Teaching is an art that is changing quickly, demanding that those who enter the profession are prepared to relate to a new generation of learners whose learning styles are evolving with the times. As English teachers, not only must we be experts in the language, we also need to be savvy at finding the best ways to motivate, inspire and engage our students. This means that, in addition to teaching sentence structure and the greatest points of English grammar, we know how to help students learn by using the best tools that new technologies have to offer.
When I look back at all of the things that I've learned in this course and what I've been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time, I'm honestly quite blown away! As I've already mentioned, I sometimes feel like a fish out of water when I encounter a new technology that I've never used before. I know that my learning curve is greater than someone's who has been born into the digital age and grown up using technology as part of their day to day life. It simply takes me more time to get the hang of new tools and use them with proficiency.
When I look back at all of the things that I've learned in this course and what I've been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time, I'm honestly quite blown away! As I've already mentioned, I sometimes feel like a fish out of water when I encounter a new technology that I've never used before. I know that my learning curve is greater than someone's who has been born into the digital age and grown up using technology as part of their day to day life. It simply takes me more time to get the hang of new tools and use them with proficiency.
Before taking this course I had a working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, blogging, podcasting, and photo and video editing. I hadn't used whiteboards, digital learning platforms, correction tools in Word, mind map tools, digital surveys or quiz creating sites like hot potatoes, quizlet, and kahoot. And I was, quite frankly, anti-Excel! Needless to say, this course has really opened my eyes to the possibilities that digital teaching tools have to help and enhance the teaching/learning experience. Many of my fears about new technologies have softened or dissolved, and I know that when I start my teaching career I will be well prepared to meet the demands of the modern EFL classroom.
