Final Reflection
During the first weeks of class, I began to comprehend the mass of what I didn’t know. Since then I have learned a great deal about blogs, wikis, podcast, and other valuable components of teaching. In addition, this class has enlightened me to the new technology that can be applied to enhance student learning.

I have learned to create a blog and how it could be used in a class environment. Although, I am not yet a teacher, I have developed a teaching philosophy; this gave me the opportunity to consider what style of teaching would best fit my future students.

I learned that instructional design is the fundamental component by which educators deliver instruction to students, and apply it to a specified circumstance. I was amazed of how a wiki could be used as a tool for teaching history. Wikis can be used as a primary source by way of artifacts. It also allows the student to have collaborative authority, that allows students to learn from one another, and permits an educator to have a sense of how well a student understands the subject matter. I would have never thought to use a wiki in such a way; as a matter of fact I didn’t even know what a wiki was until this class.

Although, learning how to create a podcast proved to be challenging, I am glad I learned how to use it. This is a great tool to use in the classroom, listening to a podcast lecture will give students a better understanding of the subject, rather than just taking notes.
I was aware of sites such as flickr, but only related them to personal pictures for personal use. I was wowed, that educators could use this visual aid to display photos, and to take a virtual field trip in any part of the world. This is definitely something that I will use in the future.

Most of all I learned that I was uncomfortable with new technology, and probably would not have explored this type of teaching on my own. As an educator becoming comfortable with new technology will only open new opportunities for students to learn.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

George Mason, A Forgotten Founding Father

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TEACHING STATEMENT

One of the things that gave me a passion for learning was when participation was an encouraged element. An educator that trusts their students, giving them the freedom and responsibility to participate in their education, helps the student respond to intellectual obstacles. This partnership will create an encounter of critical thinking and an exchange of new ideas.

In my own experience this nature of teaching gave me a passion for history. As a first year student at Yavapai Community College, I took a history class that successfully stimulated the class by student participation. This class was no longer a requirement; it was a passion for a subject that so many of the students had previously detested. Active participation requires creativity and motivation by the educator, one of the ways that my instructor stimulated student participation was that, he required the students to make some of the multiple choice questions for the exams. This practice required the student to have knowledge of the subject, so that the answers would not be in conflict, it further gave some relief of the anxiety of failing the exams. Before each exam we would quiz each other on our questions, encouraging open classroom discussions, creating a better understanding of the subject matter.

My aspiration in teaching will be to encourage learning by learner participation, helping to make the students more than just passive recipients. In my studies, I will continue to explore new ideas and approaches to engage student involvement during my path to becoming a teacher of history.