Reflecting on Learning - 21st Century Learning

This summer has been one of extraordinary change and growth for me. I enrolled in 21st century learning knowing that online courses are more time-consuming than face-to-face courses. Nevertheless, I was utterly unprepared for what I was ultimately asked to perform, and for what I learned and did.

I am most proud, perhaps, of the lesson plan and rubric I wrote as the culminating project. This was the first genuine collaboration I have been able to experience with a colleague. We are both eager to begin this unit with our students next year.

The hardest part of the course was conquering the idiosyncrasies of the Mac and its applications. They are written to be intuitive, but I have worked on PCs for nearly 30 years and I am still learning MacTalk. YouTube became my personal University for all things Mac and save me more than once from utter failure.

How this course changes my teaching will be evident in how I engage the students. There will be no stand and lecture next year. I was fortunate enough to take a refresher course in strategic lesson planning this summer as well. The two courses together have created a new attitude for me and how I think of teaching and how I think of how my students learn.

On a final note, I am also proud to note that I was presented with a copy of MacSpeech several weeks ago. I've managed to install it, train it, and wrote this blog entry entirely by dictating it. If that's not a life-changing experience, I don't know what is.

I will miss my 21st century learning group. I am enrolling myself in as many blogs as I can before the forums evaporate. Thanks to all my companions on this journey. Your perspective and willingness to share made a great difference for me.