Thing 4

I really enjoyed reading the different blogs. I especially like the Blog titled "Patrick's Update". I am very impressed with the fact that teachers are allowing students to blog instead of having them write about things in a paper journal.  It is so exciting to see how many people from all over the world were offering Patrick support and encouragement.  I expect these bloggers cannot wait to get on and blog and see who is reading their blogs.  This would encourage the students to be creative and want to blog instead of just writing about things in a notebook and only getting feedback from the teacher.  It is also a great way for students around the world to read the blogs and see what other students are experiencing from other parts of the world. 
 I also read the blog on the second graders and their duck stories. Some of them were pretty silly but I enjoyed seeing their ideas and seeing their unedited comments.  I think this is  a great way to encourage the students to express their ideas and opinions. 

Web 2.0

I am intrigued by all of the latest technology available to teachers and students. I think that it is a wonderful way to reach students and grab their attention and have them learn important things without them even realizing they are learning.  I think it offers students who have been unsuccessful in the past a chance to blossom and become interested in learning again. They will even venture out of their comfort zone to show what they have learned.  This will enable students to learn in a much more creative manner than ever before.  So many teachers complain about the lack of interest of their students. I think that using tools from Web 2.0 will keep those students interested in learning. 
 There are so many ways now that teachers can engage their students. Anything from having them create a news story or their opinion of a news story and posting it on UTube to making a powerpoint presentation covering any subject imaginable.  I heard recently that many school districts are getting rid of all of their text books and replacing them with laptops for students. I think this is a wonderful idea. Textbooks get outdated in no time at all. The internet is constantly being updated and refreshed and the information is never going to be out of reach.  I hope that more and more educators see the importance of incorporating technology in the classroom. I think this will increase the number of lifelong learners. 

 The habit that will be the hardest for me is to have confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner.  I teach MTA and do not use technology with my students in my classroom. I feel like I am out of touch with all of the new innovative things that technology offers.  I do not feel confident in myself as a technologically sound person.
I am going to have to really push myself to finish this course and not give up along the way.  The time frame of this course is another issue with me. I feel like I am juggling so many balls right now between being a teacher, wife and mother. This is another ball I am going to have to add to my life and I am hoping that I will be able to spend the time that I need to complete this course and learn alot of new and fun things along the way.  I really enjoy learning new things in technology so I think it will make it easier to invest the time needed to complete this class.  I am really looking forward to interacting with other learners like myself as we complete the 23 things in this course.