3.5 Assignment: Critical Reflection Journal/Blog

What is new to my thinking or learning this past week?

             Marshall McLuhan said, “We become what we behold. We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.”  This week we learned about digital tools that can shape the way we teach and finding the right tools will shape those we are trying to teach.  I have had a smartphone for several years and have a variety of apps that I use on it for different reasons.  For example, I keep track of my banking on an app; I have an assortment of apps that I use to access I use to order food from my favorite restaurants. 

            This week challenged me to expand my horizons and look at new apps to enhance my teaching abilities, how to evaluate which is best to serve my purpose, and how to bring them all together to create my ‘digital toolbox.’  A ‘digital toolbox’ was new to me, but it makes sense.  Just like a carpenter has the right tools in their toolbox to do the job, as educators, we need to have the right tools in our toolbox, but we need to have the best ones to accomplish the task of teaching our students.  I understood the best methods to evaluate apps to measure and ensure students are grasping the materials being taught. 

How has this new information challenged me? How has this stretched my professional growth and development?

             The information presented has challenged me as an educator to be open to new ideas and ways to evaluate the various tools to ensure they are effective effectively.  While there are many choices, not all apps are effective.  Our job as educators is to carefully consider what we are using to ensure it effectively accomplishes what we are trying to get across to our students. 

 What are the implications of this week’s learning on my professional practice?

             Social media has become very popular among today’s students.  Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Blogs, or YouTube, today’s generation uses one or more of these forms of social media and a variety of apps one or more times a day.  While many negative things have come out of students utilizing social media and other apps, it also can serve as a powerful tool to teach students personal responsibility, online etiquette, and effective ways to communicate.  One way to utilize these various forms of social media is to encourage students to use them to communicate what they are learning in the classroom and discuss it with their peers.             

When evaluating apps, I believe three things should be considered. 1) Students using the app will learn how to use them effectively and other educational apps to enhance their learning experience, 2) The app should allow students to demonstrate the ability to utilize technology to communicate their knowledge of various subjects effectively, and 3) Students will be able to interact with their peers to collaborate in the learning process and share ideas.  As an educator, I am responsible for evaluating what my students use in the classroom; now that I know how to assess the tools in my toolbox effectively, I must do so to ensure my students have the proper tools to get the best education possible.  Allowing students to be responsible for their learning through the latest technology will enhance their learning experience. Still, they will be able to apply what they have learned to other aspects of their lives.

 How can these new learnings be used to impact my personal faith journey and my impact for the Kingdom?

             I have a bible app on my phone to access scripture with just a touch.  Within that app are several devotional options.  Using tools such as this can help me grow in my spiritual journey no matter where I am at day or not.  It gives me access to several versions of scripture simply by scrolling through a dropdown menu.  While we once used things like gospel tracks to share the good news with others, we can now use bible apps and devotional plans to bring people to Christ.  Just as we use a process to evaluate various apps that, as educators, we use in the classroom, we should use the same thought process in recommending bible-based apps to new believers. We ensure that we are sharing the gospel effectively and not leading new believers astray.