Final I4Ed Blog

Well, we made it! The final blog post for #I4Ed, Internet for Educators. What a ride it's been! There's been a lot to learn and experience in this course, which will be discussed later as part of my final project (to be shared on this blog as well).

In our most recent class, we discussed what some of the biggest and most important changes that digital technology added to education. We got into small groups to discuss before joining back as a whole class.

The first idea someone mentioned (which was the exact scenario I thought of also!) was that technology has allowed us to connect with people that we couldn't have before. It is much more accessible with the help of social media to contact authors, scientists, public figures, amongst others to ask them questions or even have them video conference with your class. This is much more engaging for students and these people become more than just faces or names.

We also talked about internet courses opening more doors for people in rural/remote areas that wouldn't have access otherwise. People now don't have to travel as often to access courses. Many post-secondary institutions offer courses online, or even whole degree programs.

Technology has also allowed us to move away from paper/pencil work. It has allowed teachers to add more variety and create interesting lessons. When I was student teaching in a Grade 2 classroom this past fall, I thought about buying and building a bat house to show students when we were learning about how humans help animals. My cooperating teacher suggested finding videos online to show how much of a variety there was in bat houses. The students also loved seeing the bats fly in and out, and seeing how they roosted inside the house.




Communication between parents, students, and teachers have really changed with technology. Using social media accounts, parents can really inside their child's classroom while they are learning. Teachers can also email newsletters home, which makes things instantaneous and ensures the news gets home, compared to paper copies that can get lost and never make it to the parents hands. Students are also able to email, tweet, etc. any questions they may have, and even better if students could comment on a YouTube video the teacher has uploaded demonstrating the skills/information they need to know.



We also discussed technology in the classroom using Kialo, a debate platform website where you can add pros and cons to a specific topic that people can respond to. Click here to read what our class thought about technology in the classroom, at the end of our time in Internet for Educators.


And there you have it! My final #I4Ed post. I'm hoping to continue blogging as I move into my full time teaching career. I'm moving to Gillam, Manitoba in May to become the K-8 music specialist at Gillam School! I hope that my experience moving north will make some interesting blog posts. As well as discussing my new teacher experience, of course! I'm excited to get into the field and to teach some students!

Thanks for reading!