Thing 23 Reflection

Take a few moments to reflect on your journey. You've covered a lot of material over the past ten weeks. What does it all mean? How has your thinking changed between Thing 1 and Thing 23? Has this program changed how you view the Internet or how view education in the digital world? What plans have you made for using these tools in and out of the classroom? How will you continue to learn about Web 2.0 tools? What are your big "take aways" from this experience?

I feel excited, energized, empowered, hopeful yet, frustrated. I am excited to be done and ready to continue to build my skills using the Web 2.0 tools. Energized, empowered, and hopeful because I want to use what I have learned to help my teachers teach and prepare my students for the 21st century. I am frustrated because I wanted to be done sooner to enable me to have more prepared before school starts. There were some obstacles that delayed me and I did spend more time on each Thing as I wanted to learn as much as I could before I moved on. I know when school starts it will not be possible to devote hours learning new stuff! I did have to spend hours as I had not used any of the tools, I had just heard about all of them.

I have a new understanding of the term "digital kid" and this was a great way to learn it. So many have talked about different books and articles on the subject but, completing this class made it meaningful and I truly understand what Alan November was talking about. Thank you Greg and Sue for spending your summer helping us all!!!! I knew kids liked to play on the computer but, I didn't really understand the power "being digital" provided or how it enables everyone to communicate and learn from each other. Hearing about it, seeing examples and knowing how to use it are very different. Slowly we will teach all the old dogs new tricks!

I didn't know where to start with the Web 2.0 tools before taking this class and I am not one to just go exploring and doing on the internet. In a very short time I have accomplished the ability to find and do what I want to do. Completing this class provided me with greater knowledge to fight for the tools my students and teachers need to do a better job in the classroom. I have seen how students are more engaged when using the computer and this class has increased the necessity for up-to-date equipment even more.

I plan to use and talk about as many of the tools as I can. It will take me time to get it all organized but, I feel each tool will add to anything I do in my personal or professional life. The tools will also save me time as they allow me to communicate in a better way with my students, colleagues, and friends. I have already used the internet to search, learn and communicate with people in both my professional and personal life from what I have learned.

Continuing to learn is going to be a snap. I have already discovered many new "things" from exploring with each "thing" I have done. I feel confident I now have the ability to learn about anything I hear about. This is why we need to enable, engage, and allow our students to be digital kids and empower them to be ready for their future.

This was fun, I just wish it was the middle of July instead of the middle of August! I also feel more comfortable about writing my thoughts for everyone to read. I don't even want to discuss what school was like when I was a kid, as it would reveal how old I really am. Yea!!!! I'm free to get going on a new and exciting school year. Thank you again Greg and Sue for making all this possible.