EdTechTrek

For the past few semesters I have been asking my students enrolled in Introduction to Educational Technology what it is that they want to get out of the course, what their expectations of me are, what they are excited about, worried about, concerned about… and every semester I realize just a little more just how important this is. I use a wiki for various course activities and don’t ask the students to identify themselves in this particular task. As I look at the responses left after the first class of this semester (see bullets below), I am struck with the diversity that the students bring into this class; diversity of experiences, of backgrounds, of knowledge, of interests…

This class is perhaps the most optimistic one that I have ever had when looking at this list that they have shared.

Some of their statements just blew me away. I am truly humbled by the task set before me, as I am dealing with intelligent, passionate, and thoughtful students who don’t want their precious time (and dollars) wasted on rote tasks, passive knowledge transmission-style activity, and hoop jumping. I’m saddened when

From Michael Wesch's Vision of Students Today

I hear stories of how they feel some courses/professors have squandered their intellectual capital and squelched their passion and creativity. There’s no doubt that knowledge-sharing and acquisition are important, but there is such a rich diversity of interesting, meaningful and creative ways to learn and to demonstrate that learning. In many instances we have become complacent and lazy in higher education. One may argue that those creative avenues are next to impossible to implement and assess in classes of 50, 100, 200, 300 students…, but the problem does not lie in creative and powerful approaches to learning…

Listen to all of what ex-college student Dan Brown shares if you like, but I’m specifically referencing what he talks about at 3:55 into this video:

So, read the hopes and aspirations of my students this semester. Do I feel challenged and personally responsible? You bet I do.

• I expect to get frustrated sometimes and be challenged all the time as I learn and experiment with new technology that will help me better connect with students.
• I expect to have a huge learning curve as I’m not even close to being a “techie geek”
• I expect to make friends and contacts that I will know while in my program and after I graduate
• I expect to learn everything on the syllabus
• I expect to enjoy myself while learning
• I expect to have many questions
• I need patience from Dr. Ransom as I’ve only been “using” the computer for the last 2 years while getting my MBA online
• I really don’t feel anxious as I didnt’ even know how to use Google when I started my MBA 2 years ago and I have a 4.0,am a volunteer for the school’s Marketing Department, and will be completing 2 masters programs at the same time, so I know I can mangae my time and multi-task! (graduate in November 2010)
• I am excited to see what is out there on the Internet that I don’t know about!
• I am excited to see my work improve
• I am excited to be in school and to have the opportunity to get this degree!
• I am not the best on computers, I am excited to learn.
• I am excited that we are in a Mac lab. I just got a new Mac lap top and I can’t wait to learn how to better use it.
• I am excited to work on a Mac computer, and I am also excited to learn more about ways to use evolving technology in my classroom some day.
• I need to be patient because most of the material that we are going to cover is stuff that I already know.
• I expect to not procrastinate.
• I am excited to learn about new programs and websites.
• I am happy to be staying up to pace with everything! I feel like this will be one course worth taking! We’ve already learned of a few, but I know we’ll be getting introductions to many useful, free resources out there for us in the future and as a future teacher am excited to add those to my “bag of tricks”!
• I’m excited to see what the newest and upcoming programs and softwares are.
• I expect to gain lots of techniques to use in my classroom and lessons to increase my student’s interests.
• I expect to learn how to balance the use of technology in the classroom.
• I expect to have many frustrations that result in great projects.
• I expect a learning environment that is a community, where we can ask each other for help.
• I expect to learn about new technologies and their application in the classroom.
• I’m anxious about using Mac. I’m a PC user..
• I am excited to learn and use Inspiration! I saw my classmates create great charts, etc using Inspiration.
• I expect to learn a lot about connecting technology with the classroom, especially because my content area is science.
• I expect to experience many different learning strategies using technology.
• What I want to get out of this class is a better way to incorporate science and technology in the classroom.
• I’m anxious to discover a bunch of technology oriented strategies to use in the classroom.
• I’m excited to learn what other classmates find useful and not useful.
• I’m excited to learn new ways to simplify and organize various tasks in my future classroom.
• I’m worried that I’ll not correctly complete or submit some of my work due to my lack of technological knowledge.
• I expect to find this course enjoyable. I am loving the project based outline. It is so much more fun and you get a lot more out of classes that way!
• I am anxious about learning to use such a variety of technology in a relatively short time.
• I am excited about learning what resources are available online and how to use them – since before yesterday technology meant Microsoft Office, Google, and Facebook to me.
• I expect and am excited to acquire a wealth of technologically based ideas and resources that I can use to develop lessons that will excite and engage my future students.
• I am really excited to learn about Smartboards and I am extremely curious as to how they work.
• I am looking forward to developing appropriate ways to integrate technology in the classroom.
• I am excited about exploring new technology.
• I hope to gain a better sense of what should be a part of your digital footprint and whats acceptable to be kept private.
• I am looking forward to getting to use and learn about Smartboards!
• I am hoping to expand upon my technology knowledge and add things that I’ll be able to use in my classroom
• I am hoping I’ll be able to find the balance between technology and learning. How can I incorporate it it just enough so that it isn’t a distraction? What is that fine line?
• I am nervous about the one-on-one Skype interviews with other teachers. I am incredibly shy and this will take me far beyond my comfort zone.
• I am excited about learning new things about technology, and how it will allow me to teach in more diverse ways.

• I am anxious to learn about smartboards and all their capabilities. I have had limited experience with them in the past.
• I want to learn more about how I can use technology in my classroom to enhance student learning and delivery of lessons.
• I am also worried that I will not do something right in the course i.e. submit something wrong
• I am interested to see how Blogs as well as other technologies that we are using in this class will help benefit me as an educator as well as how much students will be able to utilize them in the classroom.

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