Final Reflection - Journal #5

As we move into the end of the semester I have come to learn and realize many new things about technology and teaching in the classroom. My first ambitions for the class were directed in a different direction. I thought that the content of this course was going to go in a different; focusing more on how we, as teachers, would use technology in the classroom. However, the course took me in the direction of preparing myself for different ways, cognitively, how I could use technology in the classroom. I never thought about the implications or differences using a particular technology tool would affect a student. By choosing a teaching method I believe and should stick with, will help me in using technology in the classroom.
Although, the course content did not take me in the directions I intended, it will helped me greatly to identify something I never realized existed. Teaching everyday while taking this course has made me realize that integrating technology into the classroom will be a little more difficult than I had anticipated. Especially depending on the teaching theory I plan to incorporate into my classroom. This course helped me to be prepared for the amount of work it will take for me to deal with my school and school district to try and get me the proper equipment to help students construct more of their own knowledge.
This class has showed me a new light both as a teacher an online learner, and a technology integrator. I am thankful I was able to do so well in the class. Online learning has given me more than I could have taken away from in a sit-down classroom. Thanks! :o)

Journal #4

Another day...another blog. Well, class is starting to become more difficult as the semester begins to come to an end. However, things are going well. My partner and I have been working on our project and have come to contacting one another when we don't understand something from the course. It is definitely nice to discuss out loud our thoughts and frustrations with one another.
Nothing really is "not going well" for me...yet. I stiull have contact feeling of starting to fall behind; however, I have been able to keep up with a couple of long nights, and so far everything has worked out perfectly.
At this point in time I don't feel I have any frustrations. Only that time goes by too quickly. :o)
I finished my concept map for my content area and I was very pleased with it. My first concept map I created over constructivism was very frustrating and confusing, but this time I seem to grasp the concept much better. I think it was mostly because itg was over a topic that I am very familiar with, unlike the constructivism when we first started.
Life was grand as an online learner until 2 weeks ago when I moved and now do not have cable internet. I have been using dial up the last 2 days and HATE IT!!! It'll be much better when our HOA decides to make a deal with Cox and we can finally have cable internet and TV (can you believe I have not watched any TV in 2 weeks!?). Thanks!

Journal #3

As my online course goes on, I find myself thankful every time I am on the classroom site for the flexibility in completing my assignments. I now can't imagine having to go to a sitedown classroom at a set time with my busy and hectic schedule. I can't seem to say it enough how much I enjoy the freedom and flexibility of an online class. This is what is going well with me all throughout the course. Working with my partner, John, has also been a pleasure. He is a hard worker and I am thankful he is helpful and inquizitive.
Although my partner, has been very helpful, I also find myself, at times, becoming annoyed with him. It is good that he is quizzical and asks lots of questions, but a lot of the time I feel like I have to exaplin things to him multiple times even though it is written directly on the classroom website. Sometimes, I just don't understand why he can't find the answers himself or understand them as we are discussing them. He means well, I respect that.
I have found myself becoming more and more frustrated with the set-up of the classroom website. There will be times I know an assignment is due, but will have basically no clue how to complete the assignment. For example, today our Excel assignment was due. Now, even though it explained to a limited extend what needed to be done in our group project exaplanation, in the rubric it discussed an "analysis." I really had no clue what was expected of me for this analysis, especially when I saw there were to be some sort of claculations. Calculations for what? I looked and looked, and never found an answer. Through reading the rubruc and group project explanation I guessed it had to determine whether the school was a "Meeting School" or "Exceeding School", or what. This is what I ended up doing on my assignment I hope it is correct.
My recent accomplishment was the excellent grade I received on my Editorial. I was so please with the praise I was given by my instructor. I love the way positive comments make a person feel inside. :o)
Again life as an online learner has been great. I truly enjoy the challenges it faces me with as well as the interaction with various people all over the state. :o) Thanks!

Journal #2

As the semester moves on, I am starting to find myself, not really struggling with my work, but definitely being challenged.
It's nice to feel like I am doing something well when my partner comes to me for questions over our assignments. I also definitely got a huge boost when I did well on my Scholarly Writing Assignment, even after not being prepared for it as much as I wanted.
In my last journal, I talked about having difficulties with one of our group members not participating as much as we needed her to. It was a difficult decision, but ultimately, asking her to be removed from our group helped to take off some stress. We never did hear anything from her ever again.
Frustrations now are focused on the presentation project. My partner and I have had many questions and needed clarification from the instructor on some things. I posted these questions in our chat summary and even emailed the instructor separately to please reply as soon as possible, but I am afraid that these questions won't be answer before she leaves town. Hopefully, we'll be able to survive the week not knowing the answers to these questions. I know some people may say that because this is an online course, the professor should still be able to respond. But, come on, how many people like/even remember, to do work while they are out of town; whether it be business or pleasure? :o)
Like I said earlier, my biggest accomplishment so far was doing well on my paper. The only part I lost the most points on, was my paper format. I'm a high school English teacher and I am so in tuned to the MLA format. Being asked to write in APA, truthfully, freaked me out. I am not familiar with that style and although I tried researching the format and presenting it the best I thought I knew how, it didn't seem to be enough. That's really okay though, it is something that I will need to work on and should be an easy fix.
My life as an online learner hasn't changed much. I find myself checking the class site throughout the day; whether, I am at work or home, just to see if I've received email or have missed assignment that is due soon. I really am grateful for the opportunity to further my education from the comfort of my own home. :o)

Journal #1½

As I was going back through the syllabus to ensure I did my blog journal correctly, I noticed I did not, and forgot to answer the posed questions. So, please see this journal as a continuation of Journal #1. :o)

So far, the course has been going well. I do have to admit the scholarly writing assignment snuck up on me and I was not as prepared for it as I had planned to. I also have to admit I felt overwhelmed when I noticed not only was the paper due Monday, but also a couple of other assignments. I felt that with such an important assignment as a paper it should be the only thing due on that day and the other assignments due another day. But, I understand I had 3 weeks to work on the paper and other assignments, which really is more than enough time to have everything completed.

I am having some frustrations that my team members have not been communicating with me as much as I would like them to, one in particular. But, I am trying my hardest to get us all to meet at a specified time to begin the team work assignments.

Some of my accomplishments that I am proud of are staying on task with the assigned reading. In high school and in my undergraduate courses I had a bad habit of not completely my assigned reading. But, after becoming as teacher and experiencing the frustrations of students not reading, I vowed to always complete my assigned reading in this course...and I have!! (so far...) ;o)

Being an online learner has proved to have its difficulties; however, with all the wonderful things going on in my life right now, it has helped TREMENDOUSLY having flexibility in completing my assignments and not having a scheduled class time I am required to attend.
I plan to continue working hard and I am determined not to fall behind.

Journal #1

As a first time blogger, I have tried to make myself more
familiar with the practice of "blogging" in the classroom. Looking
through different class blogs I have realized there lots of pros and cons of
having classroom blogs. Below is a list of pros and cons for incorporating
blogs into the classroom:



Pros

• Very easy for teachers to create and update


• Accessible at home or library


• It's something new and different for students, therefore it's a good motivator for students


• Provides opportunities for students to read and write more


• Blogs provide opportunities for discussion and collaboration


• Teachers are able to inform students of class requirements


• Teachers can post homework assignments


• Teachers can post hand-outs


• Teachers can post school notices


• Blogs create digital student portfolios where assignments can be automatically archived


• Blogs are incentives for students to write better because more people will be reading their works.


• Teachers can create lessons that students can answer questions at their own leisure and navigate through different hyperlinks; constructing knowledge as they good.

Cons

• Not all students have a computer at home to access blogs from


• Teachers need to make sure that they adhere to their school districts guidelines about student work being publically published.


• Teachers need to make sure and enforce school technology agreements about appropriate and safe online etiquette.


• Students may post hurtful criticism about other students' work.


• Teachers need to take additional time out of their instruction to teach students how to create and use blogs.

As you can see, I have come to find out there are more pros
than cons for having classroom blogs. However, the cons have very high
penalties if not followed properly within each school and school district.



Overall, I think using blogs in the classroom is a revolutionary idea. I think
it works great for college students (whom most likely will have a personal
computer), but unfortunately, not many high schools are lucky enough to have
unlimited computer access in the classroom. Most schools have computers labs
that teachers are forced to share with other faculty members, causing
"blogging" to be a little more difficult.

Creating a Blog

Well, this is my very first time ever creating a blog. I am currently taking a class at Northern Arizona University that requires me to create a web log journal of my experiences in this class. So far my experience as has been pleasant, but I have to admit trying to find a free "educational blog" turned out to be a little difficult. I thought I found one at ebn.com; however, it was a confusing site to navigate through and I wasn't sure what I was doing (even after exploring the site for over half an hour). So, I ended up finding blogger.com and it was MUCH easier. Here's to hoping everything goes well this semester! Cheers!