Course Take Aways

This is such a crazy time of year for teachers, but then again it is always crazy for teachers.  At the start of this course I wasn’t sure how I could manage especially when we had to postpone and then restart.  But once we were on a roll I began to look forward to what I would learn each week when the next Module was unlocked.  I really feel I learned a great deal about a number of new resources that I can use in my classroom and share with my colleagues and students.  The most valuable resources were SAMR and the Technology Integration Matrix.  I feel that of all the resources provided these are tools that I can use for a long time as I work to integrate technology through 1:1 in my classroom.  My principal has always said, “Now I don’t want these devices to become just an expensive textbook.” And although I knew what he was saying I didn’t have a complete picture of what not being an expensive textbook would look like.  Now thanks to this course, the resources and the collaboration I feel I am much better equipped to make sure that the device is just a tool to use in order that so much more can be done.

On a final and separate note, I probably should have put this in the survey, but I will share it now, I wish there would have been a little better chance to collaborate.  I know we all work at different paces.  Some like me try to get things done early and others wait until the last minute.  I wonder if putting a group of students into a cohort of 5, 6, or 7 might have been a better way to be sure that everyone got feedback from others.  I will be honest.  I didn’t read as many discussions and blogs at the end of the week and so I didn’t respond to them.  I don’t know I'm just “thinking-writing” out loud.  It’s made me think about how I would have a class of 30 interact.  I could see kids always wanting to give feedback to their friends and never to others.  I think even this concern provided me with an opportunity to learn about how I might want to do things differently.  I know it is important to give students freedom and I know collaboration is key in digital curriculum, but for me some structure might have provided a little more interaction and thus learning.  That being said, I learned a great deal and moved out of my comfort zone of thinking and that it good.  Thanks.