Module 8 Reflection:

Of everything you have learned, what do you think will have the biggest impact on student learning?

I think the most influential thing I have learned during this course is how I will go about assessing my students via a rubric. Until taking Educational Technology I was unfamiliar with making graphs and charts. By providing my own students with a rubric, they will understand what is expected of them throughout the year with assignments, testing, and projects.
I also learned a good deal by making my quiz/game. I think the use of hyperlinks are important and convenient ways to send my parents links to new information online (via email). Another great quality that this class really enforced was familiarizing me with LiveText. I really had no clue what I was looking at when I would open my page before taking this class. I was forever calling the help line or asking another student for assistance. By opening this program daily, I have become more familiar with how to navigate this site.

Module 6 Reflection:

This module has really given me the opportunity to reflect on ways I can help my students stay organized. As an elementary school teacher, I realize that projects can become confusing for the students especially when there are many different items they must implement into one project. Making a checklist for the students not only helps my students with special needs but all students maintain an organized system that enables them to be the best student they can be.

Module 5 Reflection:

This module has helped me think about student-centered assessment in the following ways: do I want them to be able to collaborate on this project, what kind of skills am I looking for specifically?
Some sample skills that need to be addressed is whether they have fully digested the information learned in the classroom. This project and rubric should allow me, as the teacher, to assess each individual students' understanding of the material.

Module 4 Reflection:

This module has really given me a sense of what content I would require for my students' projects for this unit. Not only has it given me an insight into further education on PowerPoint but it also made me reflect on questions regarding the resources that are and are not available at home. Do my students have home computers with which for create a slideshow? This has allowed me to cushion time for them within our classroom to work on the project assigned.

Module 3

This module has helped me think about the impact of the Internet on my students’ learning in the following ways…how I will use online sites in a collaborative effort and how I will supervise the sites. Monitoring the world wide web is a great concern to me as most parents restrict its use for their children.

Module 2 Reflection

Module 2 really showed me some more insights into how to create quizzes for students within powerpoint. I really didn't know as much about hyperlink as I do now. Upon my own discovery, I also learned how to link sounds to hyperlink buttons.

CFQs have given me a better idea of what direction my unit will go. It has allowed me to understand the big idea of my unit as well as narrow my lesson with each question.

Module 1 Reflection

During my publication assignment for Module 1, I learned many important qualities that project-based learning (PBL) provides. Most children typically relate to any subject matter that can reflect real-life experiences. This enables the student to better retain the information because they have actually been able to manipulate and use higher critical thinking skills. Combining that with an authenticity in the lesson plan itself creates motivation for the 21st century student.

There are many benefits of project use within the classroom. It begins with a sense of community where there is no fear to share new ideas and supplies. Group work also enables the students to bounce ideas off one another and collaboratively come up with predictions and/or solutions. Exposing technology to the student enhances their knowledge of the world wide web and other various tools they will need not only for future schoolroom purposes, but also in the workforce. With a student-centered (teacher-facilitated) classroom, each child has an increased opportunity to use their imagination and come up with fun, exciting theories to complete the group project.

My publication also gave me the chance to to reflect on how I would communicate with the parents. How much information should they be privy to and how will I go about keeping them informed? Weekly or biweekly newsletters home are great forms of communication and involving the parents. This also gives them an idea of what is expected of them for each project because not all aspects of a particular project might be put into action during school hours. It is also imperative that parents help contribute to school supplies for each project. I also included a vocabulary section in my mock newsletter and reminded the parents to review them whenever possible because children are little spunges that absorb more real-life experiences. For me, Module 1 has enlightened me on the importance of project-based learning not only its importance inside the classroom, but also communication student to student and teacher to parent.