Reflection on SHIFT Symposium and DALLA

Reflection on SHIFT Symposium and DALLA

It is a privilege to be a part of DALLA. I am learning with professionals that make me a better and more knowledgeable teacher.

The SHIFT Symposium was a valuable experience. Presenters and speakers were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Hearing the perspective of high school students was a good reminder that students are bringing a great deal of knowledge to the table and have valid options on what their learning experiences should be.

I learned more about SAMR model. Specifically, I used to view it as a ladder to climb and now see it as reference with which to reflect on how effectively I'm using technology to meet the need of my students and change what they know and can accomplish. I won't be in redefining every 'lesson' into a learning experience with or without technology. Some substitutions will surly improve efficiency from before tech availability. However, my goal is to transform the learning in my classroom by examining what I am doing, why I am doing it and how to improve upon the experiences for my students.

I also built rubber band race cars & created an avatar using google drawing tools. In these sessions, we were doing the work and learning. We were not given a 'lesson' on how we could do something. We were actively learning by doing. Another great reminder that when learners are engaged in the 4 Cs, we are learning more than just the task at hand.