Skills Learned

I am very happy about what I learned while taking this course.  First of all, I have to admit that I would have not learned most of the tools on my own, or through just catching on as in the past.  I learned the terminology and simpler programs first, they were built upon later in the semester.  The most important skill of all was the ability to problem solve and not give up.  I gained some confidence as a result of my teacher's expectations and assignments.  There were many sources of technology introduced and covered during this course.  Staying willing to investigate and try new things was crucial.  I liked the idea of having a choice when we set up various sites or accounts.  I chose what I felt more comfortable using.  I am looking forward to during this break, practicing and spending more time developing the skills that I have learned.  Like my teacher said, I have to plug away at some of these tools inorder to become faster and more knowledgable.  I feel very comfortable using Excel, Powerpoint, blogging, and using the Whiteboard.  If it were not for this course I would have not known that bookmarking and free websites exsisted.  I believe I have come to a place where I would be willing to use technology in the classroom because it is challenging and rewarding.  Students could benefit as a result of learning through technology, just like me.  They can develop skills beyond the classroom, that will assist them in life.    

E-Portfolio address/ What did I Learn?

My address is http://edufortomorrow.webnode.com/  I have learned from this class how to persevere and problem solve better.  I believe this will make me a more effective teacher because I will be willing to go the extra mile for my students.  I believe that the perfect lesson plan and the time involved in creating one, that will be effective, is worth the time and effort.  I will make a conscious effort to integrate technology, mostly because I know that this is something that will engage students and make learning interesting and fun.  I have learned that today's students are requiring more initiative from the teachers to be willing to include technology into the classroom.  Students use technology everyday and since there are so many creative ways to teach through technology, I say "why not"?  I feel comfortable with alot of different ways of using technology to teach.  I will need to continue to investigate and stay willing to learn new methods and techniques thay will teach and engage students.

Peer Presentations

I enjoyed the peer presentations because they demonstrated everyone's creativity and interests.  Based on the articles people chose, they presented the information to us through mostly Powerpoint.  I especially enjoyed seeing what different people did.  My favorite was when a student used the Interactive Whiteboard to get the information across to us.  I learned the importance of knowing your technology tool well when you are presenting, the importance of practicing a presentation, and picking topics that are not wordy and complex, would be a plus when delivering information to others.