Reflection # 2

I feel like I'm floundering a bit.  The map program I used was easy after a few minutes of exploration. But I didn't care that much for the final project style.  I may play around a bit with the others to see which one really gives me the output that I want.  As for what I'll be looking for exactly when searching on the Internet, one is validity, as my DH says, ("Consider the source." Though he was usually talking about inmates.) I have become aware now of avenues to try to follow out when designing my face 2 face classes and searching for thing on the Internet beyond using the Youtube. though it is very helpful when showing a "Running with the bulls" in Spain. (And, yes, the bulls do win some!)  I direct an online class that is an off site program.  It is okay but it is slow and boring.  Somehow, though some instructors can still take a face2face and manage to present it as a face2face but via the internet. I want to make the connection with these digital generation of students. I went back to school to become a better teacher of adults.  What was taught there just needs to be classified as teaching to geriactics. It does become a challenge since I have a 1113 open door class and have a full gauntlet of student ages and experiences and still have some that don't have cell phones!  It's a regional college and the areas around are very rural and reception is lamentable!

my mindmap

Kathrine's Mindmap

Reflection # 1

A reflection: to view the image of another object usually upon the surface of another. Since, I have not as of yet recieved any feedback on my first attempt at an educational technology philosophy I feel that I have relatively little to see a reflection in. (yes, I am aware that I just ended that previous sentence with a preposition.) I become a little greedy with technological things as I am impatient and want them now, like the good late baby boomer that I am.  So, I wish I could do more with my blog site. For example, I absolutly hate this white blogging page and want the very pretty raindrop one like one of my classmates has. I wish I could have some sort of automatic music to play while someone reads my blog. And, I still want a blooming Avatar.  But are Avatars a reflection of the reality, do they even have a 52 year old woman or can I use the age I feel inside ( no more than 29!)?

Kathrine

Kathrine Interviews Herself on Her Educational Technology Philosophy

First of all I don’t think I have ever asked myself this question in terms of technology, educational or otherwise. So, this will definitely be a work in progress.

I believe the purpose of education is to bring an individual to an enlightenment of the application of various venues of society selected training and an understanding of the individual’s role within that society.

I believe that the role of the learner is to question, acquire/acknowledge, practice and finally apply the mastered tenets of a given topic.

I believe that an educator has the charge to direct a student’s line of learning through the discovery of, and acquisition of a giving topic.

My classroom objective as a teacher is to take a ‘cold turkey’ subject, introduce it and the student to each other, then engage the student into its depths and challenge them to broaden their world with the subject matter and exit the class a more enlightened individual from having encountered the subject. My campus wide objectives are to help the student gain confidence and skill in being a more successful student by using the subject matter to address a couple of areas that many students struggle in, test taking and public speaking. My professional objective is to give the teachers to be in my classes, and other professionals who may have to be trainers, an example of a portion of their careers in action by often explaining my methods and reason quickly before beginning a select activity the first time.

I use many different methods depending on the course of activities and area of subject focus selected from that day. One method you could call the “Frog in the pot of water on the stove” or dependence weaning and facing/reducing your fear of public speaking.  I bring the students through a select pattern of fear reductions in order to bring out the true best of the student in two high stress areas of education.  1) Test taking, 2) Public speaking.

Because I teach college, I expect my students to be pre-read for class, to challenge themselves to do better with each attempt, to explore, to genuinely try, do their assigned work, do college level research and presentations, show respect for their classmates and me, and be on-time, and show proper classroom comportment.

It is going to be interesting to see how this philosophy will become melded or how my usage of technology becomes brought to the surface in the forth coming weeks, as I’m still not clear on what is an Infomator really?