Juliana Newman
EDST 6306
April 22, 2013
EDST 6306
April 22, 2013
Program
Completion: My Development as an
Educator
As a result of the courses I have taken to
complete my Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Technology with a
certificate in Autism Studies, I fully believe that I have grown as a person
and as an educator. Through this
program, I have been able to explore digital resources related to my field of mathematics,
increase my knowledge of the social consequences of technology, and reflect on
my personal teaching style and strategies.
My insight into the behaviors of students with disabilities has expanded
and I have learned to better differentiate lessons to different types of
learners. I am confident in my ability
to integrate technology into my lessons, allowing students to use it as a tool
to enhance learning.
My competence in mathematics education has
developed as a result of this program. Despite
the fact that none of my courses were designed specifically for math educators,
all classes allowed students to complete assignments relevant to their fields
of teaching. While exploring electronic
media tools such as Windows Live Movie Maker, Adobe Premier Elements, Audacity,
Prezi, and more, I always kept my mathematics background in mind and considered
how to integrate these types of tools into lessons. I am now much more aware of the different
types of tools available for educators to use and integrate into their coursework,
as well as the widespread availability of these free or low-cost resources to
those with Internet access. I have had
experience with SmartBoards, WebQuests, blogging, digital storytelling,
interactive presentations, website creation, and much more. More importantly, I know how to look for and
explore the different digital resources available on the web, which will allow
me to keep up with technological advancements.
Not only have I developed an ability to use digital media, but I have
also been given opportunities to integrate this technology into lessons,
different instructional strategies, and different student assessments.
Through this program, I have developed a
heightened awareness of the social, ethical, and moral implications that
technology can have. Technology is a
very useful tool to enhance learning, but it must be used in an appropriate
way. This program has given me insight
into how to remain professional while integrating electronic resources into the
classroom. Most schools have acceptable
use policies, and it is extremely important for educators to follow through
with these policies. With the recent
explosion of social media, teachers must make a conscious effort to remain
professional under all circumstances.
Courses in this program have allowed me to examine the legal issues that
have recently been developing due to technological advancements, and thus
expand my own social consciousness regarding these matters. Another important social aspect of technology
that has been stressed in my coursework is the safety and privacy of
students. Many new digital tools
incorporate social media aspects so teachers must keep the safety and privacy
of students in mind. Most Web 2.0
resources such as blogs, wikis, and personal sites have privacy settings that
teachers must personalize for the class as a whole. To reduce the chance of current problems such
as cyber bullying, stalking, and sexting from occurring, teachers must be aware
of the repercussions of misusing technology, but strive to incorporate it while
still maintaining a safe and positive learning environment.
Finally, this program has helped me
reflect upon my own personal beliefs, practices, and instructional
strategies. I believe that technology is
an extremely powerful tool that has the ability to revolutionize the way
students learn if used in the correct way.
I have changed my instructional strategies to be able to include electronic
resources in all different parts of the lesson.
The extent of technology will reach far beyond just using the SMARTboard
to display notes to the class. Instead,
students can generate interactive charts and graphs, manipulative perimeter and
area of shapes, construct 3D models of three dimensional figures, and explore
and apply knowledge from every single lesson.
I can use electronic resources to capture students’ attention, present
material in engaging ways, conclude lessons, and even assess students. I have also become more aware of the ways
that technology can help to differentiate instruction. Students learn at different levels and in
different ways. Technology can provide
the means of reaching a variety of types of learners as well as support for
students with disabilities. The
possibilities for technology use in the classroom are endless.
In today’s society, in which the younger
generation of students is so technologically dependent, it is essential to
incorporate electronic tools and digital resources into the classroom. It is necessary to provide these students
with encouraging learning experiences involving technology so that they learn
how to use it in a positive and beneficial way.
The use of digital media in the classroom has the ability to engage
students in activities, gaining their attention and enhancing their learning
experiences. As a result of the
completion of my Master’s degree, I have developed a deeper understanding of
the capability of technology and how to safely and successfully integrate it
into my own practices, allowing students to use it to enhance their own
learning experiences.
