Week+Five+5364

= Reflecting Upon Teaching in Technology = =This week’s lesson was entitled **//Reflecting upon Teaching in Technology//**. In our readings this week we examined some practical ways to use technology activities to guide students to deeper understanding and reflection. In the videos we explored what “big thinkers” had to say about the future of education and technology. Lastly, we reflected upon what we have learned throughout the course by posting comments to the class discussion board, our personal blog, and our group Google site. = = = =When we began our group project for this class I tried to be proactive by seeking out members to form a group. I felt it was important to seek out people who had common goals and interests on whom I could depend to be timely in completing their work and able to follow through on their commitments to the group. I approached the project with a positive attitude but soon began to feel somewhat overwhelmed by having to depend on others and not being "in control" of the outcome. Since the time our group was formed I came to feel that I was the weakest link. I have learned so much from the other members of my team which is so exciting. Reading about and creating learning communities and working collaboratively in a group has made me a true believer in the importance of using these methods in working with students. After viewing the video with James Paul Gee I now see that by having the opportunity to work in a group we were able to achieve so much more than any of us could individually. Gee makes the statement that //"Next will be schooling that stresses the ability to solve problems, but not just to solve problems, but to be able to do it collaboratively so that you can work in a group where the group is **smarter than the smartest person in the group**, and also where you can innovate with the tools you've learned and not just do standard solutions to problems."// = =Edutopia.org (nd). Big thinkers: James Paul Gee on grading with games. Retrieved on 12/14/09 from @http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-james-gee-video = = = =I came to the conclusion that our group was able to demonstrate that as a group we were "smarter than the smartest person in the group". That excited me even more! = = = =Another quote by James Paul Gee that piqued my interest was "Very often, you don't learn that much from an expert, you can learn a lot by learning **with** somebody else." I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to learn alongside and with my classmates and group members. = = = =From my textbook reading in //**Web 2.0 New Tools, New Schools**// I ran across a quote from David Tosh who developed the Elgg program in 2004, an e-portfolio system (see []). The reading states that "this tool was designed to promote **reflective thinking**, allow users to select artifacts important to them, promote social connections, and focus on the process of learning rather than the end products." = = = =I thought a great deal this week about the value of reflective thinking. As a counselor I use reflective listening techniques in working with students to help them solve their own problems and overcome challenges and barriers to their academic success. I have come to see how using our class discussion board, writing on our blogs and wikis, and completing our group and individual reflection assignments enhances our learning process. From my own personal experience, since I began participating in social networking sites and blogging, my own reflective thinking skills have increased tremendously. Before I began this course, Teaching with Technology, I don't think I had a true appreciation or understood the importance and value of the skill of reflective thinking. = = =


 * Group Project: Team Reflection**




 * Group Project: Completion**