"I'll believe it when I see it!"

Q:
Comment on the meetings you had with the group and the whole class -- share insights about the online communication, comment on the power/magic of technology in learning and teaching and how it empowers both processes.

A:
I was torn about how I felt after our first class meeting. I was excited because I am eager to learn how to incorporate technology into my teachings. However, I also felt like the class went by too fast and I was not 100 % comfortable knowing what I had to do. When I was able to get home and explore Moodle and read the assignments, I had a better understanding of the class.

I was in MSMC's computer lab when I met with my group on Monday. I did not want to chance not knowing what I was doing at home in case I had trouble, which I did not. It did not occur to me until after the meeting when I was driving home how much technology has advanced in the recent years. If you were to ask me five years ago if I thought this class was possible-to meet in an online classroom and talk to each other via microphones about the course material, I would have said, "I'll believe it when I see it." Well, I am a believer and I think it is fabulous!

I really enjoyed our first session. Four out of the five group members had microphones which were very useful. One minor problem we experienced was talking at the same time. But we managed to work out a system to eliminate this issue. After my group meeting, I was cleaning up my belongings in the computer lab and I apologized to two students in the room for talking so much. I told them I was taking an online class. They looked at me and asked, "Really? That's so cool!" I said, "Yes, it was actually."

Technology has made teaching and learning more exciting and feasible for people who wish to receive an education. Without it, online colleges such as Empire State College & University of Phoenix would not exist. These colleges make it possible for people who do not have the time to actually go to class because they are working multiple jobs, raising a family, etc.

When educators incorporate technology into their lessons, students are being reached in a way they may learn best. I say this only because the students I will teach, the net generation, are born with technology already in place; they do not know life without it. By the time these students reach elementary school, most of them are familiar with some sort of technology, whether it is a Game Cube, computer, cellphone, etc. Therefore, it is crucial that teachers must incorporate technologies into their teachings.

Roy Reese, the Superintendent of Goshen Schools and professor at MSMC, told me about a wonderful lesson one of his teachers conducted on the state of Alaska. This teacher collaborated with a teacher in Alaska and set-up a session where the students were able to see each other through a webcam. What an exciting experience for these students along with the teachers! This is an example of the power technology has given us. Students can experience learning about others in another state or even country. Again, ask me if this was possible a few years ago. I'd say, "I'll believe it when I see it!"