EDLD+5364+Week+4+Reflection

Week 4 Reflection-EDLD 5364
As I complete Week 4 of EDLD 5364, Teaching with Technology, I reflect back over the readings for this week. The Solomon and Schrum text highlighted the challenges in creating effective professional development for teachers and their technology usage. The authors in this text state, “We often provide ‘just in case’ training rather than ‘just in time’ training, which provides educators with information they need just as they need it” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p. 103). This text recommended using technology to learn how to use the technology and discussed the use of blogs, wikis, and podcasts. The Pitler text focused on cooperative learning combined with multimedia and web resources in order for students to interact with others and to construct meaning for new knowledge. The videos this week showed excellent examples of teachers incorporating technology into their classrooms. The teachers at High Tech High were shown working in teams in order to collaborate projects across the curriculum. One video showed the Science teacher working with the Art teacher to collaborate on a project about blood. Watching this video and several of the others this week has shown me the value of collaboration with colleagues and how technology greatly increases the level of student engagement. It is encouraging to see technology being successfully embedded into a school and its curriculum. It gives all educators a goal to strive for.

Solomon, G., Schrum, L. (2007).//Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools.// Washington, D.C. International Society for Technology in Education. (p. 103).