What I learned as a pre-service teacher in my IT course.

          Of all the ideas discussed in my IT course the one that really stood out to me was digital citizenship . Being a good digital citizen is something that needs to be taught and integrated into every lesson that uses technology. Being a good digital citizen means being aware of how your use of technology can affect yourself and others, and how to effectively manage that technology in such a way that no one is negatively effected. Having students being aware of their impact on themselves and others when using technology should be the first step to using technology as an educational device,  To get another perspective on what being a good digital citizen is, take a look at this video.

What Resource Did I Find Most Useful?

          We looked at many technology related resources that can benefit students. Some of these included websites dedicated to literacy and helping students approach literacy related content in an interesting way through their site. One that my group members and I spent some time designing a lesson plan around was a site called story jumper. Story jumper allows students to use digital media to tell the stories that they have created, or create new stories.

How Will I Use What I Have Learned?

           As an educator my eyes have been opened through my experiences during this course. The amount of educational based technologies available to teachers is vast. Almost any subject, or content that you might be covering, can be enhanced through proper technology integration. I am most excited to see how I can use my knowledge of educational technologies to enhance the learning of science for my middle school and elementary students. Too often science can fall into a boring repetition of procedures or readings. Through technology I intend to find creative ways to make science a truly engaging experience.

If There Was........

           One thing I wish I understood more and am more comfortable with is understanding what is developmentally appropriate in terms of technology use. Knowing what kinds of technology are able to be used by certain grade levels is a very important factor when it comes to technology integration. I have been looking at the common core state standards of Washington, found here, and they shed some light on this matter. Still, it is my goal to understand what technology can be used across all grade levels in any classroom setting.