Flight Path

A bit about me

I graduated (BSc) from UPEI in 1999 with a major in biology, and in 2001 (BEd) with a focus on secondary education. My intent was to teach high school science, particularly biology. After my ’01 grad, my first teaching contract was grade two language arts, and I have been off my intended path ever since. One thing that has become an unintended  strength of mine, though, is technology.

In high school, we only used computers in typing class. The first time I ever used e-mail was 1995, when I entered university. I don’t think I ever used a floppy disk to save something until, perhaps, 1999. Between 1999 and 2001, I took two tech courses as part of my BEd degree. While I felt they didn’t stretch me, they did give me a lot of good things to build on, and I grew a lot. Since then, tech and I have been pretty close.

Getting caught up in NETS

I always wonder about what I do with technology, and how “good” it is. Reading the NETS framework got me thinking with more focus about my own practices. I think I facilitate learning and creativity fairly well, but my facilitation may be more of a surface thing… in that I’m there just to help them trouble-shoot, come up with ideas, and generally help out. I’d like to find out where I sit there. I do not design and develop too many of my own original, ground-breaking assignments. Many things I give to my students are familiar and doable. Many come right from our province’s technology outcomes / guide, or are inspired by it. Some I just find. As for assessments, I basically assess on what I observe, as well as their skills. My students don’t get a percent grade most of the time. I know I can model digital-age work and learning more… especially during instruction. I do try to enforce / emphasize digital citizenship and responsibility… mostly in care for equipment, respecting others in the lab and / or online, and respecting (most) copyright laws. I do very much engage in professional growth and leadership. I am my school’s STC, and try to share and help with tech in my school as much as time permits / people desire. Taking this program, workshops during the year and on my own time, as well as just tinkering at home all help to make me better at what I do.

My goals in taking this course / program:

• To get better at finding / creating / using larger, more meaningful projects
• To find better ways of doing what I already do or want to do… to be sure I’m doing what’s best, and for the right reasons.
• To learn how to use different types of technologies. To be more informed so that I have no doubt in my mind that I am doing meaningful things for solid reasons.
• How to decide which type of technology or program lends itself best to a particular goal or activity.
• To learn about a few new-to-me things like CSS and Moodle. I want to keep my site-making skills more current, and am interested in the idea of putting components of classes online.
• To eventually have a shift in employment! I’d love to work at the Department again or do something with my skills that isn’t in the classroom.