One technology class down, a lifetime of learning to go . . .

I am finishing my technology class this week, and as I have been sorting through all my completed course work, I can’t help but be proud of what I accomplished this semester.


I have never felt at ease with computers or any other technology for that matter, and yet after just four months, processes I used to feel were completely beyond my abilities are now practically second nature. While there is still much I don’t know, I think the most important thing that I have gained form this class is my new found feeling of technological competence.


Admittedly, this semester I spent more time tinkering with and exploring new technologies than I spent actually completing my assignments. With little prior experience with these tools, the unfamiliar language and processes required a lot of trial and error. However, this exploration of the programs resulted in me feeling much more comfortable with their use, and while this was time consuming, it was definitely not a waste of time. Going to the wrong menu for a command helped me learn more about where the various functions were located, and what functions, beyond those required of my assignment, the tools could actually provide.


As new technologies are created everyday, the tools teachers will have available to them are also going to be expanding. Teachers will have to stay informed about new technologies and how they are used. Knowing this is the future I face, I am glad that my university required an instructional technology class. I would never have taken one by choice, and not only would I have missed out on how to create many wonderful lessons, but I also would have retained my fear of technology. I now feel that it is extremely important to incorporate technology into my teaching, and I plan to continue to stay current on new methods by taking technology classes throughout my career.


While I know this class couldn’t possibly provide everything I need to know about technology tools for the classroom, it has served me well by encouraging me to overcome my discomfort with computers. The willingness to play with an unfamiliar tool without fear that I’m going to cause irrevocable damage is a huge change for me, and I truly believe that this sense of technological competence will be vital to my teaching career. As the technologies themselves will change with time, my willingness to learn and adapt my teaching to the current technologies will be the most important skill I will take from this class.