Technology Tools, Choices and Teacher Practices

If technology tools could be hugged, I would affectionately hug Padlet; if they could be taken for a lunch date, I would take Delicious. If the tools were a tourist’s site, I would visit Webquest; or if they were countries for one to go for a holiday, I would choose Nicenet, Google Sites, wikis and Blogger. I now know addiction is and will certainly not blame people who are addicted – whether to food, music or anything. This week stood out as an exceptional week and I cannot compare it with any of the weeks – because it’s exceptionally incomparable! While every member of the class got immersed into working on the first drafts of their projects, this week unleashed a can of wonderful, easy-to-use and irresistible technology tools and websites! I pitied my computer web-browser because it had to accept of the burden of shouldering multiple tabs as I effortlessly switched between tabs to explore, try out and admire! Designing my own Padlet was like a crawling baby who wakes up one morning and can walk! Could I create a user account and design a Padlet in just a few minutes? It sounded impossible and yet Padlet’s simplicity made this a mystery no more.

I must say, all the resources for this week provided an answer on how to promote learner autonomy, and how the teacher can turn an “inert” class into an active one. Padlet turned out to be the most effective for me since it can be used in a One-computer classroom! It is also easy for learners to view the resources on Padlet as well as add useful resources that they come across. My class Padlet can be found here. Nicenet and Webquests were yet other resources that caught my attention, especially after realizing that my classmate Tetiana had created Nicenet for her class. There were several resources that teachers could use to prepare for classes, plan as well as create classroom activities.  Teachers can also design customized exercises and test for their classes! Life can be so simplified; the brain can be so easily stimulated! Attitude is what is left of teachers across the world to adapt to and adopt these technology tools! I have added and will be adding more resources on my delicious page.

However, the multiplicity of the choices to make, on which tool best fits a particular aspect of teaching and learning can be so tasking! Previously, I learned that technology is here to stay! Basing on this phrase, it's ideal for the teacher to make a choice of a tool considering its effectiveness and ability to facilitate the attainment of set course/lesson objectives. Given the many choices, teachers should not just use technology got the sake of their variations, but rather, because they are the best for that particular course/topic. 

Reflecting through the entire course and not particularly this week, I looked back at different teacher-student relations. Considering our course instructor, I got challenged at the rate at which student feedback if given. As a teacher, how often do I give attention to students’ queries? Do I respond at leisure or instantly? Could it be embedded in institutional and national culture that some teachers take forever to respond to learners’ queries? How well do I attend to individual learners? I think credit is worth where it’s due. The course instructor, given the heavy load of the course, has taken efforts to handle both group and individual queries promptly and aptly. This time, I noted that as I embrace the various technology tools and websites for teaching, I should also emulate our model instructor, Ms Courtney Cunningham’s timely and immediate feedback. I am glad and proud to be a DUCK!

Although the course seems to come to an end soon, integration of a diversity of technology tools into my classes will just be starting and yes, this is a true testimony of lifelong learning and continuous professional development!