About three weeks into the course I had that aha moment. It was a happy accident, new to the platform of blogging, I entered "The Pause" as the title of the first post thinking that I would be able to choose a different title for the next blog. The title stuck around week after week though and so I decided it had to mean something more than just the pause before diving into the technological teaching environment. But what?
Before I get to that, though, here is a way to reflect back on the course as a whole:
"The times They Are a-Changing!" Checklist, (from Talk about Assessment, Damian Cooper, 2010)
Am I?
1. Am I interested in the possibilities that digital technology holds for my classroom?
2. Am I knowledgeable about digital sources of information and reference?
3. Am I open to receiving students' work, and offering feedback, via e-mail?
4. Am I currently using digital technology for planning and managing assessment?
5. Am I comfortable with inquiry-based learning?
6. Am I comfortable with the role of the teacher as being "facilitator of learning" rather than the "source of knowledge"?
At the beginning of the course I would have been in the N = Not at all or S = Somewhat; now though at the end of the term my answer to all questions is V = Very!
So, load, cancel, delete, install, search updates, download, upload, scan, extend, drop, choose, submit, share, save, follow, view, preview, low batt, publish, link, collections, community, pause installation and so on. Our programming is up to date, for now, version 2.0 of 'teacher literacy'. The next update will be available in the coming months. On to our next placement to work out the bugs. Best of luck to everyone!
Final word to Professor Mike Nantais. Gratitude. It has been proven over and over to me, again and again, that that which I resist once embraced will reap great benefits and surprising results. Cliché? probably, but I am honest with myself and whether it is cliché or not, it is true for me. Going back to school, group work, presentations, debating topical issues, accomplishing tech tasks, professional development sessions, exploring the leadership role rather than the supporting role, in essence evolving from a closed mindset to a growth mindset. Finding my own voice and being able to share it in my writing did not seem like a simple thing to do, but now I'm already thinking about collaborating with my sons for my next collection of blogs..."The Plant-Based Family - Our Story"
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Sonya, you have made me a very happy man with this post. I wish you all the luck on the new blogging adventure! It has been an extreme pleasure getting to know you and having you in my class, I enjoyed your blog and our chats. I KNOW you will be an excellent teacher - all the best!
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