EDLD 5306 Concepts of Educational Technology - Course Reflections

When I first began this course, I expected to my learning to reflect the title of the course. I expected that what I would learn would center around the theories and the concepts of a technology-based education. The course has actually covered those concepts in some detail. I have learned many new theories for education that have been both eye-opening and inspiring. What I learned has also gone much deeper. This course has opened up for me a whole new world of technologies I had only just heard of or had never even imagined existed. While I had been introduced to blogging and had even tried my hand at it, I had no idea all the things that Web 2.0 encompassed and how those technologies could be used in the classroom. My readings in this course and the ensuing discussions have taught me so much. I would say that the course far exceeded the expectations I had for it.

The course has also lit a torch in me for leading a technology crusade. I have begun sharing what I have learned in this course with teachers that I work with while a tutor at Liberty-Eylau. I am afraid that many teachers are stuck in the previous century and do not see things the way I do. When I speak of the new paradigm for learning that I envision where students lead their own learning and classrooms are using technology to collaborate with students around the world and work on projects that have real world applications, all these teachers envision is class chaos. The answer I inevitably get is, “I hope that never happens. We’ll lose the students.” By this they mean they will lose control of the students. And I agree. This type of class will be very difficult to control. Students will be everywhere. To a seasoned teacher it will seem like chaos. But I don’t think we will lose their attention. In fact, I think it will be the first time we’ll have it. I have this vision that I am trying to share, but until I get into a position where I can make practical use of it, I feel helpless to make the vision come to pass.

The most frustrating part of the course has been trying to emulate the portions of the course that assumed I was a teacher or facilitator in a public school setting, when in fact as a substitute I had no real access to school data, students, or fellow teachers. This assumption has made some of the course inaccessible to me, and has made me feel as though I did not belong in the course at all at times. I managed to complete the course and get through the bulk of the assignments, and I feel I have met my learning outcomes despite this problem. Another issue I faced was the extreme amount of work crammed into five week’s time. While I knew that this was a graduate level course and was a semester’s work worth six credit hours, I guess I was unprepared for exactly how much work would be expected in such a short time period.

I was unable to complete assessments which asked for data on how my school or I used technology in the classroom. These assessments did not get completed. Instead I wrote a paragraph explaining why I could not complete them. I found it difficult to complete the assignment that called for a school technology plan which I would not have access to. To complete this assignment I had to research and locate which of the local schools had published theirs to the internet. It was extremely frustrating to come up with an internship plan in a week's time when I did not have the resources in place to perform most of the tasks listed in the document. In fact, I nearly did not complete this document, and I am quite sure that the draft I have submitted will look quite different once I actually get in touch with the resources I need to accomplish the goals I have set into it.

The course has shown me that I was not as much of a technology expert as I once prided myself in being. I am actually only just a beginner, and I still have much to learn. Fortunately, the course has confirmed that I grasp new concepts quickly. I learned that I tend to be a natural leader, as many of my classmates sensed that they could turn to me for advice when they were stuck. I also learned that I do not like to be the one who is stuck, and I don't have a lot of patience for myself or others when I don't know what to do. I am not afraid to ask for help, especially when my cohorts had felt comfortable about asking me for assistance, so when I asked, I got plenty of advice. If I had just exercised a bit more patience, I found out that the answers were available before I panicked.

Overall, I enjoyed the course and what I learned. I enjoyed the companionship of my classmates and the lively discussions we had on the discussion board, and getting to know them on their course wiki pages. I felt like even the difficult pacing of the course and the challenge of the assignments helped me to grow as a person. I am very glad I took the course and look forward to continuing my education.