IT 645 has been a very informative class. Working on the learning projects has given me numerous ideas on how to present material in the classes I teach, especially the on-line classes. Not only were the learning projects informative, but every component of the course contributed to the learning process and gave me ideas to implement in my own classes. At first I was not a fan of writing a blog; however, looking back I realize that answering the blog questions got me to really focus on the chapter information. I had to refer back to the chapters when answering the question, which got me to take a closer look at the material. Commenting on the blog of my peers did prove to be somewhat of a challenge. Sometimes I was able to think of something to promote discussion, then other times I really struggled. I felt like too many of the comments posted to my blog were of the “I agree” or “good job” variety, which did not promote discussion. It may have been due to my question answers not being thought provoking enough. I have had this same problem in my own on-line classes and am at a loss on how to correct it. I want my students to interact or I would do away with discussions in my on-line courses. I may in the future have my students, specifically my on-line students, keep a journal and write reflections on the topics covered in the class. I will implement some of the other tools I learned about in IT 645 to promote student interaction. I found the video clips more useful than the podcast clips. I am a very visual person, and unless I am listening to music it is hard for me to focus on an audio recording only. I found the videos the most useful when I watched them while reading the text. I would read a section of text, then watch the video associated with that topic. This process really help to reinforce what I just read. The class component I found the most useful was the hands-on projects. I am a very visual, hands-on person, and learn best by doing. You can tell me or show me how to do something, but I will not learn it until I work through the process myself. The hands-on projects fulfilled this need. I currently create lesson plans for each of my courses, so I was already familiar with the process. Although, I really create a course lesson plan for myself and do not share it with the students, I just provide them with a tentative schedule and a copy of the course objectives. I plan on providing students with the objectives covered in that days lecture so they can better prepare before class. I have never created a Google forms survey until this class and found it very easy to do. I do not plan on using it for a technology survey, but like the idea of using it to poll my junior hematology students to see what background in health and medical topics they have. This way I would know how much time I need to spend covering basic metabolic processes and defining terms. I found Google Docs and Slides also very easy to use; however, I do not plan to post lecture notes or PowerPoints in this format. I have my students create presentations in several of my classes. Google Slides would make it easier for them to collaborate with one another. They wouldn’t have to meet outside of class as often to work on projects. While I like the idea of posting notes in Google Docs so students can easily add their own notes and share them with others, I believe students should take their own detailed notes. While I think podcasts are a great idea and may work for other courses, they are not the best option for my courses. All of the courses I teach have strong visual component. In hematology my students have to identify blood cells, in body fluids they have to identify urinary sediment, and in coagulation they need to see the process of coagulation. I do not plan on using podcasts, even in my on-line classes. I do like the idea of using movies even though the process was tedious at first. Videos provide auditory stimulus and the much needed visual stimulus. Videos will be more useful in my on-line classes, which I like to keep in the asynchronous format. Having the students watch several short videos on their own time is a better format than me lecturing in real-time using Blackboard collaborate. My favorite hands-on assignment was the Edupuzzle. This is a great way to tailor existing material to your needs, especially if you do not have the time to create your own videos. Edpuzzle videos would also be a great way to see if your students are actually watching the videos you provide. I had never used Rubistar until this class; I have always created my rubrics from scratch. Rubistar made the tedious task of creating rubrics very easy and I will definitely use it again. Quizizz was also a very useful tool. I may use it to create lecture quizzes or homework quizzes. If I used it in lecture I could make a game out of it. The student with the highest score would get a piece of candy or an extra point on a test. I also may have my students create their own quizzes. Thinglink is a great way to provide an interactive learning experience. This is another teaching tool I could use as a project for my students to create. I found creating these projects made me immerse myself more in the topic of coagulation more than if I just read the book. I have a YouTube page of videos I have viewed to make sure the information is accurate, which I share with my students. There is so much information out there and I want to make sure my students watch accurate videos. Scoop.it is a great way to share other forms of information found on the web that I know is accurate; this way my students can focus on learning without worrying about determining if the information is accurate. While I see the purpose of creating a website for this course, I do not plan on having my students ever create a website. It was needed for IT 645 because it allowed me to see how all the technologies we discussed could be used together. I will always use Blackboard for my on-line courses, so I will never create an on-line quiz, other than using Edupuzzle or Quizizz, to create on-line quizzes. I have used on-line quizzes created in Blackboard and will continue to do so. I currently use discussion forums in my on-line classes and will continue to do so; however, I will not use nabble or anyother program outside of Blackboard. I may eventually replace discussion forums with another method to promote student interaction. I never plan on having my students create an electronic portfolio; it does not really pertain to my courses. If my students needed to document how they had met certain standards or goals it would be a great tool. They would have it ready for their first job interview. If I taught at a clinical site an e-portfolio would be a great way for students to showcase what laboratory instruments, tests, and laboratory information systems they have used. However, I could use it for my students to write and post laboratory procedures; they could create an electronic laboratory manual. My main weakness is not coming up with projects for my students, or new teaching methods, my weakness in an inability to fill in the details. I am great at seeing the big picture and coming up with big ideas, I need help with the fine details that make it work. IT 645 has taught me how to work on those fine details and how important they are. If I tell my students to create a PowerPoint on primary hemostasis and not give detailed instructions, they may not give me want I was looking for. The project could be lacking in subject matter or they present too much information; either way they do not learn from the experience. Providing thorough instructions really enhances the learning process. My main weakness is a lack of background in education. I was never taught how to teach, and IT 645 has enlightened me on teaching techniques and the importance of proper course planning. My future learning goals involve learning how to create the best possible learning environment for my on-line and face-to-face classes. Pursuing my PhD in Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) is a big step in achieving that learning goal. When deciding on what PhD program to apply to, I knew it would be one that would make me a better teacher, and ITD was the perfect fit. Over the next several years I will be learning how technology can enhance learning, and I look forward to learning how technology can enhance the learning environment. In conclusion, IT 645 was a major step in achieving my learning goals, and it has taught me that just lecturing using PowerPoint is not always the best option. Technology, if used correctly, can really make learning fun and interesting.
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AuthorAnna K. Swann, M.S., MLS (ASCP)CM Blog Roll
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