COMMITMENT

Commitment and dedication is what it would take to successfully plan and implement lessons infusing technology with tried and tested methods of teaching reading . Those of us who have had to think long and hard to come up with five lessons and determine the appropriate technology to use with those lessons can attest to this fact.We must plan though since it is the teacher who makes the difference in effective reading instruction. Planning however is not all. Actually producing the technology is another matter. It's time consuming and a great deal of thought has to go into getting the technology right. I know too that we all have to think of contingency plans such as what to do in the event of a power failure.We also have to think up innovative ways to assess the lessons. We then have to look for appropriate hand outs and exercises to make the lessons meaningful and complete. All the best to you my colleagues and good luck to those of us whose lessons might be chosen as model lessons. I know it can be done because our teachers are creative and innovative. We have to be haven't we? We work with limited resources and are still able to work magic. Don't give up the struggle.

QUO VADIS?

Where do we go from here? So we are ninety budding Reading Specialists. We have just gone through a course which exposed us to the use of technology. We have seen how technology can enhance reading and make it possible to stimulate a child's interest. We have seen how we can capture the imagination of today's youth using the technological tools which they are growing up with. The tools which they are fascinated with and which have become part and parcel of their lives. Technology is natural to this generation as turning the pages of a book is natural to my generation. I have a few questions though. Some of us are returning to schools where there are no computers. Some of us have computers but no internet connection. Some of us can use technology effectively. Some of us still need some practice and exposure. For neophytes like myself I feel we needed this course to be of a longer duration so that we could have mastered the technology a little better. The only good thing is that we have each other and can call on each other for support and assistance. The other thing to do would be to practice,practice,practice.

What about the other teachers in the system who have not been exposed to is course? Do you think we can make a dent in teaching and learning styles?Can we convince the traditionalists to change? I would like to hear some of your thoughts on this. Thanks to Aisha, Cherisse(my charming and patient teacher) and Murella for providing us with hope for moving some students from reluctant to striving readers.

INDESCRIBABLE!

Have you ever seen the excitement on the face of a child who awakes on Christmas morning to find the toy he wanted so badly under the Christmas tree? The excitement and pleasure on MY face after producing my first e-book are almost indescribable. I produced a book! I start to see Newbury award Noble Prize for literature and any of the awards you can think of. Any way, let me get back down to earth and see if I can produce a next e-book. I may probably try one with more writing and features. I would probably put in a Contents page and put a little more writing on the pages. There's no way to stop me now. I am on the move.

SAVOURING EVERY MOMENT

I am glad to have the upper hand with regard to technology even it's just for a short while.You know what it is to talk about your PB Works account and Google docs and see computer savvy people look at you with eyes opened wide in amazement as if to say "What are you talking about?" Finally I can repeat what my son normally says to me" Get with the technology."Ever wonder for how long though? Remember the video about wiki when the man referred to sending e-mail as the "old way" and introduced wiki as the "new way". The way the technology is evolving I wouldn't be surprised if before the end of this course that we may have to alter our thinking and refer to one of the new technologies we are being exposed to as the old way.As we are aware new technology for information and communication continually appear and they change so rapidly that we are never able to thoroughly evaluate them.At this very moment some computer guru may be experimenting with some computer software that may make some existing ones obsolete.

A NEW HOBBY? MAYBE

I have always wanted to purchase a digital camera.Seeing what scope I have for using it and listening to the tips to produce a good photograph induces me to hurry up and purchase one. But guess what? I haven't a clue how to upload the pictures to the computer.I often sat next to my son or daughter and looked at the pictures which they had taken with their digital cameras. My interest was in seeing how the pictures looked. It never dawned on me to concentrate on how to transfer the pictures onto the computer. Guess what? I regret not having done so. I now have to ask my son to show me what to do.I would pass on my tips on how to take a good picture and he would have to pass on his skills to me.I would even show him how to operate Photostory3 when I see what is to be done.

TRADITIONALISTS AND TECHNOLOGY

Now that I am doing this course in information technology I believe that teachers would soon have to change the look of contemporary classrooms as we know it. Interactive technology tools such as laptops would soon have to be an integral part of every classroom. As teachers we would have to re look the way in which we teach and learn. We would have to make the learning environment in the classroom more stimulating and exciting by the introduction of interactive technologies. there might be teachers who are not interested in using technology and might resist change. These are the traditionalists who might believe that they have been teaching for years without using technology and have been successful so far. I believe that the Ministry of Education should implement a program of studies to train teachers in best online teaching practices to support teaching and learning. Regardless of students' technological skills and digital competence it is the teachers' technological skills that is the key factor in determining how much value a student gets out of classroom technology. I feel that if we cannot beat the technology we might as well join it.

TECHNOLOGY! TECHNOLOGY!

The computer is full of infinite possibilities.We have seen how easy access to technology has opened the doors for almost anyone to become an author or a creator with the creation of e-books. We have seen that there are sites that allow easy access to upload images ,video and audio. These sites provide teachers with a low cost means to produce their own books. We also saw how content could be delivered to mobile phones. I can see that soon we may have to remove the ban on cell phones in schools. Pretty soon the use of the cell phone as an educational tool would have to be accepted. As a matter of fact in a very short time the cell phone will be as much a part of education as pens, pencils and book bags. What do you think?