My professional and educational history have largely driven my education technology capabilities. After taking the Assessment here's where I evaluated myself at right now.
These are in order from greatest to least
Key Strengths:
1) Content and Media Creation (Mainly Photos and Videos)
2) Data Research
3) Motivational Tools
Key Weaknesses:
1) Computational Thinking
2) Collaboration tools (outside of Google and Microsoft platforms)
3) Connecting Learning via Social Media
4) Creating Charts and Diagrams
Okay lets start with the weaknesses. Computational thinking is the largest gap in my ability to use educational tech. I am not familiar with any of the concepts. I barely know the platforms, and by know I mean that I have heard of them, but thats all I know about them.
Interestingly enough I have never seen this area as a real value to learn. I teach 6 and 8th grade math so I would rather spend my time on learning tools that would be utilized.
Collaboration tools is one where it's 50/50. I am extremely comfortable with Google and Microsoft platforms, but outside of that it really is just not taking real estate in my brain. I am confident that I could probably figure it out given enough time but it wouldn't be my first choice. I have used Mural and Padlet as a student but never as a teacher and I wouldn't feel very confident in utilizing it in my teaching.
Connection via Social Media. This might be the most interesting to me. I just simply don't view social media platforms as effective tools to educate. The only positive thing I can say with regards to this is that the platforms have the ability to connect you with other like minded people and discuss technologies and tools with other people who are using them like professors or teachers. This summer being the uncertainty that was coming I made an effort to join these groups and proactively find and research tools that others found useful. I do have a Facebook, but not a twitter. I really just use it personally and mostly as a time killer. It is hard to see any true value in the platform other then the connection aspect. I hope I can be proven wrong. :)
Creating charts and diagrams is one aspect where I am familiar but only with the basics and on the platforms that I know such as microsoft and google. These are still very basic charts and are not that advanced. In terms of Camp or Google draw I don't know what either of these are.
Finally the Strengths:
Content and media creation is by far the one thing on the assessment that i was most comfortable with. I have had a DSLR camera since I was 16 and have actively been shooting and editing shots. I am very comfortable editing basic video and using tools to crop, mute sound, add sound, and basic photoshop and light filtering. As well as conversion, uploading and sharing content.
Data research is something that I have done before enough to be efficient at. I can utilize different search engines to effectively find what I am looking for. I know how to filter and source scholarly content via my discretion. However if giving a lesson on how to help students find scholarly articles I would not be able to give them criteria to find quality content. For me it is more of a "I know it when I see it".
Motivational tools are something that I have previously used. I understand how technology can keep students engaged and motived to better themselves. I think technology is an extremely valuable tool for educators today, as the environment is not the same as it used to be. With technology available to every kid at the touch of a finger it is important to understand that kids today have shorter attention spans that kids from previous generations. This leads to more technology integration and those who do not integrate will likely have kids less motivated and struggle through the material. I think it is simply impossible to be a 24 year old teacher without integrating technology into my lesson plans.
One of the more pressing issues I have with learning new tech tools is there are simply too much. I am someone who likes to commit time to things that I know will be useful and utilized every day in the classroom and have a real impact on the learning environment. The issue I currently face with being a new teacher is there are workshops after workshop at my disposal. I would quite frankly be mad with spending a month learning a new program that would be quickly become overshadowed to a bigger better program and be stuck at square one, which seems like the never ending cycle I am in right now. Which just simple leaves me at being adequate at many programs, but not being an expert on one. I hate going through this cycle and hope that some of you are experiencing the same issue and maybe found a solution to this problem.
If you made it this far thanks for reading!!!
Sam,
I really enjoyed reading your self assessment. Your writing is clear and vivid, and your assessments of each area are thoughtfully done.
I liked how you distinguished between proficient on one or two tools (such as Google Docs and Office 365) from an overall proficiency for the skill. This was very smart.
I also want to underscore the last point you made about the almost impossible breadth of tools available. I echo what you are saying about developing depth instead of bouncing from one thing to another like a pinball.
Hi Sam!
I think this post was very honest and it sounds like you’ve done some great reflection about your strengths and weaknesses throughout your assessment.
Response to your Weaknesses:
Computational thinking was a weakness for me as well. After a bit of exploration, Scratch seemed like a really cool tool. I’m not too familiar with code but it sounds like the tools would be useful in both of our STEM classrooms. It sounds like you addressed your unfamiliarity with the computational thinking concepts, does this mean you also feel weak in the ability to teach computational thinking? Stating this weakness in teaching may strengthen your assessment.
It sounds like you are very strong with some of the Collaboration tools,…