Looking back, looking ahead

     We are approaching the end of the technology in education course. Although it has not turned out to be what I expected when I signed up, I have made progress in my own technology skills. I was exposed to quite a few new tools, and I now feel more comfortable using them. I think my students are still much more adept at using technology, but I am able to navigate more tools now. I was not intimidated by my lack of experience in technology because I felt confident that my students would be able to use the technology based tools without me. I also have an excellent support system at school to help me implement projects that use technology.
     There are some tools that I think I will continue to use in the classroom. I will continue to follow various accounts on Twitter. I understand now its value for following the news in French speaking countries and sharing ideas and resources with teachers near and far. I also found Symbaloo to be a convenient way to organize resources for my students. My students have prepared projects with imovie, and now that I am more familiar with it I am sure I will continue to use it for projects.
     My skills for using technology have improved slightly, but I still find technology to be cumbersome and frustrating at times. I love the way it opens the world to us, but find it discouraging when it does not work as expected. This has confirmed for me that I am right to give my students some leeway when their ipads do not work as expected. Learning to use new technology has also reminded me of how difficult and disheartening school can be for some students. This has renewed my focus on my teaching skills and how I can create an encouraging environment for learning in the classroom. As technology evolves I will continue to look for new ways to integrate it into my curriculum, especially as a way for students to communicate in French.

Photo source