Final+Assignment

    
 * Final Project **
 * When I began this class in January 2010 I thought I knew a lot about computers and Technology. After all I could compose/send email, use the District’s gradebook program, and use many Microsoft Office programs, yet as I went through each unit I found out how much I didn’t know. The Technology Learning Cycle of Awareness, Explore & Filter, Learning, and Application helped me focus on the technology content. **
 * Awareness: I was aware of the Reading, Math, etc. standards of No Child Left Behind, but I was not aware that there is a Technology component to the standards. The National Educational Technology Standards states the primary goal of technology is “to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary schools and secondary schools,” ( (Gary G. Bitter; Jane M. Legacy, 2008,) . I enjoyed exploring the website **[|**http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/**]** . **
 * Exploration & Filtration: The reading assignments helped me review some things, learn new things, and prepare for the projects. I also enjoyed exploring the Wikispaces of former and current students. I learned so much from the creativity of the people who have taken this class. It really helped me move out of my comfort zone and try all the new activities. **
 * Learning: The Exploration/Filtration phase of the cycle whetted my appetite for the activities in each Learning phase of the modules. Beginning with the Web Development & File Management units I found out that organization is an important key to teaching with Technology. When searching the WWW the Boolean Operators, different search engines, and **[|**www.easywhois.com**]** site helped me search more efficiently and recognize which sites are good resources. The Copyright Module was very enlightening. The Four Fair-Use Test and Table 5.2 on pages 127-132 helped me understand what teachers can use in the classroom. I also gained a better understanding of how to teach my Second graders about Copyright. **
 * Application: The first three parts of the Learning cycle laid the groundwork for the Application part, but until I actually worked on each Module’s Application I did not fully understand them. The trial and error process I used to complete the assignments helped me learn to solve the problems I ran in to. This was especially true with the Online Communication Unit. Teresa Clopp Underhill and I spent a couple of nights working to communicate. When we succeeded we were excited to say the least and we had a very good conversation! The ideas I started with and the actual products I ended up with in the Multimedia, Office Tools, and Internet Tools modules were also results of the trial and error process. Yet as frustrating as it became at times I stretched out of my comfort zone and learned new skills! I am still learning to create and use the Interactive Whiteboard software. Here is my newest Interactive Whiteboard Lesson. [[file:Vocab for edtc5103.notebook]] **