Savanna Benson

EDT 180 Final Reflection Paper

As I come to the end of my first semester in college, it is a good time to reflect on my growth as

a student, as a user of technology, and as a future teacher. Looking at my previous project reflections,

one thing that stood out is how I always found a way to relate the technologies we explored in the

various projects to my future as a biology teacher. From the Inquiry Module to my final Expression

Module, I always tried to find a way to apply the project to the biology classroom. Sometimes I struggled

to find a relationship between what we were learning and what I will be doing in the classroom, but I

always eventually found a reasonable application for the technology. For example, I struggled figuring

out how I could utilize a podcast in my classroom, considering I do not have a Soundcloud account, and I

do not plan on paying for a subscription to a podcast publishing platform. However, I discovered the

Audacity software can easily be used to make voiceover for videos. Even though I do not plan on

publishing podcasts like I did for the Communication Module, I do plan on creating videos for my future

students to look at outside of class when they are studying or doing homework. Before this class, I did

not know all the applications for technology inside the classroom.

Prior to EDT, I had very few experiences with technology; as I mentioned in my IgnitED Lab

video, I had not used many technologies outside of the everyday computer, phone, and television. I had

never interacted with things like the Oculus virtual reality headset, the 3-D printer, or the video editing

software. There were many times when I had to consult friends, peers, and the internet for support

during these projects. For example, I did not know how to add background music to a recording on

Audacity while creating my Expression Module video, so I had to look up the Audacity user manual

online. It was surprisingly easy to add background music to the recording once I read up on it. I also

consulted friends and peers for help with various projects. My friend Nick is in another EDT class who

more tech-savvy than I am, so I often asked him about various applications or how to format a
document, so I could save time. I am much more well-versed in finding reliable help sites after

completing this course, and I feel more comfortable reaching out to peers and friends for assistance

during assignments.

As I mentioned previously, many of the technologies we used in this class were new to me. I had

never used video editing software, nor had I used hyperlinks to the extent I used them in the doctor

simulator. Before this class, I held the belief that technology is distracting in the classroom and should

be limited by the instructor. However, after interacting with the various technologies in the IgnitED Lab,

I believe there are some serious benefits to having technology in the classroom. Having 3-D printed my

model skull, I believe the technologies we explored in this class can help my students interact and

understand concepts on a deeper level. Additionally, I did not think that the podcast editing software

would help with instruction until I had to edit my teaching philosophy video and doctor simulator

tutorial video. These were both instructional videos, and the quality of the audio was heightened by my

use of the Audacity software. My views on technology in the classroom are still forming, but my

interaction with technology in this class made me feel more open to the use of in-class technology.

The change in quality in my projects from the beginning of the semester to now has been

exponential. My IgnitED Lab video was of poor quality, and I looked uncomfortable on the camera. By

the end of the course, I was able to acknowledge my shortcomings on camera, and rather than talking to

the camera, I used the Audacity software to play my audio over a hand-drawn animation I made on my

computer. The audio and visual quality in this video is leaps and bounds above that of my first

assignment. My project plans also became increasingly detailed as the class went on. In the Inquiry

Module, I rushed through the project plan, writing it both before and after I visited the IgnitED Lab. I

went into the IgnitED with no plan. I played the first module by ear, which is something I could not

successfully do in the later modules. Had I continued with the same process I used in the Inquiry

Module; I would not have the grades I received. As the projects got increasingly difficult, I had to spend
more time on planning my project before starting it. The storyboard I created for my teaching

philosophy video was as detailed as I could get, with a sketch of the frame and a rough script for the

voiceover. This storyboard made the project itself go so much faster than it would have if I did not have

the detailed storyboard.

Jay Romero often brings his unique writing personality to each piece he writes, whether it be a

project plan or a poem about his teaching philosophy. I would love to bring the same unique perspective

he brings to everything he writes; he writes everything like a story, which makes it more interesting to

read. Science and technology writing can be quite dull at times, and I think bringing some personality to

these pieces would engage potential audiences, especially audiences who know little about STEM fields.

Not every student is going to like biology, so incorporating elements of the language arts in my

classroom could engage a wider variety of students. I would like every student to enjoy my class, and

one method of engaging all students is incorporating elements of other subjects into my content area.

Jay does this very well by incorporating wonderful prose into an everyday analysis of technology and its

potential uses in the classroom.

If I could go back and fix one thing, I would make sure the audio in my podcasts and videos were

clear and free of background music. In the Communication Module in particular, there was a lot of

background noise from construction outside my condo I wish I could take out. Now, I am more

comfortable with the audio editing software, and I think this knowledge could serve me well in going

back and editing the audio in these projects. I remember one instance in my Expression Module project

when I was in the middle of recording the audio and my dogs barked. I was on a role with the project

and did not want to take myself out of the element, so I continued recording instead of redoing that

section of the recording. I would go back and make sure the audio on all my projects were

understandable and free of distracting background noises.

 In the following semesters, I would like to continue to expand on my video and audio editing

skills, so they are near perfect by the time I get into the classroom and have to make videos for students.

I have an internship working with students next year, and I would love to make individualized videos

they can watch at home while they are practicing concepts or doing homework on their own. I would

love to have clear quality in both the visual and acoustic aspects of the videos. I believe this will be

helpful and engaging for the students, and it provides them with additional resources they may not have

available to them at home. My goal is to continue furthering my video editing skills to benefit these

students and grow the relationship between student and instructor.