Course Reflection

After eight weeks focusing on the relationship between technology and learning, I’m more excited than ever to incorporate it into my classroom.  Starting this MET program wasn’t without challenges, however.  The steepest part of the learning curve for me was getting reacquainted with scholarly research, writing and referencing.  Online search engines have made certain aspects of research easier, but sifting through hundreds of articles to find relevant work threatened to drive me crazy.  I learned, however, that rarely has research been conducted on the exact topic or in the particular way that you’re seeking.  As Dr. Haskell mentioned in his post, because these research “silver bullets” almost never exist, one must move forward with the available studies, aware of the limitations it puts on the strength of your conclusions.

Of the six artifacts produced in this course, I’m most proud of the work I did surrounding the Tech Trends assignment.  My research into virtual labs revealed a bevy of new websites offering top-notch simulated laboratory experiences for science students.  I created a lesson plan for my AP Chemistry students around a virtual lab activity on chemcollective.org.   The lesson included a student handout, an instructional screencast and a post-activity survey.  My primary instructional goal this upcoming year is to provide my students with more authentic opportunities to construct their own knowledge about the natural world.  This assignment is the first of many using virtual labs that will allow me meet this goal, and the one that I suspect will have the greatest impact on my students this upcoming year.  

Link to EdTech501 Syllabus