My first blog entry, EVER!

This is my first blog entry, ever! This is very exciting for me because before this class, I was not familiar with blogs. I only read one blog and it is my wedding photographer's blog.


First Literacy & Technology Reflection:

Overview:
This week is for each of you to set up the environment for learning to teach with technology, to study and apply the tools that will help you to enhance teaching literacy with technology.

Learning Outcomes:
You will:

• explore the Moodle course site and familiarize yourself with the content and the tools it offers; I find something new on Moodle everyday that I sign on. I am in the process of familiarizing myself with all of Moddle's bells and whistles.
  
• learn how to use the Discussion Forum (DF) by introducing yourself to the rest of the class and responding to other class-mates' postings; I found the introduction post enjoyable. I liked reading about the other students in our class along with responding to their posts.
• start your website, blog, wiki, and register on Tapped In Professional Development (PD) site; I created my blog,(ta-dahh), wiki, and website.
• discuss with the group members what tool you will use to have your group meetings; possible options are: wiziq (recommended), gtalk (recommended), lively, ooVoo, sightspeed, or Skype. My group, Group 4, used WIZ IQ for our first meeting. I think WIZ IQ is very user-friendly which made my first group meeting go very smoothly.
• conduct self-inquiry and submit to the professor the Test Files: "Teacher's profile," Learning contract, and other surveys; I thought these assignments were great to do. It made me reflect a bit upon myself and what learning styles work best for me, and which styles I like to teach. I thought these were useful tools.
• reflect on the personal level of technology skills and start designing the philosophy of teaching Literacy with technology statement. I consider myself technology savvy in the business world. However, the educational world is much different. I look forward seeing what the differences are.
• watch the introductory video clip "Learning to Change and Changing to learn" and reflect in your blog what you think you need to do to become prepared to change: This video had a lot of great points. I could not agree more with the three gentlemen who voiced their opinion about the No Child Left Behind Act and the 21st century literacy's. Just a few points in the video that really stood out to me were: Education was the lowest field that incorporates technology, NCLB enables creativity and innovations, students will not use the right/wrong answers "vending machine" approach in their jobs. In order to be prepared for change, I believe I will need the proper training to implement the change that is needed in our schools today.
  
• How is Learning and teaching in the digital age different from the previous area?: I believe teaching and learning in the digital age is completely different than the previous area. Students today have the world at their fingertips just with the click of a button. They are growing up with all sorts of technologies and it is crucial that it is integrated in their teaching. Educators need to provide students with stimulating lessons utilizing technology, whether it be from a website, blog, podcast, wiki, etc.