Flight Path
Jeremy’s Flight Path
I am a High School Social Studies and History teacher. I have been teaching for 10 years now; half of that working part time and as a TOC. Since my first year teaching, I have been incorporating technology into my teaching. Ten years ago I used an online markbook and had students use multimedia software. Today, I have a classroom that is equipped with a Smartboard (with projector & laptop), access to Clickers and set of Digital Flip Video cameras.
My goals for the MET program (and this course) are to enhance my knowledge and use of technology in the classroom and teaching. I have become a technology leader at my school and head up a professional learning community that focuses on technology and teaching.
My other goals are related to understanding the pedagogy of technology use in education. I do believe that this course will help me to become proficient in a wide range of differing educational technologies; such as LMS, social software and multimedia. I am wanting to build on my knowledge to help my in my career as a teacher.
I also want to improve my use of technology and to find out how to get the most out of it. I want learning to be enhanced by using good practice in the classroom. I also believe that it is important to select technologies that will enhance learning and not only being used because they exist (Bates & Poole, 2003)
What resources do I need to master these technologies and to be able to meet my goals? Well, I expect that my progression through the MET program will inevitably lead to many of my goals being met. But I also believe that practice and hands on use of the technologies will be the way that competency will be met. This is called active learning and this will be achieved through engaging in groups with other students (Chickering & Gamson, 1987).
I think that this course will be very practical and help me to become very experienced in a variety of learning technologies.