Catherine's WR #7
Please reflect on your progress to date. What have you accomplished so far? How much of a start do you have on your project? What gaps do you see now? What do we need to fill in those gaps?

I am now comfortable with what was unfamiliar language in June. Words like RSS, social bookmarking, blogs, wikis are all part of my working vocabulary. I have an understanding of how to use blogs and wikis and can negotiate my way through the menus on Blogger and WikiSeed to create a space for myself to record my thoughts and images. I'm working to learn how to record sound digitially and to expand my understanding of podcasting. I'm eager to learn from Harriet and Trish about Digital Storytelling. I'm confident I can produce and display content on the web and have contacted a parent to come to my class in the fall and work as a technology volunteer in my classroom. I've explored elements of design and spent time thinking about the aesthetics of developing web-based content. Finally, I've applied my learning to my own interests and have spent time building both a wiki and a blog.

Now, I need to think more about classroom applications for this new knowledge. I have not, like Mauro or Sandi, created a space for students to work. I don't have a special project planned, like Trish or Harriet. I haven't applied a planning model, like Vicki, to create a unit, nor have I "completed" a not-so-modest project like Leslie. I continue to aspire to be as elegant as Tracy in my use of technology, and have a collection of colleagues who will support me and help me answer my questions. I am motivated, yet fearful of confronting the "blank page."

You are so eloquent. You already took the plunge last year with your students! Some of us are still attempting to connect our students into our projects. I feel like you--I too have a better understanding of the internet vocabulary and feel much more confident traversing its many avenues. Obviously I still have much to learn and experience, but this institute has been very enlightening for me. Vicki

You flatter us all but neglect yourself! We may all be at different places on this journey, but we didn't all start at the same time or have access to the same performance enhancing drugs. Consider this week steroids. With your new vocabulary and skills, you'll be lapping the rest of us in no time! ~Mauro