Reflective Essay

This course helped me for the first time explore the use of Wikis, blogs and podcasts. I'm not sure when or if I ever would have used those tools during my life, but I see what I have been missing out on. Making a podcast was the most challenging and most rewarding tool I used. For the first time, I actually used my computer recording device. I had to download some extra software tools to help me edit and broadcast my podcast. My podcast could be heard from by people all over the world by placing the URL on a blog site or even iTunes.
I will continue to pursue professional development geared to technology integration in the classroom, because technology is always improving. I discovered that people put technology information on podcasts that you can subscribe to them from the iTunes. I have listened to some of them and learned something every time. One of the best ways to expand my knowledge of technology is to collaborate with colleagues that is already using technology to increase student’s achievements. If you see something working in another class, why not try to use what their doing to increase student achievements.
One long term goal I would like to set is to set up my classroom website where parents can visit any time they want to retrieve homework assignments, present/future projects, identify missing assignments, view progress reports and grades. Our district lesson plan website, “Oncourse” has that option to allow teachers to set up a website, but teachers in our district are not made to use it.
Another goal that I would like to set up within two years in my math class, is a textbook near free classroom. I would use the textbook only for lesson planning, but reframe the student from using it as an only source. I like to have students use real life experiences. With collaboration with my colleagues, we can come up with alternatives to the textbook, which are so confusing to the students anyway. Our textbooks are quickly becoming outdated, because the corporate world is using high tech digital devices to work out their numbers. The world is using scientific calculations and computers software programs to figure out tough calculations within minutes. Students need to learn how to use these various programs