Education Technology - Final Thoughts

Education technology has been a course that has both challenged me and excited me with its potential. Through in-depth assignments and opportunities to practice with new technology I have gained new skills and become more confident using programs I was already familiar with. I would not call myself an expert in the field, but I have certainly gained a skill-set that will benefit my students and myself in the classroom.

Before EdTech my social media involvement was limited. I learned that there are many ways to connect with other teachers online and that social media sites are great places for learning and sharing with each other. I was surprised to find important educational figures active on websites like Twitter and I was interested in all of the resource sharing that look place on these platforms.

I have only begun to scrape the surface of the education technology world. There is amazing potential for teaching and learning when technology is used well in the classroom. Technology also has the potential to make my job as a teacher easier if I use it smartly for storing, creating and sharing. I will continue to hone my technological skills as I advance my career and I expect that some things will get easier with time. It is important as a modern educator to be proficient with technology so that I can help prepare my students for the increasingly tech filled world.

Google apps provided me with my biggest “a ha!” moments. It seems like the Google Suite provides apps for everything! Edtech provided me with my first Google Classroom experience. The idea that I could retrieve and submit documents in such an easy way was an excellent discovery. Even brief introductions by our guest speaker to apps like Google Earth and Google Arts and Culture blew me away. The potential for world exploration with students was something that completely overwhelmed me! I can’t wait to travel to far off locations with my young students and explore famous paintings for inspiration, so amazing!

I would really like to learn more about how to create a digital escape room. I feel like the engagement and collaboration that this could offer classrooms is huge! Students love to use technology, and I feel like this would be such a great way to solidify concepts while making the experience fun and memorable for students.

There is no end to the tech potential in our future and it is important that educators are well versed in products that can enhance their productivity and teaching potential. I am thankful that I was able to learn new skills in a dedicated environment that allowed me to practice and gain confidence.

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