1. Kimberly Brown Barnette Technology Final Reflection I would have to describe myself as a technology “newbie” when it comes to all the new and varied forms of technology that can be applied to education. I began this course thinking that it would broaden my knowledge base of how to use computers in the classroom and how students can benefit from using different forms of software in daily lessons. I had no idea of all the ways technology can be used in a classroom with students to reach higher level thinking skills. As I was introduced through articles to blogging, RSS, podcasting, PowerPoint presentations, Wikipedia, project-based instruction, wireless internet access, e-communications, document management tools, and cyber-surfing, I became very aware that the past decade has brought education many technological tools to improve teaching and learning. In the beginning of this course I could relate to the overwhelming feeling that Warlick describes as the nature of information has become increasingly digital and networked (2007). As the course progressed and I was exposed to technology resources and was able to experiment with several of these new tools, I found myself thinking of all the ways I could incorporate these tools into my future position as a leader of a school. One of the most important areas I see myself using technology is in communicating with the stakeholders in my district. One method I see that could be very beneficial is the Wikipedia tool. It allows input from anyone with knowledge on a particular subject to read, comment, or even edit the information. The ability to include ideas from an entire range of school personnel and community stakeholders can be achieved just by asking for input through a Wiki. The great part about this tool is that it can be seen from anyone within a community or as far away as across the country. I learned that I should not be scared of technology and its use in my role as a future administrator. I need to be sure I have a good support by hiring staff who are intelligent about technology and have a desire to learn more about it and share their knowledge with others. I try to model all behaviors and attitudes in every aspect of my position that I want my staff to exhibit. This ultimately means I will need to model technology and use it in my daily duties as their leader. One of the things I look forward to is the instant communication and feedback I can receive through the use of texting and emails from myself to each staff member. I believe my fear of technology results from my ignorance of it. I feel that this course has relieved a lot of this fear. I do have to admit I spent about 4 hours trying to post a word document into my blog on Sunday night and I was so discouraged and distraught I nearly gave up. I was unable to find the “blog this” button and continued to follow the steps over and over with no success. The following morning, I sat down again, still discouraged and noticed a simple statement that reminded me to check the zoom level. As I clicked this zoom button I suddenly saw the words I had been searching for….blog this! I jumped for joy, ran to share the good news with my family, and reveled in my success. I hope to have many more moments like this with technology. In one of our readings, Richardson refers to blogging as a “revolution”. Merriman-Webster defines revolution as an activity or movement designed to effect fundamental change (2009). I see blogging as exactly that, an activity designed to effect fundamental changes in education and the way we create, publish, and share content. Through blogging we are creating a richer, more dynamic, more interactive Web where participation is the rule rather than the exception (Richardson, 2005). The 21st century learner can “blog” even if they have a minimum of technology know-how (Richardson, 2004). Blogs can be used to communicate with students and parents, allow students to publish work, and collaborate with all stakeholders of a school community. One fact that I learned in this course and it astounded me was the statistic of more than 900,000 blog posts are made each day and a new blog is created every second (Richardson, 2005). Blogging by students in the education setting does bring about concern in several areas. One of these areas is the ability for students to access inappropriate sites and be exposed to provocative pictures or inappropriate content. Many districts have placed blocks to these sites but for some districts the blocking actually interferes with some educational projects that become blocked and are not harmful to the students. A second concern is that blogs can allow personal information to be shared over the internet and this information can fall in the hands of predators. Richardson recommends protecting our students with thoughtful teaching and clear policy (2005). We need to be sure and teach our students strategies for how to stay safe and be responsible in their use of technology. My learning outcomes of this course have included an introduction to the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology and the use of the STaR Chart for identifying the technology needs of a teacher and a campus. I am able to recognize the needs of digital-age students and support my staff in acquiring strategies and tools to meet their needs. Through various articles I can identify social, legal, and ethical issues relating to technology and teaching and learning. Most importantly I learned through this course that it will be my responsibility to promote the success of all of the students on my campus by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a campus culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and professional growth. Resources Revolution. (2009). In Merriman-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 17, 2009, from http://www.merriman-webster.com/dictionary/revolution. Richardson, W. (2004). Blogging and RSS-The what’s it? And how to of powerful new Web tools for educators. Multimedia & Internet @ Schools, 11(1), 10-13. Richardson, W. (2005). Blog revolution: Expanding classroom horizons with Web logs. Technology & Learning, 26(3). Warlick, D. (2007). Literacy in the new information landscape. Library Media Connection, 26(1), 20-21.
