My Top 5 Takeaways from ICT 362

While the knowledge I constructed during this course will affect my teaching practice in many ways, join me as I highlight the 5 lessons I found most impactful.

Over the course of this semester, my technological horizons have been broadened significantly! From topics in digital citizenship and implementation frameworks to themes of creative expression, this course has shown me that technology can open previously unseen doors for educational enrichment.

Lesson #1 - ICT and the Core Subject Areas are Equally Important

As our society becomes increasingly tech-infused, digital literacy skills are becoming as fundamentally necessary as math and language skills. It is my belief that all students should receive instruction regarding how to use the internet in a responsible way. Dr Ribble's 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship provide a strong foundation for digital literacy skills.

Dr Ribble's 9 Elements cover a broad range of topics that are pertinent in this digital age. As a future educator, I will utilize Dr Ribble's framework to teach my students about their rights and responsibilities as citizens of the digital world.

Lesson #2 - Implementation Frameworks Facilitate Seamless Integration

The sheer amount of technological platforms available to educators can be extremely overwhelming. This course has taught me that there is tremendous value in systematically choosing which platforms will be most beneficial to students.

Rather than choosing a technological platform and using it on a whim, I will utilize frameworks such as TIM, SAMR, and Triple E to pinpoint the useful nature of platforms and plan for their use in my classroom.

Lesson #3 - Digital Storytelling Enhances Creativity and Supports Engagement

Each student has a unique story to tell, and tools such as "Pixton" can help them bring their ideas to life. Before taking this course, my concept of story writing involved using a pencil and paper to construct drafts and sketch ideas.

After taking ICT 362, I see storytelling in a completely new light! Whether that format is passing down knowledge through the oral tradition, writing plays, or making movies, people express their creativity in meaningful ways.

Since the world is becoming more digital, storytelling has become more accessible. I plan on utilizing technological platforms such as Pixton and blog forums to facilitate student expression and peer connection.

Lesson #4 - Digital Citizenship is a Team Effort

While teaching digital citizenship can be done by one individual, modeling digital citizenship takes a village.

Students are constantly observing their teachers, therefore, it is of great importance that all professionals in the field interact with technology in a professional manner.

I plan on becoming a leader of digital citizenship in my school by working with my colleagues to develop a professional environment where all employees understand that they are on stage. In order for the content of digital citizenship lessons to take root in the minds of students, teachers need to consistently reinforce those ideas throughout their own behavior.

Lesson #5 - Learning Never Stops

As technology advances on a regular basis, so too must my understanding of it. Keeping up-to-date with developments is essential in areas such as science and social studies, and ICT requires similar diligence on the part of teachers.

This course has reaffirmed my belief that the art of teaching is also the art of life-long learning, whereby my job is to ensure that the content my students learn is as accurate and relevant as possible.

I plan to keep "on top" of ICT developments by attending professional development opportunities, interacting with teacher forums online, and connecting with colleagues to see what tools they are implementing.

In Conclusion

ICT 362 has shown me that teachers possess the power to shape new generations by giving them tools in critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, and collaboration. Technology has often been viewed as a negative aspect of society, but by showing students how to interact with it in a safe and responsible manner, they will be better prepared to thrive in their personal and professional uses of technology for years to come.