Bitter Sweet Endings....

My view of instructional technology has changed dramatically over the course of this semester. When I first came into this technology class, I assumed that most of the technology we were going to learn was about SMART-BOARDS and the use of those in a classroom. I had no idea of this new generation of technological pieces that we could use in our classrooms. Wikis, Blogs, Google Docs, and many more are site and resources I had never really heard of or thought to use in a classroom. But after seeing the amount of collaboration and teamwork that was used for these pieces, I found it is a great way for students to reflect and respond to many different topics throughout a year that I think are beneficial. We live in a technology savvy world and to keep up with those demands in the classroom is amazing. I think that students will really appreciate the use of non-paper and pencil or chalkboard teaching methods that i have learned this semester. Each new site or resource I found is just another way to reach my students at many different angles. 

The quality and appropriateness of what I have learned and created this semester  is on key. I have learned very appropriate and fundamental resources that can help make my classroom a more user-friendly and interactive classroom. There are now so many ways to do an "About me" ice-breaker introduction in a classroom or new forums for group discussions that I never thought were possible. The work I did is just a reflection of how easy it is to pick up on these new technology tools and use them to help further your educational expertise in an area.    I feel that all students can add new dimensions to their learning from trying some of the technology items we learned in class this semester. 

Moving forward with technology, I find myself feeling solid. When I first started this class 6 weeks ago, I thought I knew a decent amount about technology and I still do. I just have added so many new items to go forward with and use and improve myself. I think it will only help me become a better teacher by continuing to push myself with new technology tools and incorporate them into my future classrooms. They will not always be easy and fun to try out, and sometimes not work the way I want them to, but I feel that with time and patience that I can make it work for my students. Technology is the future, and to actually be able to use it effectively in class is something I will truly strive for in my future.