How has my opinion of technology integration changed in the past 10 weeks?

As I review my previous posts, I notice an obvious tone that tends to be, in a sense, anti-technology. It wasn't that I was necessarily against all of technology in the classroom, but I would be suspect of swinging the pendulum too far and wrote of my hesitation when hearing and reading about all the great things technology could bring.

Well, I have changed my tune, to a degree. I think I was justified in my feelings with videos and stories about the negative effects of multi-tasking, the crisis in South Korea with how technology can become an addiction and the dangers that being online poses for today's youths.

But now I can also see how many tools there are available to educators and students alike and that not only the benefits (online lesson plans for easy access, podcasts, teacher conferences across the world) but the variety that is out there.

This can be a bit overwhelming. What do I use? How do I keep everything in order? What if I am using an online tool when there is something better out there?

I suppose that is where a lot of the fun and excitement lies, that there is always another "scratch" another "webquest" another gadget that is ready to be discovered and assist in the education of, well, everyone.

So, yes I like technology in learning a lot more now than I did before. I think it is due to the seemingly endless possibilities about there. And now I am ready to go!

Now, who's looking to hire an educator with a parital Instruction and Design M.ed?

Introductions

Hello and welcome to my class blog, set up as a result of a graduate course at Southern New Hampshire University.

This is my 3rd class in my quest for a Masters in Education: Curriculum and Instruction. Having been in the world of finance for the past decade I feel I am long overdue for a career change. Not 'just because' but rather because I want to feel passionate about what I do for a living, I want to want to think about my job at night and on the weekends, and I enjoy helping others learn.

That's where I am professionally.

On a personal note, I like to hike and have about 20 of New Hampshire's 48 four-thousand footers left on my list. Camping is also a favorite activity of mine and although I just recently picked up a racket, I have found that tennis is a new favorite sport of mine.


So, what do I expect to get out of this new class, Learning Through Technology? I feel that I have heard about the majority of technological applications out there that can be used in the classroom setting but not really how to properly use them. I am concerned about who owns what, like copyright laws and the like, and also the debate (if there is any) about how much societies should rely on technology in a learning setting.