In looking at the Blog Rubric I see that in order to be exemplary I should post insights related to what I am learning.
Insight #1: In the process of creating a blog one can get lost in a maze of complexity. For example: In order to create a video that I could insert into my last blog posting I spent 2 hours learning to use the video recorder on my laptop.
Insight #2: I am challenged by the question of how best to spend my time as a college professor. In order to create an excellent unit for my students, one which takes advantage of the available technology in an appropriate way, it would take a considerable amount of time. Given that there are only so many hours in a day, would that time be better spent in face-to-face interaction with my students?
My next step is to post matching comments in the blogs of two classmates.
Bob, I like your insights. I haven't yet posted anything on my own blog yet, but posting a comment seems relatively easy. I did, however, play around with Google docs for over an hour and have found the complexity there as well. I think it takes time to just become familiar with all of these tools, and I agree that time is hard to come by. I am a high school teacher, and to comment on your second insight you need to take baby steps and at the very least be familiar with the online tools your students are using. For example, this past quarter I was in the computer lab with one of my classes where a few students were using Google docs to work simultaneously on their Q4 projects, and I thought it was the best thing ever! I had never seen it in action before, but I am so glad this course has introduced me to Google docs because now I can share with my students this tool and I won't hear excuses of not being able to get together when they can work at home on the same project. Take things one day at a time. Try and post your syllabus online for your students next time instead of handing it out or try showing your students an online article/video during a lecture to enhance it. You can build up your units overtime and gradually add technology tools.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely takes a lot of time to become familiar with new technology programs and to incorporate them into your class lessons. As Lauren said, it makes sense to start small and work your way up as you become more comfortable. We have been using Google with our fourth grade students. They started by working on a Google Doc with other classmates. We just explained to them that we were all learning together. When we had glitches, we worked through them together. The biggest surprise was how fast they could manipulate the program and how much they taught me! If anything, I learned that I needed to step out of my comfort level to have a higher impact with my students.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff Bob! I agree that it takes longer than we want it to in creating the optimum unit with using technology. I also think that Lauren had a great statement about familiarity with the tech side of it all...like they say, "practice makes perfect". I try to look at it, "if I invest the time now, then down the road everything will be a lot smoother"...just a thought.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Bob, one item (such as learning the video on your laptop) can take you down an unexpected path of time. Hopefully as you slowly integrate the ideas into your teaching you and your students will find your time well spent.
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