Final+Assessment

The activities that were done during the weekly lessons were all lead-ins into the group scenario project. It is relevant that as teachers we do pre-activities to get the students ready to do reading, writing, math or any other core subject. These pre-activities can involve numerous activities such as vocabulary, journaling, and anticipation guides. When looking at the technology side of implementing technology into some lessons it is not always accessible but it does offer the most feedback. My students are mostly engaged during a lesson with technology and I have realized throughout this course it all stems back to a new generation of students. Group scenarios have always been a part of a classroom setting but not always used with up-to-date technology. I have realized that I should not be intimidated about my background with technology, being that I am a “digital immigrant” and my students are “digital natives,” and are much savvier with technology than I am. Our group did achieve a successful project, therefore, our goals and objectives were met; the success of the project is credited to each team member’s effort. Although, we were able to master our goals and objectives, there are always other areas for improvement. I think one weak area during the project was the collaboration and it was due to some members schedules that did not allow. I did experience a lot of frustration during the periods of working in Goggle Docs; while working on a learning activity in PowerPoint. I tried to upload the presentation from my documents on my desktop and could not find it. I later, re-did the presentation in Google Docs and at first thought that it was not user-friendly. One thing that I did not achieve was to participate in the optional web conference due to schedule conflicts. When collaborating with other team mates they expressed that it was very helpful in enhancing their understanding of the course. The different task that was experienced by each team member left a positive effect on each member. Specific tasks were given to each team member with the expectancy that each member would bring their expertise to the table. For me the most learning took place with the hand-on activities, which allowed me to grasp a better understanding. During the project there were deadlines that needed to be met, and each member was held accountable by the team leader to get them done. At first, I thought this would be a difficult task to do when everything was done online and not the traditional face-to-face classes, however, the team was able to use technology and collaborate online which made it a more comfortable setting. In this class we studied cooperative learning and the effects that it had on student learning. Although, we were teachers but the way the scenario was put together we experienced in our group the effects of a cooperative learning environment. To experience the cooperative learning in our group took commitment from each member, and it also took an open mind to except change from the traditional method. My expectation for this class was to see how a true cooperative learning environment would be like using technology. I was successful in completing all of my assignments, but at times found myself pushing them to the last day. Working on the project took a lot of time from the readings and videos and I had to make some adjustments. The courses are very rigorous and require commitment and organizational skills to be able to prioritize. I do believe if our group had not had the group leader that we did, I think that I wouldn’t have been successful with the project. There were times that I felt that I was not contributing as much as some team members because of my work schedule and family. When working in groups sometimes it may seem a little unfair, if some team members work a little harder than others, but it is also can be used as a motivator so others can get their part done in a timely manner. I sometimes felt discouraged when I did not have the opportunity do more. I learned that I could be a team leader and not just a follower, but even if I was a follower to do it as if I were a leader. I learned that I may not be as savvy in technology as others, but that with an open mind that I could do any project. My leadership skills have increased and the knowledge on how to implement into my classroom. Technology is something you shouldn’t be afraid of, but something to gleam at once the finished project is done. I am also ready to implement some of the lesson activities that were done in our group project with my class, and also some of the strategies that were presented to get students feedback about how they learn best. Students are engaged and well-behaved when they have the opportunity to use technology. This class has taught me how to put away tradition and welcome a new generation of technology.