First on the list were the ISTE NETS*T Standards. I am quickly learning through my graduate degree that there are standards for everything! It was both helpful and interesting to learn what is expected of me as a teacher in regards to technology. I loved that it was short and sweet, yet oh - so insightful. I have kept record of this document, and plan on looking back at it frequently to measure my compliance and progress. The only challenges that I anticipate with this is that I will criticize myself too harshly. Easing up on myself is a lesson that I need to learn, too much of a perfectionist I suppose! I will look to overcome these challenges by simply making goals for myself - whether it be daily, weekly, or monthly. Anything is possible!
The second set of information that I found extremely helpful and I will put into effect ASAP is eBooks. How wonderful is the thought of going to the internet to find the perfect book to fit your lesson? I think it is one of the best inventions ever! I have found that while my school library is stocked pretty well, there are also modern books that fit lessons perfectly. The resource of eBooks fills this need beautifully, and they are easily accessible!! This is something that I will definitely use in the future! A challenge that may come with this wonderful resource is the wide choice of options. Is that really a challenge you say? I anticipate it to be, I love books and imagine myself choosing five when one would suffice. I feel that proper planning and reading reviews of books would help me to narrow down my choices!
The third and final nugget of information that I found golden was the use of podcasts in a school setting. I have listened to podcasts before for travel information and general discussions of trips, but never before did it enter my mind what a wonderful addition they would be in a classroom. I can just imagine the excitement that my students would feel over listening to a podcast pertaining to their subject. It seems like a great way to facilitate engagement as well as excitement in the classroom. I think that it will also help those who learn best from hearing their information. It will keep them engaged, and when told from a different source, may also help the information click in their minds. A challenge that I see with this resource would possibly be the lack of credible and interesting podcasts. At the elementary age, it takes a lot for students to be fully engaged and interested. I would overcome this issue by possibly creating my own, or diving into deep research for interesting yet informational podcasts.
If this first week is just a preview into the information that we will obtain in EDOL 533, I am super excited! I already feel more prepared and relieved about incorporating more technology into my classroom!
***Find my Tech Exploration Worksheets attached below!***
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