Select One

Select one of the following topics for your final journal entry:
1) At the beginning of this course, you were asked to assess your present strengths and weaknesses in technology. Has your assessment changed? If so, how?
2) How do you plan to keep up with new innovations in technology once you have completed your classes at UNT?
3) What specific plans do you have for implementing technology in an educational setting as a result of what you have learned in 5720?

I am aware that the directions tell me to select just one question to answer but I think that I want to address all three. I do think my strengths and weaknesses have changed in comparison to what I thought at the beginning of the course. I actually see myself as not as knowledgable as I had thought I was. I have learned of so many different technologies and ideas for using them that I now feel that although I am capable of learning and utilizing technology, there is much more out there for me to learn about. I find that very exciting. As a math teacher my technology has lent itself easily to a few online game sites and calculators mainly. Transitioning into the position of a future librarian opens up various avenues of technology for use in the library and to suggest for use to the staff.

Keeping up with new innovations in technology might be the biggest challenge- there is just so much available. I feel the best way to get a handle on these things is to continuously be looking for professional development and even better than that, collaborating with colleagues and peers. We can learn so much from one another just as we have in this class.

Specifically and initially my project 5 will be my first implementation. I created the site for my mentor librarian who is not as comfortable with technology, so I hope to pass on all the log in information to get her going on the site itself, as well as to be available to help her feel comfortable using the site and making it her own. From there I am most interested in getting started using blogs for book talks. Our current school age children need to use technology as it is where their future is strongly headed, and in addition I believe they love to use technology.

I am really excited for all the things this course has introduced me to and I am even more excited to try it out in the realm of education.