"Willing to be disturbed"…Margaret Wheatley

“My path will follow the rocky shore line, explore some nooks and crannies, bravely venture into the surf and come to rest on a white sandy beach”.

“Curiosity is what we need” (Wheatley, 2002).

Reflecting on my introductory paragraph in the 565 path, I overwhelmingly feel successful.  Apart from physically “resting on the beach”, which is in the plans, I have travelled the anticipated path, including reaching this reflection, symbolized as the white sandy beach.  A rocky path is hard to navigate at times; it is challenging to scramble over large rocks, with unstable footing in the wet mossy spots, a few slips, and no single “right” way.  Everyone creates their own path. The surf, or the big challenge, was Amaya and web page creation. I nearly drowned but the waves pushed me to shore, as I spat up salt water. Further explanation is in my ‘course site’ reflection.

There were a few stops along the way, to enjoy the view and review my understanding and the perspectives of others. This was an excellent learning community: inviting, on task, responsive, engaging; and all created through discussion forums!  I participated more in this course than any course I have taken face-to-face.  The forums continually forced me to explain myself.  This persistence required tenacity to seek thoughtful explanations. I had to check myself when exploring the interesting caves, such as web 2.0, because it was easy to lose track of time and become trapped by the tide (or an assignment deadline).

The three ‘disturbances’ or changes I identified in my path were assessment, citizenship, and a course management system.  First, my repertoire of technology applications and assessment has expanded.  I practice assessment for learning strategies in my classroom and now I can use a course management system such as Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) to develop on line quizzes, self mark quizzes, and peer assess assignments.  I am genuinely excited about developing a blogging activity since it provides an excellent tool for reflection and continue the development of my class wiki for knowledge building.  I can now articulate educational value for many forms of technology and have a degree of comfort to utilize and share with my classes and colleagues.

The second disturbance was citizenship. Copyright infringement was not something I thought much about and forgave myself under the all encompassing umbrella of “it’s for educational purposes”.  Gaining skills in search settings forces me to be more conscious and practice active citizenship. As a Social Studies teacher and teacher sponsor for Student Council, I must model the behaviour I expect from my students.  Another aspect of citizenship is participation.  When I initially wrote this path, I did not consider this aspect, however, this incredible online learning community has given me a sense of what a community feels like and how its members interact. I truly appreciate and look forwarded to posting, replying and discussing a wide range of topics.

Lastly, I wanted to disturb, or change my repertoire of course delivery methods and develop skills with the Moodle course management system. I am more aware of the capabilities of Moodle and I am confident I can find answers to most questions.  This grounding allows me to consider how to blend a Moodle course management system in a face to face class.  The e-learning toolkit was a comprehensive, concise resource, especially useful for background knowledge, and is something I will return to.

A “willingness to be disturbed” (Wheatley, 2002), the theme for my entire journey as a MET student, keeps weaving its way into my assignments.  I not only have a willingness to be part of a different education system, but I am positioning myself to be part of its creation.  My educational technology future is programmed for the next couple of years.  Finishing my MET degree is a top priority, along with the continued development of my own skills with interactive white boards (IWBs) and my technology leadership role in my school and school district.  I continue to attend and present at conferences and workshops regarding the ‘best use’ of IWBs. Additionally, I plan on utilizing more web 2.0 applications in my classes and am planning the introduction of Moodle for a blended Cold War unit, I developed for this course.  In Psychology 12, I use substantial reflective writing activities and have decided to add a blog assignment, though I still need to develop the frame.  The blog, as an artefact, will be a more holistic reflection of the entire course and student learning.

Ultimately, my goal is to become involved in teacher education. I am an ongoing sponsor teacher for practicum students and have been disappointed with technology skills new teachers bring to the classroom.  Though I am not ready to leave my own classroom, I do envision a life beyond high school, with technology as a significant factor.

“Curiosity is what we need” (Wheatley, 2002).

Reference

Wheatley, M.J. (2002). Turning to One Another . Berkeley, Ca: Group West.

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