synthesis: n. a complex whole formed by combining, the forming or building of a more complex substance or compound from elements or simpler compounds
For ETEC 565, my synthesis has definitely been a complex whole formed by combining simpler compounds, almost like I have finished a 10, 000 piece puzzle….Wait, let’s go back to the beginning…
Back when I wrote my Flight Path, I realize now that I hadn’t even taken the lid off the box. It is not to say that my goals have changed incredibly, but the depth at which I understand my own goals has changed. My short-term goal for the course was to learn how to use Moodle, and possibly use Moodle as a form of communication between my parents, my students and me. Now that I have experienced a small taste of Moodle, I have come to realize that this is not how I would use Moodle in my classroom, at all. I can see so many different uses, but where I would probably start is with a stand-alone unit that could be self-paced, and even adapted to different students’ needs.
In my Flight Path I stated that my long-term goal from ETEC 565, and my MET goal in general, was to become a support person for the teachers in my district and work at the Board level. Before I started ETEC 565, this vision mostly centered on working with teachers and the Smartboards in their classrooms. Since then, my mind has been opened up to so many different meanings for technology in the classroom, and I realize now that an interactive whiteboard is an example of a piece of hardware, and not definitive of the meaning of Information Technology, and using technology to enhance the learning experience for my students.
Having the E-Learning Toolkit to work through was very helpful. It was at this point that I started to feel like I had the edges on the puzzle almost done. It was an excellent starting point for me time after time. It was a very interesting process, because in the first couple of weeks, I did not even click on some of the tools, feeling like they did not interest me, or that I would not use that particular tool. I soon realized that ignorance was the only thing keeping me from trying some of them. Never in the world would I have ventured into the Web design and HTML authoring, and in fact, it wasn’t until I started working on my pages in Moodle and participated in the Wimba Live Classroom Moodle session, that I started to look at the options presented there. This really proved to me that knowledge is something you acquire, as you need it.
Once I realized how valuable the toolkit was (guess that should have been obvious from the name…hey, I’m a slow learner…) I found myself going straight to the toolkit every time I had a problem and I was able to troubleshoot a lot on my own. This is something that I try over and over to teach my students, and it was a good reminder for me to practice what I preach.
ETEC 565 was like reaching the stage where you are putting the pieces of your puzzle together and you can see the picture taking shape. There is such a huge sense of satisfaction when you are at that stage of the puzzle. This is what 565 was for me. I had no intention of ever doing my masters. No way, not for me. I wasn’t a fan of the scholarly essay back when I did my undergraduate degrees, and I’m not much of a fan now. So, when I first heard classmates talking about 565, and how it was so hands on, I knew it was going to be what I was looking for.
ETEC 565 has better prepared me for adding technology into my classroom, and it has given me a sense of fearlessness. Working with the SECTIONS framework and evaluating the scenarios in the discussion forum has taught me how important it is not to just jump blindly onto the next ‘technology bandwagon’, but to view it with a more critical eye. I will decide if it makes the best sense for that particular situation by asking ‘which technology best supports my teaching and the student’s learning?’
Even though completion of this course marks the halfway point in my MET program, I feel as though the pieces of my puzzle are more than halfway in place. Since I have gained confidence in my ability to use technology with my students, I have become a bit of a mentor in my building. On our next Pro-D day, I have been asked to lead a workshop on how to create a teacher webpage for our school website. I have also been asked to be the technology specialist in my building, mostly working with teachers who are new to Smartboards, but my plan is to add a bit of Pro-D on Web 2.0 tools into this, over time. I am about half done creating a workshop for using wikis in the classroom, and would love to tackle using weblogs for Creative Writing.
I was approached last weekend about teaching a class at the local community college in the teaching program next year, looking at different ways to address technology in the classroom. Again, there will be a Smartboard focus on this, but if I take the job, I hope to slowly change that to include Web 2.0 tools. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like I am a bit closer to reaching my goals and putting that last puzzle piece into place.
