I have personally never experienced creating or reading blogs before, so this was a new and exciting experience for me. The blog in particular allowed me a "space" to reflect on what I had read and how I was comprehending and connecting it to other readings and conversations (online and in class). I saw my audience as being a group of my peers that were reading and writing about similar topics and we could use one another as a reflective and collaborative audience for feedback and response (which also created a relationship between the reading and writing process through response). Although I didn't receive much feedback from my peers per se, I was able to read their blogs and interpret what they were saying about similar topics which was very helpful to me in understanding my own thinking and stance on specific topics (role of metacognition in reading and writing proficiency).
Although the blogging was a digital writing/reading tool that was utilized for this course, being introduced to wiki, google docs, and many other digital writing and reading forums had given me an opportunity to use them for multiple purposes which will help me as a new teacher extend them into the classroom for my students. With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the emphasis of effectively preparing our students for college and careers, the use of digital software is imperative. As a teacher, it is even more important for me to know how to use and manipulate these programs so I can implement them into my curriculum. Also, because of my experiences with this technology and the discussions with my peers, I am better able to know which is developmentally appropriate for what age group or how to modify lessons to meet the needs of my students.
Although this is not specifically part of the student learning outcomes, I wanted to mention this anyway. The genre pieces project was helpful for me on many different levels. I have had conversations, lectures, and readings about student motivation throughout my college experience and in studying English and Literacy education. I knew that student choice and motivation was an important part of student success, but I got a first-hand view of this when I created my genre pieces project. We were told to choose any topic. I was nervous that my choice would be seen as non-educational or "silly". Although I am a skeptic of sorts when it comes to the paranormal, I find it fascinating and am motivated to read and learn all about it. I created a blog that would document my own experiences with the world of paranormal investigation and it serves as a timeline for myself and my the paranormal investigation team that I have joined up with. I don't think I would have ever tried to pursue anything like this without having this class and for that I am very thankful. This is something I can take with me past the realm of Nazareth and into the world. Mostly, it showed me as a student and a teacher just how powerful choice and motivation can truly be.
I am very glad to know you have found many aspects of this course beneficial to your own progress as a reader and writer, Marsha (as well as aiding your development as a teacher of reading and writing). If you were to say a bit more regarding your success at meeting the learning outcomes, specifically through this journal, which ones do you think you achieved most fully through the entries you wrote and reflected on this semester?
ReplyDelete