Chapter 3 Reflection

Chapter 3 was about using computers in a learning environment. This chapter went into detail about different classroom softwares and how to use them in the classroom effectively. It seemed to me that a lot of the information in this chapter was for people that are unfamiliar with using computers correctly. Things like turning the computer off properly and saving documents and other important things correctly were things most people probably already know about. What I did like about this chapter was that it made me think about how to teach different computer concepts. Just because I know how to complete such tasks the way the book describes doesn't mean other people do, especially younger kids and older adults who are just being introduced to computers.

Chapter 2 Reflection

Chapter 2 discussed the designing and planning of technology based instruction. This chapter dealt more with applying concepts to the classroom rather than the process of teaching and learning with technology. The portion of this chapter that was most interesting to me was the information on the impact of the teaching environment. I never really thought about the environment in as much detail as they went into. There are so many factors and it seems kind of overwhelming to think about all of them at once plus what you are supposed to be teaching.

The lab for chapter 2 was on powerpoint. At first I figured the lab was fairly pointless since I am pretty familiar with powerpoint but it turned out that I did learn a few things. Powerpoint is a program that can be easily integrated into any classroom, young children or old, big or small.

Chapter 1 Reflection

Chapter 1 was an introduction to the theoretical foundations of educational technology. Many different definitions were introduced and a variety of learning styles were explained. Each theory that was introduced offered a different perspective and theory. I personally enjoy reading and learning about different learning styles and theories. Its always interesting to see what you categorize yourself as and how you categorize others.

The lab for this chapter dealt with the basics of operating systems. Since I have both a MAC and PC computer I was fairly familiar with both. I did however learn some keyboard shortcuts that now sometimes just confuse me because they are different from PC to MAC. At first I thought the lab was totally bogus but it ended up being semi-helpful and interesting.

The all about me power point would be an excellent thing to integrate into a classroom in the future. It was very interesting to read other students projects and learn and little bit about them. It was also fun to create my own project and figure out what to share with the class about myself.