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Final Reflection

This Web 2.0 course has solidified my understandings and introduced me to some great new tools for the classroom. Web 2.0 has taken hold for educators and is having a significant impact on learning for the 21st century. Overall it can be said that the creation of collaborative learning spaces is huge. What is essential, and something this course most definitely provides, is the necessary and appropriate teacher preparation for the pedagogical impact of using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. It is imperative that teachers feel comfortable and ready to adopt the educational benefits of Web 2.0

E-learning with the iLE@RN pedagogical model can combine to provide the necessary student learning, teacher designed curriculum and creative lesson planning. You cannot just launch students into this style of learning. Skills need to be addressed that incorporate communication, collaboration, questioning, reflection, critical thinking etc so that learning is at its optimum.

I am a big supporter of Blooms Digital Taxonomy in the classroom. The learning objectives he provided are a vital tool in the understanding and how best to structure the learning process. I use the Taxonomy to assist in creating interesting and challenging learning activities. Today more than ever, students require the skills of critical thinking and problem solving both immediately and for their futures. In order to facilitate these higher order thinking skills, Bloom's Taxonomy can help in establishing objectives, tasks or assessments.

Web 2.0 comes naturally to today's students. They don't know any different. I feel it is my obligation to focus on engaging students by sometimes taking risks and trying new learning methods in my classroom. Web 2.0 digital tools allows learning to expand beyond the confines of the classroom. The traditional role of the teacher and student is changing. Technology is creating a learning environment that deeply engages students, whilst working through a structure like Bloom's learning processes, helps to facilitate that.

Although I consider myself fairly technologically 'savvy' I found this course to be most beneficial in my life long learning and being a teacher in the 21st century. Completing this course consolidated my existing knowledge, yet also provided me with many new insights. I was also introduced to some new technological tools for consideration. I feel that I am now in a better position to assist and encourage staff members to expand their own Web 2.0 understanding.

Thank you to the Catholic Education Office for creating such a pivotal course and encouraging/providing so many inspiring links and resources.

Author: Samantha Penney, samantha.penney@gmail.com

Comments

  1. Wow.... final reflection..... now I really feel sick! You are very fancy and I'm feeling pretty lucky to have you as a colleague right about now.....I am looking forward to reading your previous posts while I try to claw my through this unfamiliar territory!!

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