Reflection on Changes in Patterns of Technology Use

As I reflect on this week’s blog assignment, I find it difficult to really identify specific changes that have occured during this class – mostly because my thoughts, and ideas about technology and its use in schools has been slowly evolving since I entered the Instructional Technology program at Lehigh. I have to admit I used to think I was doing a pretty good job of integrating technology when I was a fourth grade teacher. Looking back now, I realize that although my students were using a lot of technology with me it mostly consisted of “end products” to show what they were learning or had learned. We used the Internet for research, and made a lot of PowerPoint slideshows. As I’ve moved through my courses here at Lehigh, I’ve begun to understand how important it is to use technology to support student learn by helping them to see and make connections, organize ideas, compare and contrast, and eventually to think more critically. Technology is one more tool that an educator can use to scaffold students’ learning so that every student can be sucessful.

This course has given me a better appreciation for the variety of tools that are out there – many of the presentations have been about tools I knew nothing (or little) about. Because of the understanding I gained through Alex’s presentation, I plan to further investigate the use of RSS feeds as a tool for my own use. Actually, I like the whole idea of the “Tools Presentations” and I’ve talked to my principal about doing something similar on a monthly basis so that our teachers can share about the technology tools/resources they have found to be useful and how they are using them. So often teachers feel like “I don’t have time to learn about every new thing out there,” but if they can see how specific technolgy is being used right in our own building they might be more willing to give it a try – especially if they know there is someone close by to walk them through the potential pitfalls!