Journal/Reflection Main Page

Journal/Reflection Work

2001

Mid-term Reflection Paper IT 7360

October 2, 2001

IT 7360

1. Have your expectations for what you hoped to learn in the course changed since you wrote your last Reflection Paper?

No, not really. I am looking forward to learning about how to build a database. I have never done that before. When I went searching on the web for reasons to use databases, I found a lesson on the solar system and creating a database to put in facts. So, as soon as I learn how to use Microsoft Access (really use it because help isn’t very helpful), I’ll get started on actually doing that lesson plan as a student for my database example.

2. How much do you feel you have learned/grown in this course to date?                      

The software programs we have covered thus far are very useful in educational settings, and because of that, I already knew how to use them before I came to class. So I have not learned a lot, but I have grown. I enjoyed doing the Inspiration project and desktop publishing project (I used Microsoft Publisher). I thought up a creative way for students to takes notes that I hadn’t considered before using Inspiration. So, in this sense, I grew towards a new medium of student note taking. The idea was to have the kids learn about two planets and report back to their group because they were the expert. With the teacher-approved notes, the kids were then to transfer the new information to any type of Inspiration setup. The kids could include pictures and links, which will help them grow because they can later look to those valuable resources. I had little experience with MS Publisher, and it was cool to use it for a class newsletter. I think I like the idea I came up with for this project-to create a newsletter for a unit I was teaching. This would be a great thing to implement when I start teaching. That way everyone would grow with the class-not just the students and myself.

3. Do you feel you have gained a better understanding of how to tackle challenges?               

I think I have been given an opportunity to consider challenges and how to meet them. Because we are aloud to be creative in our project choices, I can look at a possible challenge that I could face one day, and come up with and implement solutions to those challenges. Sometimes in the real world you do not find the time to be creative, but with this class, it is a requirement to think, solve, and create; so, I can use my projects to tackle challenges.

4. What are you doing differently with technology than before you took the course?

I am checking WebCT daily for updates and postings for three of my four classes. Last fall none of my teachers were utilizing WebCT or class websites for that matter; so, this whole medium of technology is new for me. I also visit the website often to keep on top of the criteria for my projects by clicking link-to-link and reading. It makes doing my homework much easier. I used to have to drag my notebook everywhere, but now I can have the class web site open and work from there. Also, I’ve never seen such an extensive site with project instructions. I like that because I can know exactly what to do. Since I do not teach yet, I have not been able to use technology differently in my classroom.

5. Web Page Experience

I am also looking forward to working on my web page more. I am no expert in that area so I am excited about learning how to do more things with my web page. I’d like to add a chat to my page and a teacher suggested I look at ePals. So, hopefully I’ll be able to work on that. My website from UGA expired before I could move the pages; so, I am starting over. I remember how much I loved making my page and how much time it took, but it is definitely worth it.

6. Reaction to WebCT

I posted my first chats/e-mails ever this semester, and it is a neat way to interact with the rest of the 

class each day/week when we are not all together. It is also a great way to hold instructor facilitated 

discussions though the messages boards set up.