Final Reflection - New and Emerging Technologies

During the final weeks of this course I looked at implementing RCampus in the classroom. The driving force in my choice was the fact that I will be changing schools this fall. RCampus is a technology tool my colleagues and I hope to get approval to implement in our classrooms. With approval and implementation of this particular education management system, I will be able to assisting in leading the school in a possibly new direction.

Do I still have a lot to learn? Of course. Am I ready for the challenge? Absolutely. As I learn more about the system, I hope to share its benefits as well as possible downfalls with others. This course as well as others through Walden has taught me that in order for change to occur, sometimes we have to take an initiative that may change how others perceive education, technology, and the classroom.

The use of Web 2.0 technologies can promote self-learning in our students, provide real world learning experiences, and open doors of communication (Lemke & Coughlin, 2009). At the beginning of this program, I felt I was doing pretty well as far as technology was concerned….but as I went through the courses, I quickly realized that I must continue to research new and emerging technologies. I never really thought about how such things as social networking and digital gaming could be educational and used in the classroom. Now I find myself looking for ways to incorporate these technologies in my classroom.

The biggest obstacles still seem to be administration, community and lack of knowledge. It is up to educators such as the ones I have met through Walden as well as many others from all over the world to change how people perceive technology in the classroom. It is not just installing computers, LCD projectors, SmartBoards and other technologies. It is about putting technological skills into practice, putting technology into the hands of our students, and showing students how technology can help them from an educational standpoint not just from a social and entertainment one.

I do not plan to change all aspects of my classroom at once, but I hope to begin implementing some of the things I have learned and build as I go. Good luck to everyone I have met along this journey and I hope to ‘see you’ again!

Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59.