Plans for Growth Beyond EDU630

EDU630 has helped me to think about the deeper philosophy and intriguing examples of educational technology, but the aspect I appreciated the most is the space in which to discuss and try different apps and sites. Here are some of the ways that I plan on recreating and fostering opportunities in which I can continue to experiment educational technology and grow as a teacher.

• Feedly: Feedly compiles articles and news that are relevant to the subscriber's interested topics. I have subscribed to sites that are related to education in general as well as educational technology. This is what it looks like.

• Facebook: I will be on the look out for new educational technologies, either posted by my fellow teachers or different ads. I have come across two apps so far that have proven to be very useful, such as Class Craft and KnowRe.

• Edblogs and Twitter: I follow other educators who discuss and implement new and old educational technologies like Kerry Gallagher. On her twitter page, she posts short thoughts, articles, and videos including her own TEDx talks. 

• ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education): ISTE is a conference that invites more than fifteen thousand educators from around the world, creating space for inspiration and innovation through sharing pedagogy. I have been to one of these conferences with St. John's Preparatory School before, and I am planning on attending more.

• Staff meetings: There are meetings within Professional Development as well as casual prep block conversations that allow instruction development in educational technology.

• Information Services Department (IT) /Tech Integrationists: There are staff members designated to work with students and teachers for better instruction and learning experience with technology. I am scheduled to meet with two of them on 12/21/16, and there will be many more meetings with them to discuss pedagogy. 

• Experimentation: Apps continue being created as well as updated. Even as I look for new technology to emerge, I want to keep checking back on the updates on older apps that now accommodate our classrooms. For example, the "draw" function on Microsoft Office apps on the iPad has made those apps very handy in a school system that uses PC.