Final Reflections

After completing my second educational technology course through MSU’s MATC program, I think that it is important to reflect on why I saw technology as being an important part of education. As teachers we spend everyday of our school lives living among the digital natives. No matter how hard we try we can never be one of them and as such we are faced with a choice. Do we try to “civilize them” by immersing them in our world of text books and lectures or do we “go native” and immerse ourselves in their world of digital interaction? While the “colonial” track may give us absolute control and certainty, the natives will have a difficult time feeling connected to our foreign ways and will remain somewhat remote. If however we “go native” we risk losing control and stepping out of our comfort zone. It is only through going native however that we can truly connect with our students at their level and in their comfort zone and as such, despite the risk and our own reservations, I believe that we must dive in and adapt to the rapidly changing world around us.

By using technology in the classroom we as teachers can make lessons that are more interactive, student-centered, and powerful than we could in the past. It is however important to realize that we must never use technology for the sake of technology and it must always be used in a way that makes it a powerful learning tool rather than a gimmick or novelty. When reviewing some of the web-based tech out their, it was easy to see that many well intentioned immigrants have created resources attempting to connect with the natives. If these tools however are not designed properly, they can serve to further distance us from the natives and highlight our inherent “otherness.” When used well, technology provides us as digital immigrants the chance to connect with students through a medium that they are comfortable with and present knowledge in a way that allows us to reach more students multiple intelligences with visual, auditory, tactile, and interactive educational tools.

Through this course and CEP 810 I feel that I have grown a great deal both in technical skills and knowledge. I have learned how to build my own website, WebQuests, and resources that support student growth and understanding. Sometimes the challenge of incorporating technology into my classroom in a meaningful way can be a bit overwhelming, but by breaking down this challenge into its individual components I was able to understand not only the how but also the why of technology integration. While I have raised my comfort level as a digital immigrant I still remain a stranger in a strange land and must constantly push myself to study the resources available to me and figure out new strategies for connecting with the natives in meaningful and powerful ways.