Evaluation

1. Trace the evolution of your feelings and thoughts about the incorporation of technology into your own practice and classroom from the beginning of this course to now. Explain how your ideas and beliefs changed or been affirmed as a result of this course? What did you used to think compared to now? Please provide specific examples from your own experiences and the course when responding. (8 points)
2. Based on your response to prompt #1, please explain your current philosophy towards technology use in the classroom. If you were asked this question in a job interview, how would you answer this to a school hiring official? (8 points)
3. List the 2-3 technologies that you are most excited or interested in using in your own practice and explain why these are a good fit for your particular setting or content area. (4 points)

1. I did not know much about incorporating technology into my teachings.  I learned that it is possible to do so much more than I thought before.  I used to think that you could pretty much only use powerpoint and now I know there is so much more.  I never thought that I would like making a screencast because of having to hear my own voice, but after doing it I like it much more than standing up in front of a class.  I could see it as such a useful too for introductions or online lessons.  I learned that there is more to online school than I first thought.  Some people have good reasons to take an alternative route.  I never knew there were so many options in MN.

2. I think that technology is necessary.  I don't necessarily want to admit that, but I think it is.  In the outdoor field that I am in, I want to believe that it can all happen outdoors, but now I see there is aspects of the outdoor experience that can be amplified with technology.  Things like lifeproof cases on ipads and apps to help identify trees or birds or flowers.  Things like a blog to share with friends and family what is going on in the woods.  Technology allows us to share information to a greater number of people much faster then once before.

3. My blog- I think it is a great way to share about the week in the woods after bringing a group of students on a camping trip, or to share my experiences on different adventures of my own.

Creating my own website- I never envisioned myself as the one behind the computer but I really enjoyed making my own page.  I could see myself doing it if I work at a camp or other company to keep the public informed.

Screencast- I could see myself setting up short informational videos on different natural oriented things and having them availible for a park or nature center that I may work for.