"Reflect on your own experiences using technology for learning. What technologies were used when you were a student and how were they used? How were technology-related skills taught to you as a student? What was emphasized? What skills and knowledge to you already possess to help you meet the challenges of effectively integrating technology into instruction. How did you learn those skills?"
Coming from a small school with just over 300 students total, k-12 that is, funding for everything including technology based learning and using technology to learn was extremely limited.
In Algebra in 9th grade we were introduced to graphing calculators, although there was only one set for the entire math department, we did get to use them on occasion. The school had one computer lab with old, gateway computers and there were about seven macs in our library that were loaded with a much older operating system. The were those colored imac, perhaps they weren't even imac yet. The school used a lot of overhead projectors for various lessons and this is definitely the most technological thing we used frequently. I don't think that it really enhanced out learning in any way. In about tenth grade I had the option to take the one and only computer class in which I learned how to use Microsoft Front Page to create a website, excel to make spreadsheets, publisher to make pamphlets and business cards, powerpoint to make presentations and we used Word for various other things too. Things that were emphazied in my technology in education were the basics. They taught us the basics so that we were weren't completely from the dark age, and most of us that graduated were computer literate.Technology was rarely integrated in to other content areas unfortunately.
Because I haven't learned much about technology in my high school career, especially using it in other content areas ,and my interest in it, I have taken it upon myself to learn as much about the newest things and technologies. I will be depending on this course to open my eyes to technology in education and I will learn these skill by being involved and engaged in and out of class.
Another way I will learn about technology in education is by my field experience in my Practicum 1. The skills I learn in class can be directly applied to actuality of a classroom and in addition I will have the opportunity to actually SEE how technology is being used in classrooms today.
When I first started teaching, we had a computer lab with 8 computers and I had classes of 23 and 24. If we wanted to use the lab, I had to put 2 or 3 students together at one machine. It's amazing how times have changed so quickly. I'm glad to hear that you are putting what you are learning to use in your practicum. Hands on use of new knowledge is the BEST way to learn!
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