Teaching with Technology Week 4

      This week reading focused on professional development and student cooperative learning. I really found the lesson on professional development helpful because I feel that this is an area that our teachers need more support in. Technology may not be new to all teachers but I feel a significant majority do not have the knowledge or confidence to actually integrate technology in the classroom outside of assigning a word processing assignment. Web 2.0 new tools new schools talks about how the norm for professional development is a one day class with an expert who show you the product and then leaves (Solomon, 101). We are taught that when we introduce students to new information we should still go back and allow them to practice to ensure that they have the full understanding. Is it that because we are teachers that does not apply to us. When you attend a professional development class, the Instructor (Expert) is the teacher and the attendees are in the role of the student. Should we not have a chance to practice or the opportunity to ensure that we understand the information given? The reading helped me take a different perspective of how I feel professional development should be handled. It should not just be a mandatory thing but something that engages the participants. Part of the reading and videos discussed the learning environment of the student. It is important for students to work together to accomplish a common goal. Technology helps to make this easier for all kind diverse learning groups. Using the information learned in the previous weeks on UDLs, using wikis and other Web 2.0 tool, there is a wealth of knowledge that students can create new and creative things if we allow them to. When reading some of the reading it helped me come up with ideas to engage my students and encourage group activities. There are a lot of people who prefer to work independently rather than groups but if they are motivated and understand the purpose of the assignment, they may learn more than they imagine. Soloman, G & Schrum, L.(2007). Web 2.0: New tools, New schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 99-116