Course Reflection

This term of course has been a wonderful experience. While, I currently do not specialize in Education Technology, I have been working in schools for the past 8 years that have placed technology as a focus of their curriculum. Therefore, I find that the coursework has been greatly helpful in advancing my learning experiences to further address the needs of my students’ education. I look forward to continuing the journey and I hope to have Instructor Saba again in the future.

What challenges did you face in this course? 

This year presented many changes. My biggest priority was developing a challenging curriculum that suits the characteristics and academic needs of my students. This being my first year at a new school teaching a new subject matter, I had to do a lot of work to prepare myself for class each week as well as keep on top of my assignments for the EdTech program. I did not find the assignments excessively challenging and I know if I had had the luxury on only focusing on these projects, I could have done better. However, we take on as much or more than we can handle as a part of our adult life and I still found time to pick up the guitar and spend time with my new wife whom I love very much.

What strategies or other creative resources did you use to address these challenges?

I, thankfully, have Tuesday afternoons to spend in what is called the Learning Commons at my school. It is a place for students to spend their time quietly studying after school. It also gave me a quiet place to study as well. This was a special time for me to get to know some other students after school and to dedicate myself to my Boise State assignments each week. The MyMoodle portal was a great resource for getting me organized and helping me see due dates as they approached.
Which artifact do you feel was your best and why?

My best artifact for this course is Tech Trends: Musical Composition . This was also the first time in my entire life as a student that I sent my work to my professor to get feedback prior to turning it in. I feel like this was a huge boon to be as a study skill and I wish I would have picked it up a long time ago. As for the artifact, I very much enjoy music. It is one of my passions and I love finding opportunities to incorporate it into my curriculum. Professor Saba was very helpful in finding creative ways to bolster my lesson plan and I look forward to using that kind of creativity again in the future. 

What is one thing you plan to do in your school or business as a result of this course?

I plan to incorporate Learning Logs into my class curriculum for my Sophomore Theology class. I have already started using them with my students and they are an excellent way for students to see what they have been working on throughout the school year. And, it is also a wonderful way to show my administrators and department chairs what I have been doing in class students with my all year.