Final Reflection

This has been a fast semester!  It seemed like I was always busy learning new technology and coming up with neat activities to use all the new things I learned.

My experience with the new technology was not always smooth.  At the beginning of the semester, I had a lot of trouble with Blackboard on my new computer.  I learned that SHSU has an amazing technology team that can send Go To Assist and troubleshoot your computer remotely.  It turns out that I had something blocking Blackboard and the SHSU IT staff fixed it for me.

Computer problems aside, I did learn a lot about new applications and how to overcome my fear of trying new things.  I have never been much of a blogger. I have had Tumblr for a few years but  I really don't treat it as a blog like this one.  I just put fun stuff on there that I find other places.  I think Blogger is a splendid way to turn in work.  I would like to see it used it in the classroom, but our administration will remove the blocks first.

My favorite activity this semester was making comics.  My little boy loved it too!  We made some amusing comics together.  This kind of application would be very useful in the classroom.  Justin told me stories about the cartoons that he created on ComicBook!, which was his favorite.  It could easily be used as a springboard to writing.

The most difficult thing I did was create a screencast.  I worked and worked with the Sreenr app, and never got it to work.  I was frustrated with that, and I think I spent WAY too much time on it.  The other screencast apps I tried worked great.  I think knowing how to use Screencast-O-Matic will be very valuable as a librarian.  I can create lots of screencasts on research topics that the students can access as then need them.

I have learned so much about what is out there to make learning more interesting and fun for our students.  This has been a great class.  I learned so much so quickly! I think I will need to practice with some of these a lot more so I don't forget them.  Good thing I have my blog to refresh my memory!