From+My+Heart

 . .. . =//** From The Heart **//= **Wow! Where do I begin? When I first signed up for this class online, I thought that I was crazy for attempting such a feat. I was nervous that I would have a hard time completing the projects without being in a classroom. I had a million things running through my brain - What happens if I have a question? I am not from the technology age (I graduated high school in 1983) and computers intimidate me, //what in the world am I doing taking this class online?!// The applications I have learned in this class have been both amazing and frustrating at times. The projects that took the most time, and proved the most challenging, are some of my favorites. I guess it just goes to show that hard work pays off! **  **My favorite application, and the one I think I will use most often because of relative ease, is Animoto. I am still moved by the piece I created. My mix of music, photos, and theme proved very powerful. I envision using Animoto not only in my professional life, but my personal life as well. I also enjoyed the other applications. Honestly, some of them were so time consuming, I wonder how a teacher would have the time to use them and design a teaching tool for their classroom. I guess if you worked with the application enough, the time it would take to create a tool would dramatically decrease.**


 * I continue to have the same respect for teaching profession as I did before I took this class. Perhaps this is because I work at an elementary school and witness first hand the teachers' challenges and triumphs. I am amazed at what technology is available to teachers if they are willing to embrace it. I think many of them are scared to try something new. I think all teachers should take this course. It would only benefit them.

I don't believe I would do anything differently this time around, except trust in myself a bit more. I was able to figure things out pretty well except the sound tracks on my podcasts! (Right Dr. Stocker?) Of all the things that I did on my wiki, the podcast sound track knocked me for a loop, until Dr. Stocker met with me. THANK YOU Dr. Stocker!! What I was doing wrong was so easy to fix, I felt stupid for not being able to do it myself. I must admit, it was nice that it was easy to fix in the end.

I am proud of myself for finishing this class with a wonderful grade, for the things I learned, for my very awesome wikispace, and for facing my fear of the scary term "technology" and conquering it!**