10/21 reflection

My takeaway from tonight is that we have to really go outside of our comfort zone to make progress.  It is not until we are not comfortable that we can really grow and change.  I have to admit that I am very overwhelmed at the idea of creating a webquest.  The examples we looked at were very advanced, thorough, and extremely well thought out.  I'm hoping that I will be able to tackle this task and really learn and grow from it.  I really hope to be able to actually use some of these resources in my classroom.  Engagement is something I am working on and I am hoping that this is something that can make a big difference in my classroom.

Chapter 5 and Chapter 6

Chapter 5 opens describing the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., which contains 147 million items, with 530 miles of bookshelves, and had 581 million views in the year 2010.  The internet blows even this incredibly large and impressive library away.  We as humans cannot even begin to fathom the amount of information that is available online.  This is why it is so important that our students are knowledgable in how to access this information, specifically by using key words.  Many of my student search using full sentences because they don't understand how search engines work.  I thought it was interesting how the chapter pointed out the five criteria of a quality website, which are 1) accuracy, 2) authority, 3) objectivity, 4) currency, and 5) coverage.

Chapter 6 also opens with a mind-blowing fact.  They remind us how students can access information in a very short amount of time that in the past, students spent all year researching and learning.  Two things really stood out to me n this chapter and they both have to do with connecting outside of the classroom.  The idea of having virtual field trips sounds amazing to me.  I honestly did not even know that this was a possibility in our classrooms.  Being able to experience this places so easily from our classrooms will expose our students to a lot more.  The second idea that was planted was connecting students to others from around the world.  I teach Spanish, so to be able to practice communication with others from Spanish speaking countries would be an opportunity that they wouldn't forget.

In tonight's class, I have two big takeaways.  The first is the importance of reflection in our work, practice, and in life.  We need to reflect on our learning and life experiences in order to assess our progress, acknowledge our positives, and know what we need to improve on.  The second thing is the importance of using education websites to stay in the know and as a valuable resource in our teaching.

October 7 Reflection

One of the biggest takeaways from tonight is the revisiting of the educational theories.  Although I have learned about them in the past, it was very helpful to review them and I think I will have them more present in my mind for when I think about my students and plan my lessons.  Along with this, it really stuck with me how professor Chen reminded us to make sure that whatever we are doing in the classroom that we can back up with reasoning, theories, and our knowledge of our students and content.  That was really important and helpful.  Also, the idea of making sure that your planning, activity/assignment, and your assessment are all aligned is something that I will keep in my mind in planning my future lessons.