Tech Tool Reflections

This course was the first one that I took from the Tech Specialist endorsement courses. I took this class as a standalone course because the subject matter interested me. While I had taken courses in the past that had a tech focus, I never took a specific technology course. My district relies very heavily on technology and tech integration has been a major movement within the last two years. Therefore, I figured there was no time like the present to get on board and learn some new things.

Light bulb moments throughout the course.

Light Bulb Moments

Although there were a few moments of darkness (as is normal when trying new things) there were definitely some defining moments throughout the course that I would call "light bulb moments." One of my biggest challenges throughout the course was learning how to incorporate technology to 2nd grade EL students. My district currently has a 2:1 Chromebook ratio for 2nd grade, so another challenge was availability and ways to use tech that is not whole group. I discovered that as long as a tech tool is introduced in whole group, it can be used as a center activity where only a portion of the students need Chromebooks, thus alleviating the availability issue. Another challenge was the age range and language proficiency of the students. As a bilingual teacher, I am able to translate to communicate with students, however, translating tech terminology was somewhat challenging to me. Words like "space bar, enter, shift, tab, or load" are not everyday terms used in my second language. Working with 2nd grade initially made me feel that tech integration would be limited, but throughout discussions and tools learned in this course, I had a light bulb moment that made me realize that sometimes I am my own biggest obstacle in teaching with technology. When I got my kids onto various apps, I realized their computer skills were far more advanced than I had imagined (kudos to the previous year's EL teacher). The tech integration movement reached our PreK-1st building level as well and primary age students are prepared for tech now more than ever.

Takeaways...

• If you are a primary teacher - fear not - there are ample ways to use tech with your kids!

• Technology does not have to be time consuming - students catch on super quickly after a few sessions.

• Technology can save a lot of time - online assessment tools such as Go Formative, Edulastic, and Google Forms have functions such as auto-grading.

• Student creativity is boundless with apps such as SeeSaw.

• Technology enhances overall student learning.