Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0

NETS-T II, V

 

Through my School 2.0 Self-Assessment I learned a tremendous amount about my current technological aptitude and how it relates to being an educator in the classroom.  The NETS-T standard that I felt I should have excelled at but didn’t was the NETS-T standard 3, “Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.”  The reason I felt I should have excelled at this particular standard is because of subsection b of the NETS-T standard which reads, “Teachers collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.”  I have always been an individual who is technologically capable of communicating digitally via a variety of programs.  However subsection b stood out to me because finding ways to communicate with parents intrigued me.  By reading an article from THE Journal entitled, “Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners,” by Chris Riedel I discovered eight new devices for collaborating with students, parents, peers, and community members or promoting collaboration between students.  The three most interesting tools the article promoted were Skype, Yack Pack, and Voice Thread.  Skype is a resource that allows users to make audio and visual calls for free online.  I personally see Skype as a way to promote collaboration between classrooms.  Yack Pack is a tool that is very similar to an online voicemail.  Users can create “packs” and send messages to the entire pack or just a single member.  When other pack members log into Yack Pack they can listen to the messages and respond.  I see Yack Pack as a way to communicate with parents.  For example creating a pack with all the parents of students and updating them on homework assignments, class progress, and in-class situations.  Voice Thread allows a user to upload an image and add audio comments.  Such an upload can be viewed by students and parents allowing for greater efficiency in the classroom.  In taking my School 2.0 evaluation I discovered multiple tools that I will use in the classroom to promote collaboration with students, peers, parents, and community members.