Missing Blog

I just posted “The End Has Come”, my reflection on the EDTS course. I realized after posting the blog that I still had one more blog to go, required for this class. I know I am required to write blogs about technology but I would like to instead write about what a great class this was. Not only did this class provide me with tools in which I can draw upon throughout my new career but also provided an atmosphere with many talented people I had the pleasure to be seated next to and surrounded by who added energy and support to a very unfamiliar, sometimes intimidating, environment. Technology, for me at least, is a subject matter that still seems foreign to me. Although this class was designed to include students with little or no backgound in technology, it still worried me at times when I felt lost and confused. But due to the different personalities, the different levels of knowledge and genuine peer/teacher outreach I felt entering class each week, I feel very fortunate with the experience as a whole. Good luck to all.

The End Has Come

A major goal for all pre-service teachers is to develop a base understanding surrounding many types of pedagogical information. Information which can be built upon, not only to help create a productive learning environment but help pre-service educators to become more successful in the education environment. The EDTS course has helped build upon this information by providing a better outline of the many advancements technology has provided .  Although, core courses such as EDTS can only scrape the bottom of the many levels at which a pre-service teacher can draw upon in order to develop a better learning process, it has taught me that computer technology is a significant part of today’s classroom. Technology has afforded teachers the ability to retrieve, post, and create a more inducive learning environment.

     EDTS has had a major impact on the way that I think concerning modern classroom education. I will now be able to draw upon tools such as Inspiration, which will help me to provide concept mapping such a graphical ways to show relationships within the lessons I provide, organizational mapping in which the students will be able to clarify their thought process and to also help them to prioritize assignments. Along with this I can utilize my knowledge of free web space/page design. This will help me create an online environment where the students will be able to interact with lessons I post, homework assignments they can refer to, questions they can ask either myself or their fellow classmates beyond the classroom environment. Also, a site where parents can freely roam and do the same in order to keep in close proximity to what their child is doing and learning. PowerPoint will also become a tool I will utilize for it will help create a more visual learning tool and also a creative learning tool when applying its use to a lesson or activity. Lastly, the future use of Pod Casts within the classroom environment, tickles my fancy the most. I not only can see the use of using Pod Casting for classroom use when it comes to creating ideas, lesson reviews, interest and classroom interaction. It can also be utilized in conjunction with any subject matter. Since students will feel it is a fun learning tool it can become a major asset within any educational environment for just that one reason alone.

     In conclusion, I feel I have been empowered by this class and I will continue to build upon the information and tools provided to me throughout this semester. This course has helped me not only to build confidence within myself to utilize and appreciate technological tools but to appreciate how privied pre-service teachers are in today’s modern society. With the help of technology, teachers now have the  advantage of researching, evaluating and implementing instructional materials and information with just the click of a finger. This course has definitely been worth “its weight in gold”.