Week 5, Part 2: Course Reflections

When I enrolled in EDLD 5306 I was wondering if there was enough technology research and topics to cover a whole technology course. Truth is, I was shocked to find out that there was so much about technology in education that I could ever imagine. From the beginning, I envisioned having research based strategies, relevant examples to use in the classroom and lots of hands on experience. This class did just that. Most courses I have taken present strategies strictly from one book or one source (author) but this course presented various forms of sources through a wide array of articles and a textbook. In those articles, I found many examples I could present to other teachers or use in my own classroom. Prior to this class, I had never joined a wiki or written in a blog. This course made it a requirement to use Web 2.0 tools which I found to be the most beneficial to me. My long term goal is to become a Technology Director one day. This course provided me with a lot of insightful information on topics that Technology Directors deal with everyday such as: E-rate, STaR Charts, Texas Long Range Plan, Asset Management, PEIMS, and Acceptable Use Policies. Before I become a Technology Director, I need to become a classroom technology leader. Since I am still a classroom teacher, most of the information I learned will still be applicable to me and there will be plenty of time to implement ideas and evaluate their outcome. I am currently the campus technology coordinator and because of that role, the internship plan and activities will be easier to implement because of the access I have to various technology resources. I can't really say that there were outcomes that I didn't achieve because I was not too sure what the class was about prior to enrolling. The assignments in this course were not difficult however they were very time consuming. I am glad that I decided to start in the summer otherwise I am not sure how I would of managed to complete all assignments. The same cannot be said about upcoming courses that I do have to take during the school year. I am not sure how I will manage. Overall, I learned a lot from this course especially that there is a lot of support from government and other organizations to make technology and education a top priority. I also understand the pressures and resistance I will have to face from administration, teachers and students in achieving technology educational goals. I may not have many leadership skills however through the internship and other Lamar courses, I hope to gain confidence, credibility and experience to become a great technology leader one day.