I thought I was being progressive in my classroom when it came to the use of technology, however this class offered me glimpses into new areas of technology I had not imagined to enter. I now am using blogs and wikis with my students as well as looking into podcasts as a means to post notes and other needed information. Most importantly this class has given me sites and suggestions to stay abreast of technological advancements and information pertaining to my profession. In the article No Limits, Terri Tomlinson, principal of George Hall elementary states that "It's about whole new ways to work and think and learn, to conduct your business and your life..." (Nussbaum-Beach, 2008) We see technology in every aspect of our personal and social lives, it is imperative to manipulate these technologies in order to influence the learning capabilities of our students.
"More and more of our world’s countries are crossing the threshold into
the Knowledge Age – where “brain-power” replaces “brawn-power” and
“hertz-power” replaces “horse-power”. Many believe that this shift to
knowledge-based societies is as historic and as challenging as the shift
from the Agricultural Age to the Industrial Age" (Trilling, 2005).
We are witnessing a shift not only in the world's infrastructure but also in how people interact and communicate. We are seeing information more easily accessible for the masses; a shift not witnessed since the invention of the printing press. This shift is changing the role and the responsibilities of the teacher; teachers' are now portraying more of a facilitator role. this change is making the classroom more student-centered.
To stay ahead of educational changes due to technology, teachers need to continue their education and training in new technologies and their use. Administrators and political officials need to be open-minded and listen to their teachers about the changes taking place, unfortunately this does not always happen. Two goals I have to transform my classroom environment is to develop an online based curriculum that may be used during summer school and eventually in the regular school year. In order to accomplish this I need to be part of the technology committee and write a proposal for the board's approval. I already have the approval of my principal and am now working on the president. Eventually I envision online courses being the means to expand our overall curriculum. Another long-term goal is to connect my classroom with others in different countries. The world is getting smaller and it is imperative that students begin to not only experience its decreased size but also HOW to communicate with other cultures. Currently our school technology and possibly schedule limits this vision.

Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2008, February 15). Tech & Learning. Retrieved April 23, 2009, from http://www.techlearning.com/article/8466

Trilling, B. (2005). Toward learning societies and the global challenges for learning-with-ICT. Retrieved April 6, 2009 from http://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/pdf/events/techforum/ny05/Toward_Learning_Societies.pdf