My tech skills were not highly advanced when I began this class, but I was not completely lacking them either. I'm fairly knowledgeable about Word, Promethean programs, and using the internet. The atomic learning survey led me to realize I needed to learn more about Excel and video editing.
Six weeks into this course, I think I've learned a great deal already. I've used atomic learning for tutorials on Promethean software in order to enhance my presentations. I'm also in the process of improving my spreadsheet and database skills using atomic learning. Earlier this week I gave a technology survey to my students. I'm in the process of organizing the data in a spreadsheet and database. Hopefully, I'll be able to share the results on the blog soon.
This course has made me think more about incorporating technology every few days. Through the textbooks, reading posts, and the e-mails I get from subscribing to technology sites, I've discovered a plethora of new technology ideas. I surveyed my students last week to see what technology they would like to use in class. I'm excited to start implementing some of their suggestions. I've also found I'm more willing to explore and figure things out with technology. In the past someone would recommend a website or I would have an idea, but I would file the suggestions or ideas away. Now I go directly to the site and check it out. The other day I though of a song the students would like that went along with the lesson. I immediately found the song on YouTube. Then I figured out how to turn a picture in my flipchart into an action button. When I clicked on the picture it launched the video! The students were impressed and I was excited.
Reading Angela's blog, I came up with an idea. One of the barriers to using technology for me is that the students don't have the technology skills we assume they do. I'm considering teaching a 5 minute lesson at the beginning of class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think my first topic will be opening and saving a file from Moodle. The second topic would be a few skills relating to formatting a document in Word that the students need for a project they will be doing. Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions?
I still have a great deal to learn, but I'm feeling more confident that I can do this.
Atomic learning helped you that much? I need to give it another try, then.
ReplyDeleteWhen you said you're more willing to try out websites first-hand, to me that's doubly great because it increases the likelihood of your students trying out websites first-hand!
And your right - Angela's blog is nothing short of enlightening.