31 January - Google Part 1

I am already pretty familiar with Google and its different functions, but it was good to review it all. Learning how to do the pretty link was the best part of last times class. I have always wanted to know how to do that and I was most surpriesed at how easy it is. My husband laughed because I came right home and showed him; apparently it is old news to everyone but my. I never really thought about what Google would mean to me as a teacher until I did my observations last semester; both of the classes I observed had class websites through Google. I have found that this would be something I would want to do. I can post daily summaries of the class so if one of my students is absent they can get on there and see what they missed, what was due, what the homework is, etc. I also can put up any worksheets, review sheets, and reading guides that my students may need. That way if a student of mine looses thier paper I can have them print a new one off. Now with my ability to make a pretty link I can create links to current event articles on my classroom website.

Another feature I think would be good for my future classroom is Google Docs. I find that I do not like Google Docs because I hate the formatting and whenever I use it my computer runs slowly. However, I do think that Google Docs is a good way to have my students collaborate on assignments. I can also have my student create presentations on Google Presentations and give them in class. That way they do not need to worry about having their computer or flash drive. The presentation would be on Google Presentations and we can just pull it up in class. My only concern about having a class website or using Google Docs or Presentations is that not every student has access to a computer or the internet. I know that when I was coaching up at Riverton High School we had a team blog that had the rehearsal schedule and reminders, but not all of my students had access to the internet at home.

17 January - 1st Post: Tech Fears and Strengths

This class scares me. On the subject of Technology fears and strengths, my fears completely outweigh my strengths. I have to admit that I am not a technology idiot. I am able to do the basics such as get online, email, upload pictures, blog, and other things like that; but if anything goes wrong with my computer I am the type that falls apart. My husband is one who believes that I need to be self-sufficient when it comes to my computer issues and this causes minor at home issues that end in me crying and saying, "I hate my computer." My biggest fear about this class is that technology is like math; it always works when your instructor is around but never works when you are alone.

My biggest fear about dealing with technology is that when it stops working the way it is supposed to I do not know what to do or where to begin to fix it. I can do a lot of things on the computer until it does not go the way it is supposed to. I get easily frustrated when I am trying to learn how to do things on my computer (my poor husband is usually the innocent by standard in that frustration). I honestly do not know where to begin when my computer freezes or the Internet and wireless router will not work. I believe that using technology is a great and wonderful took if it is working correctly, but it seems that technology never works the way it supposed too. Facebook is an example of this. I do not find the point in it and I do not really know how to work it so I go on living without it. I do have a facebook account I just never get on it. My fear for that situation is that I will be one of those teachers that in twenty years will still be using overhead projectors because I will go without the technology of the time. We all have had those teachers that have something planned but the technology does not work and they just decide to drop that section of the lesson. I do not want that to be me. I think that is my biggest fear when it comes to using technology in my classrooms.

I am teachable though. That would have to be my one technology strength; I did say my fears outweighed my strengths. Like I said before I have a husband who believes that I need to be completely self-sufficient when it comes to dealing with technology. He has the push you out of the boat and you either sink or swim type of mentality. I find this to be frustrating for me because my brain does not seem to be wired in a technology savvy way. But I have found when he sits down with me and is patient I am able to catch on more then I think. The biggest frustration for me would be when I could not log onto blogger because I had to update my cookies. I would get so frustrated and my husband would be like I told you how to do it, now you need to do it yourself. Finally I had him sit down with me and we went over it several times. I am no a lean mean cookie updating machine. I am teachable when it comes to dealing with my technology crisis; I just learn a little slower than most and have to have someone patiently take the time to show me how to fix it.