I just want to let everyone know how impressed and pleased I am with the quality of units you have created. If you haven't checked them all out, you should. It will be possible for you to do so over the next couple of weeks as they stay on the website. Your units are full of creative ideas and innovative uses of technology. Student-centered learning is emphasized at every turn. It makes me want to be a child again and have the chance to experience these awesome oportunities. Your students will benefit so and I hope that each of you enjoy implementing these units in your classroom.

Thanks, everyone, for working so hard on your units. I know they are a "work of the heart". I have so enjoyed working with all of you.

Reflect on how the focus of this module has helped you plan and create your unit.
I think getting feedback has helped as has getting to look at the units prepared by others.

How can I prepare for and facilitate an effective showcase?
Some of the aspects of using technology is still challenging, but it is getting easier. It helped to have all the pieces saved in one folder and ready to download to the wiki.
How can I provide constructive feedback? It is important to look at all components of the unit and evaluate how effective the person has been in involving students in the processes and integrating technology into their projects. It helped, since I have already used my unit in the classroom, to know how well certain factors worked and what I could improve on in the future.

Module 8

Reflect on how the focus of this module has helped you plan and create your unit.
How can I prepare for and facilitate an effective showcase?
The biggest factor in my showcase was being able to talk to the instructor when I had some major technical problems that were over my head. It was very reassuring to get support when I was very nervous everything wasn't going to work. Technology is wonderful...when it works!

How can I provide constructive feedback?
It is important to really look through a unit and see all the aspects. Everything I looked at was so good, I felt it made the requirement of evaluation easy!

Consider how the knowledge you gained from this module will impact your teaching and your students’ learning. Record your insights, key learnings, and questions or concerns in your reflection.
I believe what I have learned is already impacting students. Fifth graders presented Powerpoints of Native Americans yesterday. I feel more confident to try new things with the understanding that everything may not go as planned, but it is always an opportunity for learning! My biggest question is still how to master all the technology, but with everything changing as it does, I there will always be more to learn.

Module 8

Reflect on how the focus of this module has helped you plan and create your unit.

How can I prepare for and facilitate an effective showcase?
How can I provide constructive feedback?

Consider how the knowledge you gained from this module will impact your teaching and your students’ learning. Record your insights, key learnings, and questions or concerns in your reflection.

When you finish your reflection response, return to the course for a discussion regarding your reflections on the course as a whole.

Module 8 reflection

Reflect on how the focus of this module has helped you plan and create your unit. This module has helped me create my own unit by allowing me to view and comment on my classmates units. By seeing their work and reading their comments in the discussion then I can relate them.


How can I prepare for and facilitate an effective showcase?
To prepare for an effective showcase I need to make sure that all of my information is organized. I also need to make sure that I read the directions very carefully since I have never created a wiki before.
How can I provide constructive feedback? To provide constructive feedback I can make sure that I use the showcase feedback form and that I thoroughly look through my partners unit plan. I will try and place myself in their shoes so I can see exactly how their unit will flow and work.

Module 7

*How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom?
One of the first things I can do to make sure my classroom is student-centered is to teach my students how to use the technology that they will be using. Since I teach first grade I usually start by teaching them the basics about the computers so that they can become comfortable using them and being independent. Once they are comfortable using the technology I can utilize unit plans that are more student centered. In first grade we spend a lot of time learning how to work in a student-centered classroom.

*How can I use technology to support my instructional practice?
I can use technology in a variety of ways. One way would be to allow my gifted student to work on a project of her own. This will allow her to work at her own pace and expand her knowledge beyond our first grade classroom. In our building we have new white boards this year and I can use it during instruction to help reinforce concepts.

Module 7

How can I facilitate a student-centered classroom? I must create an environment that is welcoming, where students feel confident and willing to try new things. I don't want them to be worried about making mistakes or answering a question incorrecly. I must create activities and projects that allow students to explore and dive deep into meaning, rather than lecture and give tests. I want students to be in charge of their learning. I really like the idea of project-based learning because students are more hands-on and have a bigger voice. It promotes responsibility, as well.


How can I use technology to support my instructional practice? I want to move away from paper and pencil, and rely more on my computer. It saves on paper, and is much more engaging. I will use power points to teach, interactive and engaging websites, and many other things. I want students to be comfortable using everyday technology, such as laptops, projectors, scanners, printers, cameras, wikis, and blogs because we are becoming so technologically advanced in society. They need to be prepared for this to be successful in future careers.