Reflection on LIS636: Foundations of Information Technology

Some readers may be aware that I've begun my masters of library science for school media specialist certification at the University of Kentucky through their distance learning program. As a final assignment to an introductory technology course, my instructor asked us to present a reflection on our relationship to technology in some technologically interesting form. Naturally, I thought of The Mighty Pencil. Below are my reflections on the course projects and their classroom implications.

As this course draws to a close, I am struck by the breadth of what we learned about information technology, and the implications for professional use in my classroom this year and a school media center some day. I came into the course intimidated and unsure of what to expect, but as the course progressed, I realized I had steadier footing than I had thought in the way of technology. Still, it was nice to learn the "nuts and bolts" of computers, the history of information technology, and the language of code - both binary and html. Overall, I have found this class quite interesting, and I feel much better informed now, and thereby more empowered when it comes to utilizing all that technology has to offer me and my students.

Undoubtedly the most difficult assignment this summer was project three, for which we had to write html code that included links and an image. Sounds simple, right? That's what I thought too, until I got started. Although I nearly smashed my computer at one point (kidding), I definitely appreciated the challenging process of learning - I don't think I could have learned it more thoroughly had I been given the exact steps of the process. It was truly valuable to "play" (although "play" has far too light and positive a connotation) with the code and muddle through until I at last uncovered the appropriate paths. And when I did this website is what I developed - try to contain your supreme awe at the complexity of the design (kidding again - it's quite rustic.)

While project three may have been the most trying, our experience with Google Docs was by far the most valuable. After our collaboration project opened my eyes to the powers of cloud computing with Google software, I grew fascinated by the technology, and decided to do my final project for my other class, Current Trends in School Media, on the use of Google Docs in the classroom. I am more than a little inspired at the capacity of this software to transform instruction, particularly ELA writing instruction, in terms of collaboration and assessment. I especially like the archiving of former drafts, which can allow writing teachers to assess the progression of a writing piece through revision - something that has always been messy and cumbersome. And, as an eco-freak, I am absolutely smitten with the reduction of paper waste. Were it not for this course, I would still be very much in the dark about all that Google Docs has to offer.



Another project I really enjoyed was the creation of our websites on Google. It was a fun to create the website and imagine its potential, while getting to know our classmates far better than we could have in a regular distance learning course. Of course I saw great potential for Google's sites feature in the classroom. When my principal asked me to head the literary journal this year at Westport, I immediately thought of Google Sites as a publishing option for an online literary journal. It would be easy, green and exciting for students to get their work up and out there for the world to read. I really can't wait to get started with it, and promise to post links as my students start creating something interesting.

Aside from the immediately pragmatic benefits of this course, what I've found most valuable is the confidence that I've gained. I like knowing that RAM is Random Access Memory, that it's the "short term" memory your computer uses to operate open programs in one sitting, and that it's impermance is the reason why my student lost his writing piece when a prankster friend unplugged his computer mid-keystroke. I like knowing that cookies may have been so named for the cookie crumb trail of data they leave on your hard drive, letting advertisers know where you've been online. I like knowing that binary is computer language (even if I could never read it) and html is the language of computer programmers. I like knowing these things because it makes me feel more empowered. Now I'm more likely to click around on the computer, exploring ways to do what I want to do more efficiently, rather than just calling over my more tech-savvy husband. This sense of confidence and empowerment is one I hope to share with students as an ELA teacher this year and someday as a librarian.

WebQuest

I know I haven't been on to blog in a while, I'm ashamed to say, but a new embarkation has left me inspired. I'm currently working toward an MS of Library and Information Science at the University of Kentucky with the hope of moving into school media in two years. The more I learn about school media and library science in the program, the more confident I feel that this is the right move for me to make.

One of my first projects has been to create a WebQuest on QuestGarden. Initial thought: WebQuests are awesome. They are great ways to scaffold research projects for your kiddos, and although they take a bit more time on the front end, they will no doubt cut down on a lot of stress during the unit. I plan on sharing this "Civil War Letters" WebQuest with the social studies teacher on my team.

The first month is free and you can create and save as many WebQuests as you like. You can also publish your WebQuests for that month (see mine above), but after that a paid subscription is needed to continue accessing your WebQuest. I'm going to ask for that straight away, because I can see this being a great year-long and beyond resource.