Welcome
to Colburn's Corner
And
Carole's Synthesis Thoughts
"After
you understand about the sun and the stars and the rotation of the earth,
you may still miss the radiance of the sunset."
~Alfred North Whitehead
The biggest thing I have learned about myself through the course of this masters program is that I LOVE process! For many years I was active in theater and I always enjoyed immensely being on stage, but even more than that, my wings took flight through the five or six weeks of rehearsal as I would work through the process of getting to know the character, her motivation and her personality. This program was much like for me. Below, are some reflections on what I have learned so far.
On what I have learned about technology... While I came into this program with a "technology" advantage since I worked as a senior end-user instructor for New Horizons Computer Learning Center in East Lansing for two years, I none-the-less have learned much about technology throughout the various classes I completed. Specifically, I had not used applications such as HyperStudio or DreamWeaver before, so these software programs were new to me. I also was introduced to web sites like WISE and the Adventures of Jasper Woodbury, which I found to be both engaging and valuable tools for teachers and students. Along the way, I have become acquainted with numerous web sites that serve as tremendously valuable resources for me and the teachers I work with. You can see a list of some of the top sites here.
I have learned that technology is a process. It takes time, effort, energy, determination and commitment to grow one's technology skills and learn to integrate them into the curriculum. This does not take place over night. I tell the teachers I work with that they can learn technology in the same manner they would eat an elephant...one bite at time. Patience is of the essence! Chew slowly, so as not to choke. Allow yourself a sip of water between bites so it goes down smoothly. There are NO technology experts...anywhere! Technology is a moving target and just as you begin to feel that you know as much as you could possibly know about it, there will be something new to learn...so get over it if you think you will be an expert! :-)
Technology is not a "one size fits all" type of garment. Each school district, every school and individual teachers are at different levels of technology literacy and wearing various sizes and colors of the technology spectrum. One district spends millions of dollars on buying equipment and "toys" for their teachers and students, another district sees no real value in doing this and continues to use outdated technology tools until they break and/or are no longer usable. One district sees value in providing technology staff development and another may see this as a "luxury" that they are not interested in providing (especially at this time of large budget crunches.) It is about learning to use the technology tools you have been given to enhance student learning. I am not suggesting that it is not a good thing to be seeking out new technologies to better achieve this goal, but it is more important to effectively use the tools you have at your disposal.
More importantly, however, I have learned that technology integration is not about how many computers you have in the classroom, or how many Smart Boards your district can afford to buy. Rather, it is about enhancing student learning and achievement. This is accomplished through careful and thoughtful technology integration into the curriculum. The content should drive the technology, not the other way around.
The verdict is still out as to whether or not the use of technology accomplishes this goal. The research does show, however, that teacher performance definitely impacts directly to student achievement and that effective staff development definitely impacts teacher performance. Strengthening Professional Development (Sparks & Hirsch, May 24, 2000, Education Week) When you make connections between content, pedagogy and technology, you end up with effective staff development.
On what I have learned about myself as a learner...
Over the last several months in this program, I have discovered many things about myself as both a teacher and a student (learner). I have discovered that I am a strong communicator (not really a surprise), I am an extrovert, not at all shy, I would rather lead than follow, I like a sense of organization, and I prefer to work ahead of the schedule and most of all I would rather focus on the process than the end result. All of these qualities seem to affect me in both the teacher and student capacities and can be seen as either strengths or weaknesses, depending on the perspective and circumstance.
- Process-oriented
I love the process! I cannot stress this enough! I believe that I have learned as much from the process as from anything else in this program! I continually find myself thinking "isn't that cool” or “wow…I never knew that” or “I never really thought about this in that particular way!” There are so many talented and bright people in this program and I know that I can learn something from all of them. That is why I enjoy the process so much. :-)
- Strong
communicator (verbally and written)
I have always known that I am a good communicator. I have focused on my speaking and writing skills since I was in the 10th grade and first participated in a debate for speech class. As a teacher this is a good thing. I am not afraid to speak to my students. I do not get nervous about presenting. As a student this is also a good thing since I do not hesitate to voice or write my thoughts and ideas for any discussion. This can be a weakness in that I am sometimes seen as too strong, too verbal, and too assertive with regard to my ideas. This came to me when I overheard another student once in a class actually talking about me to someone in her group. She was saying that I “always was on the computer” and “always had an opinion.” Her tone was anything but complimentary. It was her tone that got me to thinking about this. I realized that maybe I am perceived as being too verbal with my opinions and consequently, I have tried to hold back a bit. This is a tough one for me though.
- Extrovert/Not
introvert
Again, coming to this realization that I am very much the extrovert and not really shy at all is not new to me. However, with regard to how this quality affects me as a teacher and a student is something I had not given much thought to before. Being an extrovert works well for me in both teaching and as a student as this allows me to feel comfortable sharing my opinions and ideas. Again, unfortunately, not everyone sees this as a strength.
- Leader
I am a leader! I have always been a leader and this is a quality that I happen to like about myself. This tends to be a strength for me as a teacher, but in some ways a weakness for me as a student. As a teacher it is a good thing to be a leader, especially in my particular teaching position. Since I teach other teachers, it is part of my job to lead them by showing them that technology is a good thing and not something “evil” (as many use to think when I first started my job in 2000.) Being a leader then, allows me to do the job I am paid to do. As a student being the leader can end up being a drawback, especially when in relation to group work. Others in the group may tend to simply rely on me to always take the lead. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but at times, I sort of wish someone else would do this.
- Like
organization/structure
I have really discovered through this program that I like organization and structure and I believe I like it because I tend to be less stressed and therefore more relaxed in general with regard to both teaching and as a student. This is funny to me because I always saw myself as more the “creative” type, but more and more I find that if things are organized and structured, I just do better. As a teacher this is true for me (I rely on my Palm and my calendar more than I like to admit) and as a student, I have found that if I know in advance what is expected and by when, I will work hard to achieve these goals. The days of Carole the procrastinator are long gone! This leads me nicely to:
- Like
to work ahead of schedule
I really do like to work ahead of the schedule! Again, as a teacher and as a student I believe this is a strength of mine. I am prepared. Let’s face it...no one really appreciates teachers or students who come to class not prepared. I have found that if I work a bit ahead of the game, I am again, more relaxed, less stressed and a happier camper all around.
On what I have learned about online learning...
Aside from what I have learned about myself as a teacher and a student, much of what I have learned in this program is specific to the matter of teaching and learning online. I began this program thinking very strongly that there are not many differences between teaching and learning online versus face-to-face situations. While I still believe that teaching an online class and taking an online class both rely on principles and concepts that are also utilized in face-to-face classes, I can now see that much more must go into designing an online class and that much more must go into taking an online class. Specifically, I have learned:
• When designing an online class, it is important to know who the students are.
• What do you want the students to learn?
• What possible resources students may or may not have at their disposal to use in the course?
• How much control am I willing to give over to the students for their learning?
• How important is collaboration in the process of student learning?
• Although the outcomes of a face-to-face or online course may be the same, the process for reaching them can be very different.
• The success of the collaborative assignments in online courses really comes form the instructor’s willingness to let go of the learning.
• Variety in course design is important.
• Site design needs to be clean and easy to navigate!
• Transformative learning (the ability to reflect on one’s own growth as a learner and a person) is important in online learning.
• Matching the technology with the course is vital to the success of the course.
On where I am going in the future...
The sky is the limit as far as I am concerned. I began this journey five years ago and I had no idea where the train ride was taking me. I purchased the ticket, got on the train, settled nicely into my seat and have enjoyed the ride ever since! One of my favorite singers, Jana Stanfield (www.janastanfield.com) is famous for her song, "I'm Not Lost, I Am Exploring." She also sings a song called, "Enjoy the Ride." During this program, at times, I have felt like the "I'm Not Lost..." song was my battle hymn. In retrospect though, I have truly enjoyed the ride. The destination that was unknown to me at that time turned out to be the Master's Degree in Educational Technology. So, where am I going from here?
Well...I am still not sure what the next destination will be, but I know that the ride will continue to be exciting. I have thought a lot about pursuing the Ph.D. in Learning, Technology and Culture, but I am not convinced yet that this is the next best stop for me on this journey. I will need to explore the program in more detail and explore my heart and soul more in depth before I make this decision.
I have been given a new assignment at work for next year. I will be teaching grades 6-7-8 Technology Literacy at Highlander Way Middle School in Howell and am excited about the new challenges and joys that will bring my way. I plan to burn a CD for each student at the end of the marking period so that they will be able to begin their own electronic portfolios and I also plan to continue showcasing student work on my web page throughout the year. I intend to stay active in MACUL and hope to be chosen again next spring to present at the annual conference. I plan to submit a proposal about the importance of electronic portfolios.
This program has been a blast for me...I will find ways to apply what I have learned and this great experience for myself as well!