Learning and Growing as an Experienced Educator in the Digital Age
- CMacSpeaks
- Apr 13, 2019
- 2 min read
This semester, I have had the opportunity of participating in a very interesting and engaging course that has pushed my limits and knowledge in technology as an experienced educator. I have the privilege of being in an online class with many educators who are currently in the classroom and using a variety of technological platforms and resources to which I have never been exposed. Rather than be afraid or intimidated I have allowed the new exposure to this information to peak my attention and teach myself about other technological information and 21st-century philosophies of which I am not aware or have a need to learn more about. I am not doing this because I have to, but I believe the best educators are ALWAYS learning. That learning should never end at five, ten, twenty or thirty years of being an educator, but should be ongoing. I believe this is the key to youthful thinking and developing a growth mindset.
Currently, I am not working as an administrator or teacher but am only a full time doctoral student. But does that mean I cannot learn and grow? Absolutely not! In fact, I should take advantage of this time to sharpen and enrich those aspects of my professional skills that are less developed. One way that is occurring is definitely through my discussions with my peers in this online class, the readings that are required and the many websites and readings that I come across as I study and prepare assignments.
Three very interesting pieces of information that I encountered this week were:
2Minute Teacher Tech - This resources provides educators with short videos for novice tech users to quickly view and understand how to use existing technology in their classroom and how it can be beneficial for student learning.
Flipgrid - This is a social and emotional learning discussion platform to provide a resource where students can verbalize their learning and have an opportunity to see, hear, and comments on the learning of their peers. It seems very user-friendly and can easily be implemented at the elementary and middle levels too!
Student-centered teaching - This is a topic that is often talked about but difficult to always observe in the era of high-stakes testing. This article was beneficial because it provided four premises for thinking that would help anyone truly interested in exploring this topic begin understanding what needs to be considered.
It's NEVER too late to learn. The key is JUST GET STARTED!
Mgould, thank you! I have really loved the learning in this class it seems to give a great starting point.
Shakasha,
Yes, always learning is everything! I think it keeps you young too along with trying new things! Best of luck to you incorporating this in your classroom.
Brija69, I was not aware of Teacher Tech until this class. It IS a useful resource and one that I will share with others as I can.
I love the way you chronicled your takeaways from our class in your blog and also incorporated new tools for us to check out. Well done!
Hi Cristie,
Thank you for sharing your personal experience this semester. You are right! You are never too old to learn. I have seen the use of flipgrid but never had the time to look into it until now. The platform sounds very interesting. As we close out the school year, I think I may take a stab at it with my students. I’m in the process of creating their end of year project and this my be the perfect medium for them to present. Love I’d, love it!
-Shakasha