covered. You have to put a lot of trust into your teammates.
I found the wikispace to be a great place to put together this team project. We all worked at separate times of the day which alleviated the fear of erasing your teammates work by mistake. It is however a bit nerve-racking to know there is a possibility to do that. We had put together a calendar of due dates which told each team member what area to work on and when to have it done by. We also incorporated times to meet as a group and go over our work to ensure that we all on the same page.
This was the first class that I have had the task of putting together multiple group projects using online tools. I feel that the course does a great job teaching you about the tools needed to be successful putting together projects online and also in a team format. Many of us will be able to find these tools useful in our personal lives as well.
Overall Experience in Educational Leadership 755
Overall, I am very satisfied with the information I have received in this course. With the hands-on experience using these tools, I feel more comfortable taking what I have learned and continue working with them and incorporating them where they may be the most useful. I would not say I am completely comfortable with the tools at this point however having the basic knowledge will allow me to challenge myself to learn more. The best experience in the course was learning to use VoiceThread. It is a tool that I had never known about before and can see this tool being useful in more ways than just in education or in my work. I find it to be a great tool to interact with one another and to be able to receive feedback in many different ways. The one thing that has always limited me in blogging and commenting is that typed words can oftentimes be misinterpreted. The ability to vocalize your thoughts and listen to others comments is just another step towards the best outcome.
A suggestion I have for future classes is to move to a teaching lab. It was difficult at times to follow along with the online instruction while the computer you are working on is facing in the opposite direction. There are steps along the way that I feel I had missed while trying to view both screens. Another suggestion is to clarify the optional assignments. I wasn’t sure if these assignments were completely optional or if we were to choose a few of them to complete and it was up to the individual as to which ones to choose. I would have liked to have a better understanding of what the optional assignments were in place for.
In conclusion, I am happy to have had the hands on experience of using the different types of tools. Technology is the direction that our world is going in and to keep up to date with these instruments will allow us to be better educators and have a better understanding of what is needed to help students. Technology is giving us opportunities we have never had before and it is to our advantage to learn and continue to grow along with them.
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