Guiding Principles Revisited and Final Thoughts

This is what I stated in June and still hold to these principles today: The technology needs to be relevant, inquiry-based, simple to use, and have a seamless fit into the course content. I don't need the students to have one more thing to do if it does not enhance their learning.

My focus now is to begin school next week, continue to add content my moodles (including screencasts and voicethreads), "attend" webinars, and put a plan together for a simple action research project (is that an oxymoron?). I need to decide how much time I'll devote to my PLN weekly as I can get carried away in the virtual world.

This was a good final course in the MSSE program for me. (Although, there are a number of other courses I would like to take.) It provides a new beginning and with this course wiki and Marta's wiki there is a road to further professional development.

The course reminds me of our family excursion to ten National Parks in 22 days with a lay over in Bozeman for five of those days. My kids wanted to stay longer at each park we visited. I needed to stay longer at each new tool I used. As I told them, now you have had a short trip through __________ (fill in the blank with a National Park), you know where you might want to return. I think it's the same way with the tools we've used in this course. Now I know where I want to go back and visit for a longer stay.

Thanks to everyone in this course. You made my PLN possible. Have a great year. We'll continue the conversation.