Strengths and Weaknesses

When it comes to technology, I feel like my weaknesses stand out much far more than do my strengths. While reading over the ISTE, I initially felt a little overwhelmed by the expectations for teachers and the digital world, since in my opinion, I have so little experience with the digital world, especially in comparison to so many high school students today. Even though I went through school in a very technology centered era, the majority of my teachers still had very traditional classrooms, that used very little media other than an overhead or word processing for essays and such. At home, it was the same thing, and so I have sort of gotten through life knowing that there is more technology out there, but I don't jump at the opportunity to embrace it in my every day life.

But that was just my first instinct, to say that I can't offer much at this point in the digital department. However, after some contemplation, I realize that I'm not quite as inept as I make myself sound. For example, in the first standard, "Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity," I found that I may have something to contribute to it. It reads, "promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness." I feel like in my life, while not always technology-centered, I do search for ways to be creative and innovative whether at school or in my every day life. I can take that desire for innovative thinking and apply it to the digital world. I also appreciate and can grasp the idea that it's important to promote student reflection using collaborative tools. Collaborating with tools can make all the difference for students. Each student has strengths and weaknesses, and allowing them to collaborate from a variety of sources makes it so that while they learn some new things, they can also apply their skills with other devices.
Finally, where it reads, "model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues and others in a face to face and virtual environment," I found something most interesting there. To me, this is essentially "group work" - the process of working together as a team to discover. Some people resist group work, and on some days I do too, but overall I can recognize the importance of it. What stands out, however, is the "face to face and virtual environment" part. While I may not have a lot of experience with the most up to date technology, virtual environments play a bigger part of my life than I initially thought. Facebook, email, blogging, skyping, etc. are all virtual environments essentially, that I have embraced for years. And I can see the impact that they can have on our lives, our creativity and our productivity. What I need to learn is how to apply this more specifically in a classroom setting, with specific goals and objectives to accomplish using this resource. But I would consider this a strength of mine, that the virtual environment is absolutely not a stranger to me, while I have much more to learn about it.

As far as my weaknesses go, one of the standards that stands out is, "exhibit knowledge, skills and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society." I feel that I have the basics down: technology is inevitably a part of our educational world. I know there's so many opportunities out there that I haven't taken advantage of. However, at this point I cannot say that I could exhibit knowledge and skills representative of a professional in a global society. I feel that I'm more of a "learner" in a global society but I in no way of mastered the art of applying my skills in a digital world. It goes on to say, "demonstrate fluency in technology systems" - which I would say is another weakness of mine. So while technology has played a part of my personal and educational life for quite some time, I don't feel that the "fluency" has happened yet. So as a strength, I'm willing to embrace the future of the digital world for the most part. But as a weakness, I still need so much instruction on what's out there, and how to use it in a classroom setting.

Goals:
1) I need to be instructed on some more of the tools that are available to use in a classroom. I need to learn specifically what is expected of me as a teacher in the 21st century, and the specific tools that will benefit students the most in my classroom. I can use my skills that I have already learned and apply them to new technology, but I absolutely need to gain a better foundation of what is out there and how to use it in a classroom setting.
2) I need to familiarize myself enough with the use of the digital world and technology in the classroom enough to be able to use it on an every day basis, not just when trying to meet the minimum standards expected of teachers. I need to recognize that even if the classroom that I was taught in high school wasn't digitally based, that the classroom I will teach in, will likely be so.

Essentially -Learn what's out there. -Get comfortable using it.