We have encountered many Web 2.0 tools over the course of the semester in the class. I was familiar with some of them previously, and some were new to me. In either case, I gained new uses for this tools. For the ones that I had used previously, like Twitter, Google Drive, Padlet, and Blogs, I was challenged to put them to new uses in my classroom, and learned even more from reading and commenting on the blog posts of my classmates. For the new tools, such as Wikis, I was afforded the chance to experience the tools first hand, and again learn more about them from my classmates. To that end, I think that the process of reading other students' blogs in order to share and comment on their experiences. Through that process, I was able to see a different perspective on the tool and have an idea of different uses that did not occur to me.
Wikis were perhaps the most useful tool that I encountered in this class. I had heard of Wikis in the past and encountered them online in my personal life, but I had never used them in my classes. After the module on Wikis, in which I researched Wikis and created one for my class, I have gained a new understanding and respect for Wikis. While there are still some difficulties in my use of Wikis in my classroom, namely most of my students are under 13 years old, and my district still frowns on students of that age creating Wikis in the classroom, I can definitely see their potential. In the next school year, I will begin teaching a technology connections class in which one-third of my students are in eighth grade, and this over the age of 13. In that class, I will be able to create a class wiki for the students to update with their own projects, assignments, and thoughts and then share that eighth grade wiki with the other grade-level classes as a resource.
Overall, the most meaningful lesson that I will take away from the class is that there are a wealth of tools on the internet that can be used in the classroom. While many of those tools can be useful, there are also a lot of tools that would be better left unused. To that end, perhaps the most useful skill learned, and the most useful of the ISTE standards is that of evaluating the appropriateness and usefulness of internet and technology tools. With so many demands of teachers and students alike and so much material covered in curriculum standards and on standardized tests, teachers and students don't have time to waste on tools that are not as useful as they could be. The assignments and modules in this class gave me practice in evaluating tools that I will use in classroom to save time for myself and my students and to allow them to learn as much as possible to reach their full potential.
Wikis were perhaps the most useful tool that I encountered in this class. I had heard of Wikis in the past and encountered them online in my personal life, but I had never used them in my classes. After the module on Wikis, in which I researched Wikis and created one for my class, I have gained a new understanding and respect for Wikis. While there are still some difficulties in my use of Wikis in my classroom, namely most of my students are under 13 years old, and my district still frowns on students of that age creating Wikis in the classroom, I can definitely see their potential. In the next school year, I will begin teaching a technology connections class in which one-third of my students are in eighth grade, and this over the age of 13. In that class, I will be able to create a class wiki for the students to update with their own projects, assignments, and thoughts and then share that eighth grade wiki with the other grade-level classes as a resource.
Overall, the most meaningful lesson that I will take away from the class is that there are a wealth of tools on the internet that can be used in the classroom. While many of those tools can be useful, there are also a lot of tools that would be better left unused. To that end, perhaps the most useful skill learned, and the most useful of the ISTE standards is that of evaluating the appropriateness and usefulness of internet and technology tools. With so many demands of teachers and students alike and so much material covered in curriculum standards and on standardized tests, teachers and students don't have time to waste on tools that are not as useful as they could be. The assignments and modules in this class gave me practice in evaluating tools that I will use in classroom to save time for myself and my students and to allow them to learn as much as possible to reach their full potential.