EDLD+5364+Final+Assessment

1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned? Every time this question comes around, I have no idea how to answer it. I don't know that I envisioned any outcomes. Teaching with Technology - ok great. I do that daily with my Yearbook class. However, I realize that I don't. What I did achieve was a new awareness of how the tools out there can help me reach my difficult students. Beyond just Google searches and Powerpoints, kids can really interact. I really liked the Bookbuilder site.

2. To the extent that you achived the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not? I really get that students like to use technology and want to use more. Where I find it daunting is in the planning. It takes a lot more prep work than I currently dedicate to lesson plans. I see the disservice and aim to change it. The outcomes, to include building a Google Site that others can access, will work great in the job that I do. I am a little spoiled, in that my content is not a TAKS'ed subject. So I get a little lee-way and a little more freedom to experiment with these technology tools. I see my role that I can experiment, work out the kinks, and then teach other teachers (through informal, or formal professional development) how to incorporate. I actually think that is the whole purpose of the degree program.

3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them? I think that I achieved everything that I set out to, and that was presented in front of me.

4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you? I have been doing these courses for about a year. This is the first course that I really paced myself well. It helped that I had someone who was counting on me on a weekly basis. Honestly I think I gave up on the discussion board during week 4 due to school/job projects, but I tried to focus on getting the assignment completed. I'd like to say that it was overwhelming to do the readings and the videos during this time of year. However, I don't think that the timing would be any different any other time of year!

What was discouraging was reading or watching about these new technologies and tools, and realizing that I wasn't using them. To go to work the next day, and see what the lesson plan was, and how it could be better, was discouraging. I automatically disliked whatever I was teaching that day because I wanted to do something different, but didn't have the time! It really took me a few weeks to get over that. We are not meant to implement this instantaneously, but to consider it as another too to be used in the future.

5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes? I was very nervous having to work with another person that I have never met, and may never meet! I think though, that Natasha and I worked pretty well together! I learned that collaborating long-distance is not that daunting of a task with all of our technology tools! I would even be willing to try it again! It was nice to be able to start small with just one person. I understand that it was desired that groups be larger, however I feel it was much more manageable with two. We were able to communicate and share frequently using the Google Docs, Gmail, and even IM'ing a few times for instant communication.