Final Blog Post: A Summary of What I Now Know 5.0

We covered so much this semester in such a short period of time that I’m almost at a loss for words when I click “View Blog” and see what I’ve really done. At times, I felt as though some of the blog assignments were going to result in a mass of students compiling a bunch of mainstream opinions in an effort to get a completed checklist. And here’s where I admit to myself that I was indeed wrong. I am NOT the person who is afraid to speak her mind. Debates with random strangers who happen to hear my voice of opinion are not unusual. In fact, I don’t feel challenged without a heated discussion every now and then. I thoroughly enjoyed reading comments made by other classmates that “got a rise” out of readers and even Dr. Strange from time to time. So here’s an overview of what I’ve learned just from EDM 310:

• It’s okay to have virtual friends, even if you’ve never met.
• Wikipedia is not the devil, but not a reliable or accepted source when writing a research paper.
• Powerpoint Presentations are not that boring. Yes, they can be when that is the only type of lecture your Biology professor uses but they are not just for lectures. I have learned that Power Point in Google is a lot easier for me to use than Power Point in Microsoft Office.
• Google Docs are so much fun! And oh so easy! I have had a Gmail account for nearly 4 years and I never knew that I could make a survey for friends and family to take at the convenience of a click of the mouse. I really like how many things Gmail has to offer. You can check your email, make a quick survey, work on a presentation for class, share pictures with family and friends on the web, Research using Google and receive e-mail updates from Blogger, Facebook, and many other social networks. I was really glad that I learned how many opportunities there were right before my very eyes while I was checking my e-mail.
• I did not explore Picasa in great depths but I do have almost all of my albums uploaded on Picasa and when I get some free time to update my pictures, I will check it out with an open mind.
• Comments 4 Kids was so special to me in several ways. I had no idea how much it would mean to these children that a complete stranger made a comment on their blogs. It was also really exciting to see how technology literate 6^th graders were becoming these days. Whew, they are waaaay past the skills I possessed back then. I am inspired and enlightened by teachers like Mrs. Yollis and Mrs. Goerand who have made it possible for students to begin building a PLN at such a crucial age in today’s technology world.
• The word Podcast was as unfamiliar as visiting a college for the first time. When I was first introduced to podcasts and our blog assignment that week was to “familiarize ourselves” with them, I was thinking ‘What about them?’ And until I recorded mine with two other students, I didn’t appreciate them. I had SO much fun making our first podcast. I am always the “talker” in conversations and I felt really comfortable taking the bull by its horns when we began recording. I have found many uses for podcasts in the future and will definitely be doing a few more of my own for more practice. Our podcast topic was to discuss the use of Google Earth and iTunes U in K-12 classrooms and this was a perfect topic because I was eager to learn the ins and outs of both programs. I will be using Google Earth in the classroom every day if possible. No matter what area of Science I am destined to teach, I see potential for Google Earth in every single subject.

Was I ever bored in this class? Not particularly. As I’ve mentioned before, there were times where I felt as though I really wouldn’t benefit from an assignment or project. I think it’s safe to say that I was wrong. There was never a time where I wasn’t learning something. There is nothing in this class that I have learned that I will intentionally or conveniently forget. I think that would be silly. Knowledge is power and who would want to loose part of something like power? Additionally, I do not feel like anything was incredible challenging intellectually however, I did have moments similar to “writer’s block” and those were times when I realized I needed to watch that video again. Did this class excite me? Yes. There were times when I wanted to yank my teeth out and throw them at Dr. Strange’s forehead, but I didn’t really want to do that. (I just thought about it) Hee hee. When I learned something in EDM 310 that I had tried to learn in the past but got frustrated and gave up, I got excited. I have become a lot more hopeful and confident in myself that I will succeed as an educator.