Reflection

     Dr. Ertmer stresses that an educator must have knowledge and confidence to successfully integrate technology into instruction (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013).  Before I started my coursework in Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas, I had my doubts about my ability to implement 21st tools into my curriculum.  However, through the creation of my GAME unit plan and the creation of this blog I have become confident with the idea of incorporating technology into my classroom, and I have become knowledgeable.

     The creation of my GAME unit plan forced me to not only consider using technology with my instruction, but I started to plan for its implementation.  Creating lessons centered around blogs and digital storytelling was an enlightening experience.  It made me cognizant of how technology can truly enhance instruction.  As a language arts teacher, tools such as digital storytelling lend themselves well to my content lessons.  For example, a digital story could help a struggling writer produce a narrative or persuasive essay in a new and engaging fashion.  Digital storytelling allows for flexibility.  Students can present content information in ways that suit their individual learning styles (Cennamo, Ross & Ertmer, 2009).  While digital storytelling provides differentiation, blogs help students communicate.

    Blogs provide students with an authentic audience.  After this class I am convinced that incorporating blogs, my students would be more engaged with answering writing prompts if they know their classmates will be reading what they have to say.  Because of the weekly resources in this course, I am prepared to teach students how to create a blog and use a blog aggregator to follow their peers' blogs.  It will be exciting to see if some of my reserved students participate in class discussion through the use of blogs when they are silent in class.  All in all, I am excited to take the knowledge I have gained from this course and apply it when I begin class in the fall.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Laureate Education, Inc., (Executive Producer). (2013). Enriching content area learning experiences with technology part 1. [Video Webcast]. Retrieved at https://www.class.waldenu.edu