Becoming a Digital Being: From Learner to Digital Educator
"Becoming a Digital Being" has been a monumental insight for my digital platform. Prior to learning through UNLV's course CIT 602, I was very confident in my digital footprint and knowledge for incorporation to help students. After completing this course, I indeed realized that there is SO much more out there for students that help elevate their learning experiences.
Jump into my journey below....
Technology Journey Essay
As I reflect on how versed I was with technology before starting this class, I felt like I was very versed. Although I am still very confident in my use of technology, my perspective shifted significantly in regards to how much it can be integrated into student learning through so many different platforms, programs, and so much more. I have grown tremendously in the perspective that technology is not just about whether you can operate it and access it, but in a school setting it is really about how you are able to utilize technology and challenge students with technological opportunities in the classroom to enhance student learning, building problem-solving skills, and creating meaningful learning experiences.
One of the most important take-aways from this course is the amount of confidence I developed with technology integration for students and not just operation. This class really expanded my knowledge of computational thinking and digital collaboration. Now, I feel more confident in my decision to explore multiple interactive platforms and digital stimulations to support student learning. This course has also helped me learn how to integrate purposeful material for the students and align it with learning goals.
Another concept I gained/expanded from this course is a broader understanding of computer science education and how to integrate it in the classroom. Initially, computer science made me immediately think of things such as coding. Now, I understand it includes problem-solving, pattern recognition, and logical thinking. When I consider the science classrooms that I will plan for, this broader understanding has changed how I plan instruction and think about student learning.
Throughout the course, I really started to recognize the issue of access and equity with educational technology. The fact that not all students have access to internet and/or devices really challenges their abilities to participate affectively. In addition, the challenge of ensuring that technology is supporting learning and not distracting is a very critical concept. During the course, although a few things may have seem challenging, there were many “aha” moments that helped conquer these moments and solidify value in all these skills for teachers and students.
The learning concepts I appreciated the most were those that expanded my thinking and allowed creating and real-world applications. Being able to develop lesson plans with technology and creating student-centered projects has encouraged my thinking to understand how technology can be used effectively in the classroom. As I move forward, I plan to integrate technologies such as Google Platforms, digital simulations for science concepts, and collaboration platforms to enhance group work. This helps support immediate feedback and differentiated instruction. I also learned how to connect with diverse learners and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate understanding and connection to classroom diversity.
Overall, this course has really shaped my perspective significantly on the growth of myself as a future teacher. As a teacher, I feel like we can be really hard on our own conscience on whether you are providing engaging enough activities to stimulate learning, but with this course, I feel that teachers can be way more supported in options to enhance and support learning through more than just content. I have gained confidence, developed new skills, and redefined my role as a teacher in a technologically rich environment. As I move forward, I am motivated to explore more tools and strategies to enhance my learning every day. As a Digital Being, I am committed to integrating technology as a tool, but also in a way to creating meaningful, purposeful, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences for all students.