You have an important ROLE!

Upon completing this course, I realise that it was very challenging at first given the fact that I was learning new tools in technology, but with determination and perseverance, I was successful at gaining the knowledge and skills I needed to create these tools. 

I have implemented all the applications on my students and also my nephew and niece. I can see that there are disadvantages and advantages of using these applications. Some tools and applications can be used by younger children but some can only be used by older children. 

This course had given me extensive knowledge of the various tools that I was not aware of; such as creating my own websites and blogs, doing quizzes online, video interacting tools by Screen o Matic and interactive presentations by Prezi among others. 

Additional applications that interested me was SCRATCH which I can use to draw something using the icons, pictures and background provided. It is easy to handle and the files are not big and can be supported by the notebook. To go through Scratch, you have to be patient and it will take some time to get used to it. 

As teachers, we learn how to improve at our jobs every day by being with students in the classroom. We learn from our mistakes and our successes, our bad days and our good ones. Bit by bit, year by year, we aspire tobecome experts. While attending this technology class, I am not only able to come across apps for students but I am able to learn this for my use too. Applications like grab, maybank2u and GOGET are very useful to me. 

                                                    

With GOGET, I can save time. Last month, my student could not send her files as she was in the hospital, so I used GOGET to get that file from her. We decide on how much we want to pay them. They just need to accept the job and do it following the time that we set. It is really easy. The only problem is, not everyone knows about this app, so it takes some time waiting for someone to accept the job. I hope that with this entry, more people become aware of GOGET. This app makes me appreciate the technology. 

Although we know that technology is important, as an educator, we have to understand that they cannot become completely dependent upon technology as a means to enhance their own teaching strategies. We have to work creatively and think outside the box too. Nowadays people are depending on technology until they cannot even spell correctly because they are dependent on the "auto-correct" It makes us lazy by not using our brain in a healthy way. 

As I continue to reflect, I have come to the realization that the advantages of using technology in the classroom are many, both, inside and outside the basic classroom. I will try my best to continue using technology to make my life easier but at the same time not be totally dependent on these technology 100%.

Roles of the teacher in using technologies

* Be creative - Use all the tools creatively and try to use it in a variety of ways.

* Be active - keep on actively find all new information and get involved with all the apps and tools to get used to it. 

* Involve parents - get parents involved in the use of technologies for them to understand better and to let them aware with the advantages of using that.

* Developmentally appropriate practices - we have to screen through it and make sure we use appropriate tools and apps for appropriate children age. 

* Share information - Don't just keep the knowledge to yourself but keep on sharing the apps with other colleagues. Then it can help us learn from one another.