Course Reflection

Part One: Course Reflections:
As a result of taking this course, I have learned about many new tools and resources. More importantly, this course has provided the opportunity for me to learn from colleagues about the ways in which they use these different tools and resources in varied classroom situations. Generally, constructivism guides my implementation of most digital tools and resources. According to Roblyer (2016), constructivism is a belief that all knowledge is constructed in the mind through experiences. I like technology that allows students to experience something that they could not do without the technology or to experience something in a richer way with the technology. Examples in a math class would be web sites with simulations and interactives that could not be accomplished with paper and pencil.

Professionally, this experience has added a wealth of resources, along with their annotated uses, to the collection of things that I typically show when I give workshops to teachers. This also reminds me to keep reaching out for different ways to approach learning. Though the focus of this course was not on online teaching and learning, much of what we learned in this course has application to the online course I teach for teachers who are new to online and blended learning. Something I will change in my own practice is to make sure I am setting an expectation for my learners to reflect on how they can apply what they learn with me to their specific classroom needs. We were required to do that all along in this course and I found that to be a powerful part of my own learning.

Part Two: My Blogging Performance Assessment
Looking back at my whole blog I would say that, overall, I am very happy with my blogging for this course. The rubric calls for a blog that is rich in content, thought, insight, and synthesis. I believe that each of my posts includes those things at an appropriate level. I made great effort in each blog to connect the learning of the module to my work. I included references, and cited my sources in text and in list using APA style. I did have one blog post that was almost a week late due to a family reunion at a campground without Internet connectivity. My responses to the posts of other students were substantial. I was clear about the things that I learned, or that I agreed with, or that I would challenge.
Grade
Content: 68/70
Readings & Resources: 18/20
Timeliness: 16/20
Responses to Others: 28/30
Overall: 130/140 (93%)



Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Integrating educational technology into teaching (7th Ed.). Allyn & Bacon.