Blog prompt: Reflect on what you have learned in this course.
First I'd like to look at what I already knew coming into an eLearning class on Instructional Technology and Media for learning.
I've been using technology since 1964 when I first used a computer IBM 360 in the Math and Geology departments at Indiana State University. The math department included in it's program of study computer science and programming. The Geology department had began to use computer mapping of geological formations. So I came to technology from the early years of computer programming on an IBM 360 in FORTRAN. I was familiar with online classes having taken them for professional development and my master's degree. I had also taken writing classes online. As I progressed throughout my teaching career after graduation, I was an early adopter of technology. One thing I learned from this class was that I was way head of the learning curve as a classroom and community college teacher. I began my teaching career at the community college because I was one of a few teachers who knew how to set up a network both WAN and LAN, install a computer lab, install software and teach software programs. I am currently using wireless network at home for my computer, mouse, printer, iphone, and kindle fire. When I started teaching other teachers were still using typewriters. I taught the first laptop lab to engineers at the generating power plant. I taught computer programming and repair. I taught HTML web design. I taught using an electronic whiteboard, video, voice and blackboard. I've used many platforms. I've used apples, PC, e-readers, laptops, tablets, graphic design, electronic publishing, networks, ipads, ipods, iphone, kindle fire, pc's, digital graphics, graphing calculators, and many other types of hardware and software.
I taught community college classes thru distance e-learning by using audio and video and blackboard.
I was lucky enough to be the math department chair at my high school so I could implement a computer laptop lab into the math department classes. I also worked with my fellow tech guru to have an apple lab for mathematics for alternative school and remediation. I had to literally force some of the math teachers to use email.
So when I started this class I knew how to use a computer, internet, Office Suite, Desktop Publishing, and HTML programming (although I am keen to learn Java next). I had 20 years teaching experience in community college and high school, and now pre-K through 6th grade.
I knew how to prepare graphic designs because I was a technical writer and illustrator as well as a graphic artist while I went to college. I also taught web design and HTML programming at a community college.
I knew the difference between teacher centered and student centered learning because I turned my whole department's curriculum upside down by changing from traditional sage on stage pedagogy to a more cooperative learning student oriented environment. I changed from text only to a blended classroom in one semester. Shock to the system of many math teachers!
So what did I learn?
Blogs, Podcasts, wikis, RSS, amazing videos, wonderful educational resources, and professional organizations. I had the most fun and gained the most knowledge by doing the research, and the activities. The assignments were spot on. I learned how to blog. I had never really gotten into this form of media. That was fun. I will keep it up. I'm planning to have my own blog on education issues, and my writing. I started to listen to more educational podcasts.I want to do my own podcast in the future. They were informal and delightful. I had listened to TED Talks, and Dave Ramsey on my own but I had no idea the depth of mathematical podcasts, For that I am very grateful. I found a new software program called "mathematica" that is absolutely the most amazing visual mathematics software I have ever seen. I've gotten lots of creative ideas from videos I have watched. I think for me the last few chapters in the text helped me the most:Video and Audio Learning. In fact I was so captivated by the subject matter I wanted to do further reading so I bought the following book: Classroom Blogging, A Teachers Guide to Blogs, Wiki's, and other tools that are shaping a New Information Landscape by David F. Warlick. www.http://landmark-project.com
I wasn't too impressed with the textbook just because it's rather out of date especially as fast as technology moves. It's copyrighted 2008. It takes about 2 years for a textbook to be published even a revised edition. Why are we even using a textbook? A printed one that is. I think an e-book would be much better for all these Rio Salado e-learning classes. The resources in the book were very good. What an opportunity it would be to actually read the textbook as an e-book! You could go instantly to all the suggested web sites and media. Although I have found that I don't like reading charts on an e-book, I have many e-books on my kindle even mathematical and scientific. The pictures in the textbook are woefully out of date. The meat of the text is good, but it definitely is out of date. The software in the book is Windows Vista, which Microsoft doesn't support. I'm glad I hung onto my old Windows 7 computer because the computer I normally use is Windows 10 OS and this software wouldn't even play. So for the entire course I used a 5 year old computer rather than my new one because I found out real fast that the software you use for the class was not happy working with my new computer. There were quite a few broken links in the Rio Salado Lessons, and typos. I think every link and assignment should be tested at least once or twice during the semester in every course. I would hate to be a "newbee" just starting out on an online course at Rio Salado because you would definitely have to hit the ground running in addition to your classwork. The broken links would drive me crazy if I didn't have the knowledge beforehand to try an alternative site, which I did. I also informed my instructor, the technology department and the education department.
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