Goal Reflection

 At the beginning of this course, I set a few goals. I wanted to become more familiar with educational technology applications that could streamline classroom processes and better serve my students. I also wanted to empower my students with the digital literacy skills essential for success in today’s world. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this course equipped me with the tools to help meet my goals and make me a more effective educator. 

Through the assignments and expectations of the course, I feel that I achieved the goal of broad exposure to educational technology. However, while exploration of a variety of platforms was beneficial, the number of applications introduced made it challenging to go deeper with any one tool. I spent much of my time learning about what’s out there, rather than implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of specific tools in my own classroom.

Although I don’t feel like I mastered any new technology this semester, I believe the foundation has been laid for future implementation in my classroom. I now have a stronger awareness of the options available and a better sense of which tools might be most relevant for my teaching style and my students' needs. Moving forward, my plan is to focus on implementing one or two intentionally selected applications at a time, allowing for reflection and refinement of the use of the technology.

I did not explore or utilize many applications to assist with my student’s digital literacy skills. I think in the future I will need to be more intentional about approaching technological applications from a student’s perspective and consider how it might benefit a student when utilizing it. 

This course has reinforced the idea that technology in the classroom is not optional, and teachers must be willing to adapt. Through the coursework, I’ve proven I’m willing to have an open mind and learn about new and changing applications. I may not have mastered specific tools yet, but I’ve built a foundation that will support thoughtful, effective integration in the future. 

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