Final Reflection of Course

Aidan-Meghann Chambers
CT 243
Final Reflection
My goal for this course was to learn how to better use the computer for the benefit of my future classroom. And I definitely feel that this was accomplished. I am leaving this class with more knowledge on resources and programs that I can use when I become a teacher than I ever thought I would. And so many of the resources I can see myself using in the future. Another one of my goals was to learn more about internet safety. This goal was also accomplished. Not only can I see myself using these some of these resources in my future classroom but also my present life. I can use them in other classes to present various types of information. I can use the things I learned about Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel from the MS Screen casts on research papers, presentations and sorting information. There are so ways I can use these programs as a resource to my ho0mework, class work and future classroom. My major goal above all was to open my eyes to a new way of using computers. And that goal was certainly accomplished as well.
Just a couple of the programs that helped me accomplish this and were my favorites were: 1.) Quiz star; I still think that quiz star is such an amazing resource for the classroom. If I was to use quiz star in the classroom I would be able to make up my own quizzes for my students and document that they took the quiz and review their answers and what not. I can make it that much more exciting for the students and for myself to make up the quizzes by adding pictures, music and other multimedia to my quizzes. This program is interactive and creative. I am bilingual. I speak Spanish and English so I really enjoy the fact that quiz star can make the quizzes in multiple languages. This allows me to broaden the culture of my students through the use of different languages. If we were having a Spanish lesson that day, I could make a quiz in Spanish and English, which would be a great way for the students to reinforce what they just learned by taking the quiz. Learning doesn’t always have to be repetitive and boring. And quiz star is a resource that proves that. I also like the autonomy it gives the students by allowing the students to complete their quiz and then review it after. I really like the features that quiz star has to offer and I think is a resource that I can use as an advantage for myself as a teacher and even more for my students. Technology in the classroom is becoming more and more advanced and I believe this program quiz star is an example of that. 2.) Digital Storytelling; I would implement a digital story to introduce a lesson or an add-on onto a different lesson. I feel that as a teacher, I can definitely use digital storytelling to my advantage to help present material in a new and innovative way. And the pictures will definitely catch and keep the attention of children especially the 3 and 4 yr olds I will be teaching. The music is a great way to get the kids into the lesson and make learning that much more fun! Photo story 3 made it so easy to add the pictures, music and other audio and make them into a story. The music/ transitions actually make the photos come to life and makes it very enjoyable to watch and listen to. I believe I will have the resources, skills (those I learned in this class plus creativity) and time to implement a resource like this in my classroom. These are only a couple of the programs/resources I learned how to use myself and learned how teach others how to use it.
This course helped me to learn that the computer can be used for so much more than just going on face book or checking my email. It can be used to my advantage and in so many ways to benefit myself and bring out my creativity in my future classroom.