Tools

This class opened my eyes to a number of different tools that I wasn't aware were out there. This was my first exposure to Skype. I knew such programs existed, but I didn't know they were so easy to use or that they were available for free. The Flip is a tool that I can see myself using as a teacher, coach, and administrator. (as of yesterday, they are available on Amazon.com for $69.99 for 30-minute recording capability and $114 for 60-minute recording capability, by the way). After discussion during class, I have found that my school is somewhere near the middle of the pack when it comes to technology use and availability.

Last Weekend

I really got a lot out of this class. Most of the technology I was at least familiar with, but it was nice to see the many ways different people use the technology. I was fortunate enough to be advised to take this class early in the program. I think that this class (or one similar) should be periodically required (maybe as a PD requirement before certificate renewal) for all teachers to stay up to date on the ever changing world of educational technology. Congratulations to those who are done with the program and thanks for the food last weekend.

Sunday - Websites and Flip Cam

I was interested in the many websites that we looked at on Sunday. Each one has great links or tools that can be benificial as an administrator. You can find lots of professional development. There are job search engines as well as many other tools. This will be a great resource for me.

I really need to get a flip cam or have the school get a flip cam. It would be a great tool to use to show other teachers, administrators, students, and parents what the students are doing in school or classroom. It will be easy to put it in the computer and add it to a school or classroom website. So many things go on in a school such as assemblies and other important events that parents sometimes miss out on. The flip cam would be a great tool for those situations. What a fun and amazing tool to use in the school.

Saturday - Pod Cast

I found the podcast easy and fun to use. I feel like it can be a great tool to use as an administrator. I would primarily use it as a tool to put on the schools website that would allow announcements, concerns, or other important information that would be communicated better verbally. It would also be benificial to show the teachers how to use it and they can use the podcast for students that are absent or for instructions to homework on their classroom websites. The more I work with podcasting, the more I will feel comfortable with it and use it. It is a great tool for schools.

Sunday - The Last Class

WOW! This class (518) was amazing! So much to learn and so little time to learn it in. This class forced me to jump into Blogs, Wiki's and Podcasts, all of which will come in handy, I'm sure, one day down the road. I have to admit that at first I was intimidated by the list of assignments for this class. By completing some of them in class, my tension was eased and I learned so much. The multimedia presentation was a really neat way for us to use so much of what we learned and put it together as a useful presentation. Thanks for a great learning experience.

Saturday

Today I helped to create my first podcast. Frustrating as it was, it was a learning experience that I enjoyed. I can see how purposeful they can be. I plan on using them in my classroom. Now, when I assign a podcast in my social studies classes, I can help them if they run into the same issues that my group came up against. I am looking forward to experimenting with many of the features attached to Audacity. However, I would also like to visit Garageband to check out the differences.

Final Class

I enjoyed taking this class. One of the major reasons was because of how much of what we learned was applicable to us not only in the future as administrators, but also now as teachers. I consider myself fairly comfortable using technology; however, I can say that prior to this class I didn’t know how to make a podcast, blog, or wiki page. These are all things I can use in the future and am glad I learned. I’ve also realized that it is important to be patient when technology doesn’t work, or at the least, not lose your patience in front of your students or staff. They will look to us as a leader and our frustration isn’t likely to do them any good. If we keep our cool and work at solving problems, there is a good chance we can figure things out. Thanks Dr. Closen for sending me the reminder e-mail about posting, not getting frustrated, and showing us how to use the technology.