Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Reflection 

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One of the most important things we can do is practice reflection. Reflecting helps us take a step back and dig deeper into what we do, how it made us feel, or how it made others feel. It is extremely important that educators reflect on their practices as well. This way we can better adjust our practice and methods accordingly in order to better educate our students.

Looking Back

I was very nervous in the beginning of this course because I've never been very technology smart and complicated technology just made me nervous. I always thought I would be more of a traditional type of teacher; to be honest, it was because I didn't know how to properly and usefully incorporate technology into my lessons so I would just avoid it. 

Even in the beginning of the course when I had to make this blog, I thought it would be the most complicated thing and was having a tough time at first, but it actually turned out to be one of my favorite things! Don't get me started on when I found out I had to create my own website... HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised at how wrong I initially was. Technology isn't intimidating when you learn about it and how to actually use it. You don't have to always use it or have it be the main focus, but it adds endless benefits and opportunities to teaching and learning.  I'm very content with how much I've learned and how comfortable I am with using technology myself and using it in my future classroom.

Looking Ahead

Although I am not actively teaching, I've already started getting ideas of different web tools and resources that I would try and incorporate into my science classrooms when I teach!

Some of my plans and thoughts:

• I would definitely try to incorporate microblogging through Twitter into my classroom; These are real life topics and they are sometimes hard to make sense of, so I want my students to have the opportunity to share, explore, discover, and connect to the different resources, people, and organizations that are also involved in the same topic. Learning can occur globally, not only in the classroom.    
• If we use Twitter or other social media platforms, I think a discussion of Digital Tattoos would be a must. I think it is a very prominent aspect in students' lives, so I want everyone to be safe, know the facts, and feel comfortable. 
• I would also like to use Blogger! Blogger can help the students write on difficult science topics in order to help them deepen their understanding. It also allows them to get as creative as they want, like adding pictures and videos, to tailor it to however they learn best. I can also give feedback way faster which is a plus for everyone.  
• Kahoot will make an appearance in my classroom as a way for me to assess my students knowledge in a fun way while they still learn. In the science field, I can think of endless quizzes, discussions, and surveys I can make! 
• I also would like to try and use the MyHomework application; It would help my students with organizational skills that would in turn help them succeed in the classroom and in their future educational/life careers. 

While I would probably go on, those are some of the ideas I am most excited about. I also know that I'll always have the resources provided through this course to go back and reference in case I ever get stuck or need more ideas. 

Happy Teaching!