Relection About My Technology Assignment

I just completed my first assignment for my technology class; the virtual field trip assignment. The Virtual Field Trip assignment was very useful for someone like me, who has difficulty using technology; something always seems to go wrong. Of all the Web 2.0 tools explored, I envision using DEL.ICIO.US and YOUtube (or teachertube) the most in my teaching and everyday life.

I love DEL.ICIO.US because I like the idea of having all my favourite websites in one place. Often I find myself wishing I had my computer on me so I can show a friend, or classmate, an interesting website I found. If my computer is not with me, I need to remind myself to e-mail them the link. Often, I forget to do this. However, if all my information was in one spot and could be accessed on any computer, I could easily share these useful websites with others.

In the classroom, I could use this tool during project times. When working on a project, children could refer to my bookmarks to see suggested/helpful websites pertaining to their assignment. This would also be a more environmentally friendly way of doing things. Rather than giving the students a handout with the websites, I could have them refer to my bookmarks online. I would also encourage them to do some research of their own to find additional resources that they too could share with others through the DEL.ICIO.US tool. In a way, students would be helping each other. For example, if I was teaching the class about Canada and they were going to be doing a group project on one of Canada’s provinces. I could use DEL.ICIO.US to provide them with some useful websites, but they too could use DEL.ICIO.US to store the websites that they found on their own, since maybe they too would like to share their found websites with others in the class.

The other tool I will use in teaching is the YOUtube/video streaming tool. In teaching, if ever I was having trouble coming up with a creative way to teach a certain subject, for example math, I could come online and search for ideas through YOUtube. This would not only give me a good lesson idea, but would also show me, visually, how to go about leading such a lesson. If I was to find a great video of a lesson, I could share those videos with my colleagues. I could also use YOUtube videos in the classroom by finding entertaining age-appropriate videos that may re-emphasize the main points I was trying to get across to my students. For example, if I was teaching a lesson on endangered species I could find a video that raises awareness on the issue, or a video that promotes fundraising opportunities, or even just a video that shows different types of endangered species. There are many great ways of incorporating YOUtube into the classroom.

I found this assignment very useful with simple instructions, however, I also found it time consuming, taking me nearly 2.5 hours to complete. I'm happy with my newly acquired skills, I just wish it hadn't taken that much time to acquire them.