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Module 1
Module 1 Blog Quote: "I hope that I learn to use some technologies that I am unfamiliar with and get some ideas from my classmates on how to make use of them in the classroom or library." When I began this course, I was under the impression that we would be learning about tech and what we could do with it. This is a model that we've become so familiar with, because it's typically how schools work. Here are some iPads, what can we do with them? Here is the new curriculum, how can we teach it? -
Module 2
Module 2 Blog Quote: "I worry that if they’re on their phones during their leisure time, and watching TV at home, school may be one of the places we can draw them away from their screens and get them moving, thinking, and interacting without technology." Although this is still a concern, I realize it was also an excuse. The fact that students are spending so much time on their screens outside of class makes it even more important that we teach them information and digital literacy skills. -
Module 3
Module 3 Blog Quote: "Today was the first day that I’ve ever used Twitter, and looking at the list of qualities of an information literate citizen, I can see how it could be an incredible tool in helping us to help our students improve their information literacy skills." I was acknowledging that Twitter has a place in the classroom, but still was looking at it the wrong way: What can I do with Twitter? -
Module 4
Module 4 Blog Quote: "I want to know that I’m doing things because they’re good for the students, not just because it’s a fad or that someone who’s a skilled marketer has convinced me I need to." I think in this moment, I identified a source of my pessimism around ICT - the feeling that it's all just a fad. No one had ever explained to me in my district or school the "why" of technology in the school and school library. When time and money are issues, "why not?" wasn't a good enough answer. -
Module 5
Module 5 Blog Quote: "We’re all interested in the idea of social media and how it can be used in the classroom and/or school library, but more importantly, why is should be used." We finally started looking the answer to the question of why we're doing what we're doing, focussing on social media in particular. I was curious what evidence we would find that social media is good for more than just sharing thoughts and ideas on our personal time. -
Module 6
Module 6 Blog Quote: " I was once that idealistic first year teacher that felt I could accomplish anything and now feel myself frequently at the mercy of the bigger institution." I started to understand that what's holding us back, aside from our own attitudes, is the system we're a part of (which influences those same attitudes, and so on....) -
Module 7
Module 7 Blog Quote: "On the “cons” side, we spent some time talking about face-to-face communication and that we notice, as time online increases, our students are becoming less comfortable with social interactions in person." We started to find evidence both in support of and against the use of social media in classes. The question of why students have a difficult time interacting in the absence of social media is an interesting one, but not a reason to ignore the potential it has. -
Module 8
Module 8 Blog Quote: "When I met with my inquiry group we also talked about the idea of students being able to generate their own information (picture books, textbooks, blogs, videos) and sharing it through social media as an initial step in generating a world library." Finally starting with an idea (the concept of "world libraries") and then discussing how we can use technology to accomplish it. And social media, at that! I started to get truly excited about the potential for change. -
Module 9
It was interesting when Michelle used the metaphor about skydiving to explain how she wants to take a look at the "why" before going ahead and trying new things. This was a common theme of the presentations on Friday. The more I start with what we want to accomplish and then look at how to use technology to help achieve those goals, the more I'm getting on board. Another common theme was collaboration - let's use these resources to facilitate big changes, working as a group! -
Module 10 and Beyond!
I feel like I want to do some justice to this course by making my final project something that will have some real impact... beyond my own classroom or even my school. I do realize that sometimes we need to start small. I'm not quite ready to settle on a particular project or even a particular theme, but I am, for once, optimistic!
