Reflection… how sad its all over
I cannot believe that this is my last ICT reflection… its quite sad really…
Anyway on a brighter note! According to the results of my personal competency test i vastly improved by 18 marks. Clearly, this can solely be attributed to my undertaking of this course under computer genius Mark Lee. When I first undertook the personal competency test it was evident that I was not at all proficient or familiar with computer tasks involving spread sheets, desktop publishing, digital video, graphic organisers and multi-media projects, which I believe I scored myself a 1 in each. I think I scored myself a 1 in each not because I wasn’t able to understand the underlying workings of the programs but more so for the simple fact that I had never come across or needed to work with them previously. By undertaking this course I was granted the opportunity to turn around my lack of competency in these areas, where now I am in a position where I am more confident when dealing with these programs and would be more than happy to implement them as teaching tools/aids in my future classrooms and especially more currently on my 5 day practicum coming up shortly.
In my first blog I specifically noted that “I hope that my lecturer Mark Lee will be able to dedicate enough time in class to deal with my lack of knowledge and bring me up to date with such computer tasks/items inclusive of spreadsheets and web publishing in particular.” I think my knowledge and ability in working with these programs has increased hundred fold (slight exaggeration but you get the gist). I think in my current personal competency results I fared quite well, clearly this class educated me and aided me in an area of technology which will be imperative for teachers to be well versed in for future teaching strategies.
In my first blog I was expected to isolate areas I considered my self strong and weak in. I considered myself to have little strength in relation to ICT, being only confident in the use of general programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint. There was a long list of ICT programs that I considered myself extremely weak and not proficient at all in. The main programs included Spreadsheets and Computer Multimedia Programs (Photo story) as well as creating websites and blogs. Obviously, on the personal competency test I deemed myself proficient in using and creating blogs as for the majority of this semester I have worked on my very own Edublog having little trouble in writing blogs and linking files and documents and such. Also I think that under Mark’s careful direction I was able to utilise Spreadsheets and the many HARD formulas for presentation purposes so clearly I am not as weak as I was proficient wise in relation to this program. In relation to Multimedia programs I believe I am fine in working with Photo Story (images and music) though I am still not at all confident with working with video and video recording devices never owning one. More importantly, after working on the WebQuest evaluation task I am more than fine in deeming which WebQuests are effective and such, but I am not at all confident in creating my own… this is clearly something Mark will have to aid me in my next ICT related course. I still don’t consider myself especially strong in relation to education programs such as Inspiration as I feel that was easily the hardest portfolio item to complete and can only hope that I passed in it. It was time consuming and I found it confusing. Obviously, I will need more practice in the use of programs such as this to make myself more proficient in the use of ICTs in the classroom.
As in coming years technology is bound to be having a lasting impact on education strategies I believe that the undertaking of this course was imperative in assisting me in my future career as a teacher. Already on my practical visits I have seen so many set tasks centred on the utilisation of technology, such as WebQuests, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word and whole class SmartBoard interaction. I think that by undertaking this course I can see myself more able to be ‘keeping up with the times’ and incorporating into lessons ICTs which will cater to modern day student needs and bring the lesson more to life, enabling constructivist learning to occur on a more frequent basis, not just with hands on learning with materials but also through programs such as WebQuests.
Prior to undertaking this course I didn’t feel confident with my computer ability and knew that this was going to be a hindrance to my future teaching career. But now on reflection and more importantly on my practicum I am more important to answering and aiding children in relation to their ICT tasks. My confidence was most boosted when a child in my Year 5 practicum class asked me to help them with PowerPoint and I knew exactly what to do woot! Anyway as the teaching profession is moving along in a more technological direction this course has made me a more confident advocate of ICTs in the classrooms and has granted me the experience I have needed to pursue these programs in a classroom atmosphere.
I will forever miss ICT!
