Reflection

By Kellert

What is course has helped me with is to understand and become familiar with 21st century technology. I have lots of different accesses to technology through my school tech teacher as well as thorough my school website. Before I started this class I didn’t really know how to use any of the technology available to me. Now I have an understanding of how to use blogs, wikis, and podcasts. All of these tools are useful as teachers to teach our students and also to use these in the real world. Student have taking big leaps to be exciting and get involved with technology. I am now in the process of creating some really fun lessons that the students will be able to use the 21st technologies that we have learned.

I now have a better arsenal for teaching these lessons. I can create wikis for class by uploading different assignments and chats. I can add my different podcasts to my website that will explain different assignments if students miss class and need to further explanation. As I stated above I have a better variety of things I can teach. Even though I am a PE and Health teacher I can still teach students about technology and how it is use. They are learning great content that will help them enhance their lifelong skills.

During this course I have modified from teacher-centered to learner-centered, because the students are changing to a more involved learning style. Or maybe they have been this learner-centered way the entire time and we as teachers are finally learning how to approach the students to utilize our time. I do feel that I have a little upper hand because I am a young teacher and I don’t necessarily have to change too much. I find it easy to vary my lessons and change my routine, maybe compared to a teacher that is more or less stuck in their ways.
In order for me to be a successful teacher I will have to keep looking for new ways to help further my teaching strategies as well as to learn new content. This will help me to have a better arsenal of weapons to use. I believe that everyone is a “Lifelong Leaner” and will need to continue their education. After I complete my masters program I will still be looking for new ways to further my education. Other areas that I will look forward to learning about are traits of reading and writing.

One of the long term goals that I have created is that I want to use technology within the classroom a few days of week. There are so many cool things you can do with technology and I am going to definitely explore those different routes. Another long term goal that I have is to further my website and post lots of podcasts and wikis that help student understand assignments and what I expect from them in class. Also with the wikis I can post lost of valuable resources for them to use.

As I visited the website I observed some really good informative content. I also like the fact that if you like what the site offered you can subscribe to their email updates. The of the things the site also talked about was bridging the gap between how students live using technology and how they learn with it at school. While at home students are learning and teaching themselves how to use Ipods, cell phones, computers, video games, and other technology devices. With that being said, I believe we are failing are students by not bridging the gap here at school. The website mentions the keys to the 21st Century learning. I find there is a big problem with these keys because our schools are built around the 20th Century curriculum as well as our technology. How as teachers are we supposed to teach this new age of technology, but follow the 21st century curriculum. However, I so agree that the 21st Century offers new and exciting challenge.

I found the six elements of 21st Century education very interesting. One area in particular that took me by surprise was the 21st Century content. I truly believe the content mentioned in this section: global awareness, financial, economic and business literacy, and civic literacy should be the goal of our education system. Now, I do understand the need for students having basic skills in the core subjects, but the main goal of schools should be for students to apply these basic skills to the 21st Century content. As I read, what surprised me the most is I do not feel schools really teach students global awareness, financial, econmic and business literacy, and civic literacy, which is really what students need to be a successful and responsible citizen. Instead, schools teach to the test and unfortunately, tests do not accurately measure real world applications.
There was only one thing on this site that I disagreed with, and it was more implied then stated. The website makes it seem as if it is an easy task implementing these strategies. Teachers are constantly struggling to get through all the required material, ensuring student understanding, and finding funding for new programs. I do agree with Learning for the 21st Century, but I do feel it would be quite a challenge to implement the suggested strategies and ensure student understanding.


Learning for the 21st Century has several implications for both students and teachers. Students would graduate from high school being better prepared for the workforce and life in general. It would give students a firm foundation for college employers to build upon. I believe students would see a purpose to learning and would answer the perpetual question “When will I ever use this? ” Teachers, on the other hand, would have new challenges, most of which I mentioned previously. Teachers would have to be creative and design lessons that would focus on core content knowledge, and show its real world application. Teachers would have to resist the temptation of teaching to the test, and teach meaning of the content. Although teachers may have to put more time and effort into new lessons, the payoff would be well worth it!

Using Technology in the Classroom

One thing that blogging could be useful for in the class room is to have students comments on the work we are doing in class weather it be during Health or PE. This comment could be about how fun or boring class is or idea they may have to make it the way they want it. I could create discussion boards about different topics and the students could log in and talk about their learning experiences. As I have stated I am a P.E./Health teacher so most of my blogging would come in my health class, but i would love students to tell me about PE and there concerns. The only problem is that at our school don’t have the most reliable equipment and some students don’t have the at home to require blogging.

The next idea that i would have is to make the blog were students can post their work and other students would be required to make comments to there peers work. These comments must be only positive. Our district requires that we grade students on personal communication and how they interact. This grading technique or sharing technique could surf ice and help aid with our district assessments.

Trenton

Welcome to my first blog experience

HEY ALL,



Thanks for subscribing to my blog weather by choice or because you thought it would be interesting. I am a PE/Health teacher in Wyoming!! If your unfamiliar with where Wyoming is its in the mid-west north of Colorado and East of Utah!! I have been teaching for only a few years, but love and enjoy every minute of it. As of now I am working on my Masters degree in Integrating technology in the Classroom. It has required us to create a blog and to learn all about blogging. So far it seems really interesting and exciting. Well tune in soon to see whats new.



Thanks Again,



Trent