Personal Learning Reflection

In reviewing my Personal Growth Plan, I had fifteen goals which I had hoped to address through my coursework. At this point, it appears that I have met or exceeded all goals outlined in my plan and there are three goals that will be continued. My goals included exploring new technologies, examining my PLN, learning strategies for protecting my students from cyberbullying, exploring ways to use technology to differentiate instruction, evaluating appropriate new technologies for implementation, enhancing parent communication with technology, connecting with my students through technology, developing my own technology projects, expanding my current educational social network, increasing background knowledge of new technologies, begin blogging, use Google Docs with a group, try using a Prezi for a class project, and try other new technologies.



I was able to explore and use new technologies in many different applications throughout the course. For my PLN project, I made my first ZooBurst. I used Prezi in our SIG research presentation. I further used Google Docs, RSS feeds, Twitter, Skype, Blogging, Social Bookmarking, and was introduced to Google Presenter. Next, I was able to develop and further expand my PLN through lab work, collaboration, Twitter, RSS pages, blogging and my ZooBurst application. In terms of addressing cyberbullying, I was able to meet this goal by adding a feed to my RSS page that has ongoing updates about cyberbullying and potential programs for implementation. As far as learning more about differentiated instruction, I was able to accomplish this through my SIG research. Likewise, in terms of evaluating new technologies, I was able to accomplish this through the rubrics shared in the SIG research presentations, antecdotal evidence from my Diigo research, as well as through learning more about the NETS standards, 21st Century skills guidelines and the METS checklist. As far as learning more about enhancing parent communications, I think Twitter, the Google Calender, Skype or Blogging may be avenues to accomplish this task. However, I think this is a goal that will be continued in the next course wherein I learn more about web page design. I also learned more about connecting with students by engaging with technologies they are currently using such as Twitter, Skype, and Blogging. I further accomplished developing my own technology projects by completing my NetVibes page, collaborating on a Prezi, and creating a ZooBurst. While I met part of this goal, I have yet to innovate my own projects using these technologies in the classroom. However, I think I've outlined some good ideas for implementation in my technology plan. Yet, another goal was to expand my current educational social network. This was addressed not only in the PLN project but also in the Twitter, RSS and blogging assignments. Still another goal was to increase my background knowledge of technologies. I accomplished this by participating in this course which included lab work, projects, assignments, and collaborative experiences.



In the beginning I felt each study session started in French a language I do not know at all and then would progress to Spanish a language I know somewhat and finally end in English. This quickly changed as I rapidly gained new background knowledge in this compressed time frame. A final goal was to start a blog and participate in blogging. This goal has been met through many assignments including but not limited to the Creative Commons assignment.



With this being said, I think this course helped me meet and exceed my goals in a compressed time frame. In this way, the course exceeded my expectations. However, given my baseline background knowledge upon starting the course, I don't think I could have grown anymore than I did as the experience was for me like being catapulted out of a different time zone. I further felt my global learner side challenged as I rapidly connected these learning experiences and all other experiences.



In terms of evaluating whether anything in the course limited my growth or learning, I have to say that we learn from all experiences. While I would have preferred more effective communication and more of a collaborative spirit in my SIG group, I don't expect other people to live on my personal timeline or adapt to my personal agenda. While in my personal life, I start tasks early and finish tasks early in group work you need to accommodate other people in order to be collaborative. In collaborating, there is no one way or only one right way of doing things. I think we revised our communication strategies as we went along to try to adapt. However, in a three phase project when there is not a clear vision from the beginning this shows up in the end product. While we were successful in the end, I did feel we could have had a more succinct and cohesive project. For example, my final outline had four major headings and three sub topics each. This would have left me with about 12-15 slides in the presentation. In the end, I had to re-evaluate and re-interpret all of my information as I had many times throughout the three weeks. In ending, if anything limited my learning it was time re-doing work and communicating that could have been spent productively on other project goals. However, the experience did help me learn more about online collaborative learning. I also think we did well considering different time zones and personal obligations which most but unfortunately not all of the group considered.



With this said, I will move on to discuss effective teaching strategies when integrating technology. I think this was first and foremost modeled for us in instructor support. Given the size of the class, the university immediately provided a second instructor for this course. I also experienced effective and timely feedback during this course which I think is imperative to a student's success in any learning environment. To begin with, I feel that the coursework reflected I.S.T.E. standards. Our instructors further facilitated our learning and allowed us to be participants. Likewise, all learning styles were addressed at one time or another throughout the course. The "active" learning style was represented in our SIG work and RSS pages. The "reflective" learning style was addressed through blogging. "Sensing" was addressed in our RSS assignment and our SIG research. "Intuitive" was represented in our readings and specifically in our readings about "learning theories." Likewise, the "visual" learning style was represented in our presentations including Google Presenter and Prezi. It was also represented in our PLN project. Our lab work included visual media and videos. "Verbal" was addressed through our SIG proposal, Twitter, MACUL space, and instructor office hours. Also, "sequential" was addressed through the road map, rubrics, and participation guide. Finally, the "global" was addressed through the technology plan project and the "pitch" we were to create for our SIG group.



We further learned about effectively integrating technology by being given projects which
made learning meaningful and personal. Also, technology skills were not taught in isolation. Likewise, we learned about TPCK. More importantly, we learned about "tweaking" TPCK to effectively solve problems.



Another important aspect to our learning about technology included the internet. In this example, we used social bookmarking research, blogs, twitter, RSS feeds, Google docs and calender, Flikr, and etc. I think integrating the Internet helped me easily understand the premise behind the "connectivism" model. I think it further helped me evaluate and manage the overwhelming amount of information available on the Internet. In essence, we applied technologies to harness the power of the Internet and its available resources.



While I think all our assignments and projects exemplify good teaching with technology, I feel some assignments were better matched to my own learning style and present goals. For example, I valued blogging because I enjoy learning through reflection. I also valued the RSS page reflection assignment. If I had to choose one, I would say I valued and enjoyed completing the RSS page assignment the best. This example exemplifies teaching with technology because it allowed me to harness the power of the availability of information on the Internet for both personal and professional use. I liked this project because it can grow and change with my career. It also keeps me current in my profession with timely updates. It costs nothing and keeps me connected to parts of my PLN (twitter, Edmodo, and I.S.T.E.). It even has the potential to help me expand my PLN through blogging. Again, I valued all projects and assignments modeled for us because I do not teach to my own learning style in the classroom but teach with my classes learning styles in mind.



As I stated earlier, I feel I have met and even exceeded my goals from my Personal Growth Plan. While I have outlined many new goals in my technology plan including continuing education, I will continue to add new goals. For example, I now have a new goal of adding www.edweb.net/ for further professional development opportunities. I would also like to implement some of the ideas from the SIG presentations. I intend to implement using the interactive whiteboard with the iPad. I also would like to use Glogster, Lit. Google Trips, rubrics for evaluation, and writing in math.





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