Thoughtful+Analysis

 I was amazed to see the amount of knowledge I gained throughout the semester. Not only did I learn Bloom’s Taxonomy, the different Google Applications, the importance of assistive technology, but most importantly, I realized a lot about myself as a future educator. Every project enabled me to see the areas where I have both strength and weaknesses. I believe I was most successful in my Google Doc lesson plan and my blog. The main reason the Google Docs lesson went so well was because I had confidence. Before I began, I made sure to shake off any pessimistic thoughts and just had FUN with it. I completed my blog project with the same attitude. I wanted to create a blog that best describes me, yet was still informative.

 Out of all the different topics we covered, videoconferencing was definitely my favorite. The reason I enjoyed this topic so much was because it brought back fond memories of me being abroad in Australia. There, I was enrolled in an education class that was done through videoconferencing with a lecture hall full of students and one teacher who was on a totally different campus. In contrast, my experience at Scranton was slightly different. Instead, we did it with five or six other classes, mostly under the age of ten. The best part about that was seeing how excited and interested everyone was, especially the young children. Being exposed to the two different videoconferencing sessions solidified the impact technology can have in a classroom.

 A second topic I found extremely beneficial was the importance of assistive technology. I read an article in class called “Supporting the Participation of Children with Disabilities” written by Sarah A. Mulligan. It explained the different types of high level and low-level tools out there. It was quite and eye opener because I realized assistive technology opens the door to learning for many children with disabilities and other special needs. This is very important because aids in helping all children to have the same opportunities one way or another.

 Whether I want to believe it or not, teaching is just around the corner. I consider myself fortunate for gaining the knowledge I did this semester. Media Tech class exposed me to the different tools offered and the integral role they can have in a classroom. I hope to one day utilize blogging, polls, videoconferencing, and assistive technology in my classroom.