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Introduction Blog Entry- Assignment 1 LTEC 5220

This blog will document my experiences during my Learning Technologies master’s degree.  These first entries will be for assignments in LTEC 5220 Multimedia in Technology Applications.
As a millennial educator, I have seen the use of learning technology evolve rapidly.  I remember playing educational games such as Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, Oregon Trail, and using very primitive word processing equipment in elementary school. In middle school, I remember getting on the internet for the first time and how that resource has revolutionized the how people access knowledge.  Some of the early projects that used technology consisted of making PowerPoint presentations and presenting them to the class.  In college, I would become a prolific Wikipedia editor contributing to the one of the largest repositories of information in the world.  I also worked a job in the distance education department at the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health (since renamed Texas A&M School of Public Health). I helped maintain classes that were teleconferenced to different parts of the state. 

As an educator, I have used many technologies to teach my students.  My teachers used overheads until they got computer projectors my senior year of high school. With the smartboard and access to high speed broadband, I have been able to stream YouTube videos to my students from sources as diverse as Crash Course, Ted ED, and Kurzgesagt.  Switching to PowerPoint has major advantages over the overhead. With a clicker, a teacher is able to walkaround the classroom to monitor classroom behavior rather than sitting in one place.  Teachers now have access to online curricula created by a school district. No longer do teachers need to have huge binders of worksheets to be used as master copies.

More recently, the smartphone has revolutionized my classroom.  I have seen much high levels of engagement with programs like Kahoot or Quizlet.  Not only is it possible to post all of my assignments on my website, programs such as Google Classroom, have made it much easier for me to give students to access information.  Remind.com has been a very useful tool for reminding students to do assignments. The website allows the teacher to text all students who subscribe to the program reminders. Students now have access to online textbooks. This has solved many problems logistically. However, many students do not have access to the internet.  This digital divide has increased with the spread of eBooks, audiobooks and podcasts.

Technology has transformed how I deal with my special education students. Many of my students use a program called WYNN when taking quizzes and tests.  This reads test questions to students helping students with dyslexia.  For my hearing-impaired students, I have used microphones that attach directly to a student’s hearing aid.

Most recently, I have enrolled in this online master’sprogram.  The learning curve has been difficult for me, but the advantages are many. It is nice to be able to be free from the need to travel to class.   I have enjoyed collaborating with people across the nation.  I look forward to see how technology can further enhance my classroom.

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