Reflections on a GREAT class.

I have just finished a master's level class, through Walden University, that I feel was a great learning experience. The class is titled Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society. The instructor is Susan Webber.

In this course, I learned how to use and create podcasts, blogs, and wiki's. Before this class I had heard of all three of those ideas, but had never used or thought about using them personally or for teaching purposes. Now that I have had to use and create them I now have an idea for how to expand my class's idea of Physical Education.

This class has also deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process. As a Physical Education teacher, I used to only look at the physical aspect of learning and looking at all children mentally as similar. This class has shown me that today's 21st century learner comes to class with many different ideas and mental processes. That using those ideas I can use technology to reach children on many different levels and make my Physical Education class more than what the children expect when they walk into my classroom.

Throughout my educational life, I always thought that teacher-centered education was the way to teach. I used to believe that it was my job as teacher to have all the answers and to give those answers to my students. Also, that the only way they were going to learn something was if I told it to them. This class as broadened my ideas and thinking. I now know that it is better to be learner-centered. I now understand that today's children come to school with ideas, information and up to date knowledge. Through technology today's children have access to up to the minute information. I also understand that we, as teacher and student, can work together to find answers to questions that we my have as a class. That I don't have to have all the answers just guide them to discover them for themselves.

I plan to increase my knowledge of technology learning by taking part in technology workshops, offered by my county and outside of the educational system. I feel that by using and learning about the new technologies I can bring them to my students. This search of 21st century technology will ensure that my students will be ahead of the technology curve.

As a Physical Education teacher, I want to have a 21st century classroom just like other classrooms in America are striving to achieve. My goal is to be able to come up with more technological projects for my students. I was to use pedometers, along with other devices, and software to have the students understand movement, exercise, and how what they do or do not do everyday matters in the long journey of life. In order to achieve technology in my class, I plan to order what I need in small amounts so that in two years I can have a class set or more of technology materials. I know that my ideas won't have up-to the minute technology in my class, however it is the best I will be able to do.

When this class started, I believed that integrating technology in a classroom just meant using LCD projectors, Laptops, and PowerPoint. Now after completing this course, I understand that integrating technology means learning how to be learner-centered, learning how to be a facilitator instead of a lecturer, and learning that using technology can help a teacher reach so many different learning styles that lecturing can.

Students and Technology

I have created a podcast that discusses students and their feeling and attitudes about technology and its uses in their lives. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.teachertube.com/music.php?music_id=440&title=Students_and_Technology&ref=Phantom693