The Big Shift #1

• How has this shift affected your teaching practice so far?

Over the past decade as a computer teacher, I’ve been able to create my own curriculum using the Internet as the primary source for my lessons. What I’ve seen changing recently is where I go to find the information. Initially I would visit many sites that were only “read” pages. I would read or maybe download a lesson, but I had no input to the content. Now I mainly visit sites that are interactive and updated frequently.

• How do you expect it might affect you in the future?

There’s no doubt that the Read/Write web will change what I teach the students in my class. I’ve already noticed that I’ve started to dabble in a very simple blog with the fifth graders and they loved it. I would imagine that I’ll start incorporating wikis and podcasts in the lessons.

• Have your views changed since you started this course?

Since the beginning of this course, I think my attitude regarding using blogs and wikis, etc. has changed. Although I’ve always been a fan of them, this class has made me realize that they are a necessity that should be taught to all students. Realizing that these students will need to know these tools to work successfully in the 21st century was an eye-opener for me.

• How can you use technology to facilitate this shift in your own classroom?

I believe that I have an opportunity to not only facilitate this shift in my own classroom, but through my position as a staff development trainer, I can potentially help my district teachers to begin to change their teaching tools from papers to podcasts! At the beginning of every year we have to create workshops for teachers to choose for their professional development hours. My wheels are already spinning in my head on what types of offerings can be created using all the elements I’ve learned through this class.