Final+Assessment+for+Teaching+with+Technology

1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned? I had envisioned learning software applications that I could use in a classroom as well as general technical skills that could be shared with students and teachers. I had also envisioned more individual projects that required classroom application during the week. I feel that I did not achieve the outcomes I had envisioned, but gained a much more helpful set of skills. Although the course outcomes did not directly align with my envisioned ones several of the readings did help me acquire some technical skills. The group project did challenge me in ways that I had not expected. The skills that were addressed in the course will definitely be useful to me in my everyday work.    2. To the extent that you achived the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?  The skills I have learned during the course will apply to my work. I am in and out of classrooms working with teachers in order to improve student learning. I have already begun giving teachers resources from the readings and videos. I have also been able to brainstorm ways to bring technology into the classroom in small steps that will help teachers feel comfortable. There are a few ideas presented in the course that will not be applied to my current situation. Most of that is due to current technology policies and firewalls. At this time, I will begin introducing a few simulation games such a Build Your Own House. This will definitely be an idea that most of my faculty will not accept with open arms. I can foresee integrating more from this class through small steps.    3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?  During the process of the class, I did not learn as many technical skills as I had envisioned. This was due to the fact that the majority of assignments were in applications that I am already familiar with. I was also unable to implement some of the ideas with my students due to the holiday schedules and other projects already in progress in their classes. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">I feel that I was successful in completing the majority of assignments. I struggled with some aspects of the group project from week to week. My group and I felt that some of the instructions and rubric criteria were too vague. This made it difficult to know what exactly was needed for the assignment. Time management also played a part in completing assignments. Several of us had busy schedules during the holidays which made coordinating the project timeline more difficult. Throughout the past weeks, I have been packing in order to move to Alabama. This did not cause me to miss assignments, but I feel that I could have been more focused and turned in better quality work. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes? <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">I have learned that I need to be more open-minded when assessing new technologies. I will have to take a step back and consider the possibilities instead of focusing on the negatives. I have also learned that once I find the possibilities of new technologies, I become more enthusiastic which then spreads to other staff members. I have the power to help influence the attitudes of others! This seems like such a new concept every time I see it in action. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">I have always been a leader and it was difficult to give that up during the group project. I have recently begun to realize that sometimes I need to step back and learn from others. When I do step back, I am able to see better results and more learning on my part.