Module 9: Reflection

In taking this Five Star course, I have been able to think of digital resources as a crucial tool in the classroom. It is vital that we as educators start to shift our thinking and teaching to digital versus only analog. This generation coming up have technology at their fingertips from birth. They will never have a memory of not being able to look up a fact at the blink of an eye, card catalogs and the library system will seem quite archaic and confusing just as digital sources are to the older generations now.

Understanding various resources, trends in digital education, and digital citizenship will help me become a leader in my corporation because I will be able to be a resource to those unfamiliar to digital resources. I will be able to guide co-workers through various tasks and help them find resources available to make digital education more accessible and understandable. 

Module 8: Reflection

When I reflect on my digital footprint, I haven't made much of an impact, but what was found was quite surprising. I used a Google search of my name and city. I expected to see my name for the direct sales company I sell for or something like that, but instead I found information about me being a paraprofessional at the elementary that I'm at, the fundraiser I've done for the last two years for a women's shelter, and a local Eagle Scout's project I helped to head up. It was interesting to me that these were the items that I found about myself online. 

When looking at teaching our students about their role in leaving a digital footprint, we need to help them see themselves in a positive way, allowing them to shine through to the best that they can be. Some of the things I found on myself happened many years ago and I had actually forgotten about them. We need to teach students to be digitally conscience and aware of what exactly they are doing. What they do now and affect them, good or bad, in their future in finding jobs, networking, getting into schools, etc. Our goal as educators is allowing them to be the best that they can be, so allowing them to have a positive digital footprint is crucial.

Reflection: Module 7

"Susie spent hours collecting and curating resources for her upcoming unit on cells. She is able to successfully use much of what she has found when implementing her plans.

The following year, when it is time to begin the unit on cells again, Susie forgets about the resources she curated. She essentially starts from scratch, performing the task of searching, saving, and sorting once again."

My response to this situation would have to be to get organized. With the vast amount of information and sources, there is bound to be information and sources lost if you do not have a way to organize them. Suzie wouldn't be in the situation she is in with the second year if only she had used various technologies or other record keeping methods to organize her information. With programs such as Symbaloo, it is easy to gather up sources and information and group them together for future reference. I believe Symbaloo could actually be a great tool for keeping those sources together and accessable. 

Part of the plan is to plan. Where are you going to store this information? Where will it be that it is readily available as needed? Make source gathering a part of every unit so that it stays fresh in your mind that you have a resource such as Symbaloo that helps you. Keep notes on each unit you do, where you might have resources, and keep that together for future planning days. Being organized will make the world of difference and keep your load lighter, unlike Suzie.