What I Learned This Quarter TIE300

   The first day of class, we were asked what we would rate ourselves in terms of computing. I remember very clearly that I gave myself a 5 out of 5 points. I thought I knew everything about technology and computers, but this class proved me wrong. I found it very challenging but exciting.

            I feel I have learned a lot this quarter. Some of the things I learned about were TPACK, Diigo, Twitter, Google Docs, VoiceThread, how to make videos, and the importance of technology in the classroom. These were some of the things I learned this quarter. There were many other important things I learned about, but these are the ones that I liked the most.

            This class opened my thoughts and expanded them. It enabled me to think beyond my comfort zone and reach even further. It helped me think out of the box and enabled me to think about technology in a completely new different way. This happened when I learned about TPACK. It showed me that education and technology should not be seen as separate, but interrelated. It gave me a new perspective about how technology can be and should be integrated into teaching.

            Another thing I learned about is to be organized. Before this class, I did not know how to manage websites. This quarter I learned about Diigo. This tool helped me stay organized with the websites I was using for different assignments, homework, and other personal things. Another thing that helped me stay organized is Twitter. I never imagined that this social site would help me stay informed about the latest information in an organized way. I created a list that helped me group people by interest instead of having everybody’s posts on the same page.

            Not only did I learn about how to be organized but about different important tools that will benefit me as a student. Some of these are Google Docs, Voicethread, and Prezi. Google Docs gave me the opportunity to create and edit documents anywhere. In addition, I learned that I could edit the documents, as many times as I want and they will automatically update. Another thing I used was VoiceThread. I think this might help me with some presentations. I can see myself using this tool to create videos and presentations with voice narrations. The last thing I used was Prezi. Although Prezi was not part of the assignments given in class, I had the opportunity to use it for my Smart Table presentation. I even added a video to it, something I had never tried before.

I learned a lot this quarter. These were the most memorable things I learned how to use. I also think that I will be using these tools in the future. Not only did I learn about new technological tools, but also about the importance of technology in the classroom. As a future teacher, I think it is very important to include technology in the classroom. This class gave me a better understanding of how important this is in today’s world. We are attached to technology; it has become the main way to connect to each other. As a teacher, I need to find ways to stay informed about the latest inventions and figure ways to incorporate them in my classroom. This will benefit the students who will be exposed to them at a very early age. This will also benefit others in the future who might learn from the children I teach today. Thanks to this class, I can see myself as a teacher who will integrate technology as much as possible in her classroom. 

Resources: 

Explore Diigo

Explore Voicethread

Explore Prezi and "start zooming!"