How the EdS Program Influenced My Teaching and Learning

Over the last two years in the EdS program, I have learned a lot about teaching and learning. Not only has it contributed to changes in what I teach, it has also contributed to changes in how I teach. Although I have taught computers for over ten years, I realized while taking these courses just how out of the loop I was. My middle school classes, in particular, had become stagnant and dated. While my students were proficient at gathering information online, they had not discovered the power of the read/write Web. As a result of these courses however, my students have had the opportunity to interact with various tools of the Web 2.0.

Through the EdS program, I have also become more aware of the way students learn today. Many of our students have been interacting with technology in some form since infancy. Because technology is so prevalent in our society and students use it regularly outside of school, it stands to reason that these same technologies should be incorporated in our classroom teaching as well. Realizing this, I now make a concerted effort to create technology-infused lessons that follow a constructivist approach and are relevant and meaningful to my students.

While teaching and learning is a continuous process of trial and error that is never quite perfected, I feel that the EdS program has made me more aware of this and, in the process, has provided me with the tools necessary to become a better teacher.