My plans this term were to learn how to use Moodle complete with a mastery of HTML and CSS code, become an expert instructional designer, navigate my way through the world of social media tools, and finish up the journey with a healthy understanding of digital editing both stills and video, sound editing, oh and Flash too. And all done via a mobile phone. My goals were lofty, but as David Ogilvy said “Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals“ and so I did.
This term I completed three MET courses, and took a videography course, Storytelling, from a local community college. I have been on an absolute whirlwind journey of technology learning and growth. It would be difficult to credit anyone course for this growth as each one took a turn as my central focus, and more often they blended together.
While I highly value the more philosophical discussion surrounding educational technology that were the focus in courses such as ETEC 511 and 531, I really enjoyed the more practical discussions found in the ETEC 565 forums. ETEC 565 has been the course that has allowed me to focus more specifically on the reality of using the technology in a learning setting. It helped (forced) me to focus on the constraints and affordances of different technologies. It has provided me with a reality check on what is really “do-able” for many teachers. Whether it is time, access to the technology, or lack of skills, we were continuously reminded that, and not just by Bates and Poole, there are many things to consider when implementing technology into a learning activity. Our community has several technology initiatives underway and this course has really changed the way I look at these projects. I know that my input or my questions, while not always welcome, are more valuable.
As well as make me a more aware user of technology, I have also been able to develop many practical skills. I did learn how to set up a Moodle site, maybe rather basic, but I can find my way around one now. In fact I set up two this term; one in ETEC 510 on Social Networking and one in 565 on Digital Storytelling. I did not learn as much code as I would have liked to as the browser Firefox that I was using used WYSIWYG, so I didn’t need to use code. I have bookmarked many great resources on HTML and CSS so I can work on this over the summer. I did learn a great deal about many social networking sites, spending time exploring FaceBook, Twitter, Flickr, and Ning. My greatest growth has been in multi-media skills especially in video editing. I have been working on a video project in the video editing software Final Cut Express, and learn something new every day. Digital storytelling has also introduced me to several different programs Sony Vegas, Movie Maker and iMovie. I also spent a bit of time working with Photoshop on a bit of editing, but not nearly as much as I would like. Flash was also a dream for another day. Mobile phones were utilized throughout the term in a variety of ways. I look forward to experimenting with them in my class next year.
Tools for meeting many of my flight plan goals were provided in the eLearning tool kit. I managed to work my way through several of them, especially those that I needed at the moment, visiting the Moodle tools and wiki tools often. I didn’t have a chance to work my way through the web design tools, but I have bookmarked these tools for summer work.
Google Wave is the synchronous tool that I found particularly useful, allowing me to collaborate with teams in all three of my met courses. I did try Skype and Maratech but connectivity is not great in my rural area.
Social Networking and collaboration was the focus of a Moodle project that I completed for ETEC 510. Hours of research on these sites as well as weblogs were incorporated into this course. It was a huge eye-opener for me and one that has forever altered my understanding of these sites. When I return to school in the fall, I will lobby very hard for more access to social networking sites if for no other reason than our students need to be educated about them. That’s a whole other blog!
Next to the Moodle tools I found the wiki tools the most helpful. Having to develop a wiki entry for ETEC 510 and contribute to one in ETEC 565. I found the examples and resources particularity helpful in this toolbox.
I worked through several tutorials in multi-media but I have many more tutorials that I must work through to be come a master. I found most of them were best accessed on an “as-needed” basis. I only wished I had many more hours in a day to explore all these tools. This summer I intend on taking advantage of some one-on-one sessions offered by Apple and work on some multi-media skills especially in Garage Band.
Digital storytelling has had the biggest impact on my growth this term. Although I didn’t know it had a name, it is something I have always been interested in but have been using it both in my math and language arts classes. My experiences this term have legitimized digital storytelling as a powerful learning tool. I will focus on developing the skills I need to help me be an effective digital storytelling facilitator. I have already attended a three-day workshop on digital storytelling put on by the Center for Digital Storytelling, and I will participate in their 5 day training session in August. Next week I have the opportunity to participate in a docu-drama session put on by Bernajean Porter, the author of DigiTales. This session will focus on digital stories in the social and science classrooms and should be really exciting.
Oh and I didn’t become an expert instructional designer this term either- but I have managed to organize an internship with a local college in their instructional design department for the month of May. I am hoping to see what it is like to work with a real team of instructional designers, and perhaps pick up a few new skills.
It is my hope that when I return to my classroom in September that I will be able to use some of my new knowledge to create an exciting and engaging learning space for my students and me. And who knows. Maybe I’ll get to do the same in Africa in the not-to-distant future.