In the beginning...

image from pugo.org

When I first started teaching, I had a chalkboard in my classroom.  There was no internet, and no email, and technology in my school consisted of some old Mac Classics and a painting program.  I was an English teacher who felt high tech using an overhead projector and felt like books and lined paper were all the technology I needed to teach my students.

Fast forward 17 years and I'm teaching teachers how to integrate technology into their language arts classrooms.  Before this year I'd done some webquests, created a few Trackstar activities, and made powerpoints.  This year I started a new job as a content coach and the expectation is that I embed technology, so I've been trying.  I created a website to share lessons between teachers, and even incorporated a Wiki! Last Saturday I taught a workshop on how to use Garageband to record students' poetry into a podcast, adding music and sound effects and in some cases pictures to illustrate themes.  So I've been really seeking ways to use technology in the classroom to engage students and teach them to be critical users of technology vs. simple consumers.

drapestakes.blogspot.com

 I've been frustrated by teachers who claim to not have time or knowledge to integrate technology into instruction and student learning.  As such, I guess my personal "issue" is finding ways to make learning new technology more accessible to teachers, or finding ways to make teachers more willing to integrate technology.  I also want to learn more about creating technology-rich lessons to teach traditional English content.

I'm really looking forward to this course!