As my EME5050 class comes to an end, I believe that I have learned a great deal from this course. At the beginning, the list of things we were to accomplish over the semester seemed daunting, but if I just focused on one or two weeks at a time, it didn’t seem so big. I was especially worried about the final project, but we put pieces together over the semester so that it wasn’t a Herculean task as I thought it would be.
During this class, I was able to use the skills I have with programs such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, but I also learned new programs such as Prezi and how to make a wiki. I learned about how to appropriately incorporate technology into my classroom as well.
I’m also glad that I decided to complete the ABC extra credit because it gave me a chance each week to read some information about issues in education related to technology and reflect on how these issues impact classrooms in general or me in particular. I learned not only about new technologies that could improve learning, but also about how technology has affected and will, in the future, further affect the lives of my students. Technology is a major part of everyday life and to ignore that fact would be detrimental to our students. The education system needs to come into the digital age, not by simply adding in a bunch of technology, but by modifying the curriculum and practices to teach 21st century skills.
I have always enjoyed technology and liked getting new toys, but this course has made me better able to see how technology needs to be utilized in the classroom. Technology may just be a tool, but it is an integral part of our lives and therefore should influence how we teach and what is taught.
