EDLD+5306+Reflection



With this being the initial class in the program, I had to reorder my life in order to be successful. It was a task of reprioritizing and applying time management techniques that I had not had to utilize since attaining my undergraduate degree. It had become so easy to come home and not having to do anything, choosing my evening activities at will. By having a task at hand, it allowed me to become more focused and organized. In doing so I feel I was very successful in carrying out the course assignments. The class forced me to take on the role of the diligent student once more, attempting to revisit my best days in academia, if nothing more than to hopefully inspire my students to reach for their goals, as the outcome is worth the sacrifices along the way. I quickly realized that I must be willing to put myself back in the mindset of the curious student if I planned to stay on top of the latest developments and trends in technology. If I was going to lead the next generation, I needed to know what they know, or at least know what I need to learn that they know. In order to do that, I need to be more inquisitive. I must be willing to open myself up to the new ideas and embrace how to use them as tools rather than being resistant to change. As much as I may never want to own a GPS because I stand firm that I know how to read a map, in fast paced Houston traffic, it is nice to have the reassuring voice telling you which lane to merge in as the traffic problems ahead have already downloaded to it. I knew that I must embrace and evolve with technology in order to become an effective leader in the field. One distinct thing that stands out to me that I learned from this course is the purpose of and how to use RSS. I had always fancied myself as ahead of the curve when it came to technology, but something as simple as RSS had been right in front of me this whole time and I never bothered to find out what that small orange symbol stood for (Richardson, 2004, pp. 10-13). Another tool that I have successfully implemented in my own life is the use of the wiki for communication with others. This class allowed me to send messages via a wiki and discussion forum in an effort to not only create rapport between students but to show how effect technological solutions can close geographic boundaries. As Solomon (2004) refers to in “E-Communications 101,” it is far less imposing to log into a Web Conference from the comfort of your living room, than to have to drive to a meeting place (p. 50). I had participated in social chats before, but had not seen the methods offered by technology being so useful in both an educational and personal context. I now use the wikis in a multitude of manners, from planning social events to keeping up with judging paradigms on the debate circuit. My students use wikis to research and analyze cases with other debaters across the nation. These experiences have reshaped my classroom and have enhanced my professional life. It was also important to build the foundation in educational technology that this class offered as it shaped the viewpoint of how the rest of the program was approached. With solid groundwork in place, the specialized areas clearly related to the overall objectives for the program. By utilizing so many Web 2.0 Tools right off the bat, it was beneficial both as a learner and as an educator. By understanding the technological standards set for by technological facilitators and technological leaders, it was beneficial as a future leader in educational technology (Williamson & Redish, 2007). The use of the STAR chart data opened my eyes to the challenges faced by my school and allowed me to begin pondering how we might overcome them. I also saw the areas where we were most successful and wanted to find ways to utilize our strengths to help overcome our weaknesses.

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)//.

Solomon, G. (2004). E-communications 101. //Technology & Learning, 24(11).//

Williamson, J, & Redish, T. (2007). Building technology facilitators and leaders: A standards-based approach, //Learning & Leading with Technology,// 35(1), 22-26.