EDUC 730 - Wednesday Reflections

AS I shared in my initial blog, I struggle with using iPads in the classroom because of the technical issues involved with using them.  This morning's focus on mobile devices and iPads was enlightening.  I realized I am not on my own in my struggles with iPads.  Our exercise in figuring out ways to use the iPads for instruction forced me to consider ways I could use them.  Hearing ways other teachers use them helped me see other uses, as well.

When Dr. Holder was talking about courses we have taken where we do not get much out of them, I thought about professional development and training.  In education, we often go through workshops that offer interesting ideas we would like to use in our classrooms.  However, due to time constraints, we often have little time to work on planning for implementation and even less time to share those ideas with others.  As I move toward my career goal of instructional technology coaching and directorship, I need to be considerant of others and build in time to work collaboratively on ways to implement technology.  Teachers need less of "this is what you can do with this and this is how to do it" and more time to explore and build ways to implement technology.

I have not used composites and collages previously.  The presentation on these applications and time to create our own gave me new ideas for using them in the classroom.  Students I have taught in the past would have jumped on this type of assignment!  It was fun to edit a few of my images and ot my son on stage with Mrs. Kay from Duck Dynasty: