EDTECH 513 Introduction

It's great to be sharing this blog space with all of you. I've been looking forward to taking this class since I first saw it in the EDTECH course catalog. Like most EDTECH classes, it promises a healthy mix of theory and practice. I'm looking forward to dabbling in both familiar and unfamiliar multimedia technologies this semester, and hope that with the knowledge we can acquire about how people learn, we'll be able to create multimedia content that's both engaging and effective.

I am in my eighth year of teaching high school English and Journalism. Over the years I've been acquiring classroom computers. I now have 25 workstations in my room (17 PCs and 8 netbooks), so I've really been able to apply cloud and social media tools (Google Docs, Blogger, Twitter, YouTube) into my pedagogy. It's still a work in progress, and there are usually weekly glitches we need to overcome, but I feel that as a whole, my students and I are able to be more productive because of the way we've integrated technology into the classroom.

Below is a vocabulary video I created earlier in the year as an exemplar for a new assignment designed to teach vocabulary in a meaningful way. While the students have done a nice job creating their own videos, part of me thinks the assignment could benefit from some refinement, so the videos max out at one minute, rather than two. I'm optimistic that I'll learn something this semester that will give me insights into how I can make this assignment (and others) more effective.

P.S. Before I read about this assignment, I posted comments on most of your profiles on the Moodle page. This looks like a great mix of students. I'm especially excited to have a couple of English teachers as colleagues this semester. I look forward to learning about ways you've integrated EDTECH into your curriculum, and hopefully trying out some of your ideas in my own classroom. Cheers!

The EDTECH Program at Boise State

EDTECH 502 Reflection

(Originally posted May 3, 2010)

While at times it had been a struggle, and there were a few moments when I questioned the necessity of learning the language of coders, I can now say that EDTECH 502: Internet for Educators has given me sufficient skills to create and edit websites for academic and personal purposes.
Learning HTML and CSS was nothing short of becoming immersed in a second language. While it took me a little while to overcome my resistance, the more I worked with code, the more familiar it became, and the easier it got.  It’s been nice to look back at my body of work for this class and see the gradual improvements and accumulation of skills and concepts.

While I’ve acquired the ability to write in code language, I’ve also become familiar with the theory and design behind visually appealing and effective websites. I appreciated this aspect of the class, as it were as if I was an architect, building a digital creation that needed to be accessible and functional for my users. Thanks to exposure to programs like Adobe Dreamweaver and Fireworks, I gained experience with some of the tools of the graphic designer trade.

I look forward to applying the knowledge gained from this course to future projects and Internet-based creations.

Creative Commons Image by Ashley on Flickr

EDTECH 501 Reflection

 (originally posted May 2, 2010)

With the first required course of my Master of Educational Technology degree nearly complete, I can safely proclaim my experience as a student in EDTECH 501: Introduction to Educational Technology a success. From learning how to navigate the Moodle platform and creating a WordPress blog to researching technology use plans and gathering research on the need for technology integration in schools, the course has provided me a with a healthy balance of practical skills and theory.

As a high school English teacher and former newspaper journalist, I am accustomed to producing documents and providing instruction in MLA (Modern Language Association) and AP (Associated Press) format. This course was my first exposure to APA (American Psychological Association) style. Being required to learn a new style helped me to empathize with my students, who are often exposed to MLA and AP styles for the first time in my classes.

Having taken online graduate classes before for my Master of English Education degree, I was fully aware of the self-discipline needed to succeed in an online class. What I wasn’t prepared for was the tedious balancing act required to succeed in two graduate classes, while also maintaining my responsibilities as a teacher of five high school language arts classes. While it has been challenging, I’ve managed to stay on the tightrope, and am happy to say that the end is in sight.

Creative Commons Image by racoles on Flickr