I used to think that teachers used technology as a tool to provide fun in the classroom. They would put on a video or a game to take up time, but now I think that technology in the classroom provides teachers a way to enhance the student's education. In my classroom I will use technology to strengthen my students understanding by using games and assessments. 

I used to think that productivity tools such as Google was only a search engine that was used to look up everyday questions for research, but now I think that Google provides many tools that a student and teacher can use to produce a variety of projects. Google classroom, docs, and slides will be an everyday part of my future classroom.

I used to think that most digital resources were reliable, but now I think that not every resource produces credible facts. Some resources are nothing more that one person's opinion. I used to think that Google Sites was the same as a slide show, but now I think that Google Sites is a version of a personal website that can include a lot of different information presented in different ways. In my classroom I will teach my students about Google Scholar and sites like Britannica.

I used to think that cyberbullying was not as widespread or much of a problem, but now I think that it is a large problem in our schools. It is important for our students to use digital citizenship and respect each other and their feelings. When a student uses the internet to bully someone things that say or do can be brought to the light just as if they said something to the person's face. In my classroom I will explain the consequences of bullying in person and online.

I used to think that classroom projects were only completed by using posters and dioramas, but now I think that you can use a variety of online tools to complete fun and interesting projects. This was by far my favorite module covered in our class. When creating the visual storybook I was able to use my minimal artistic ability to create a fun book that could be used to hold a student's attention. In my classroom I could use these tools to help my students use their creative minds and inner artists.  

I used to think there was only a minimal amount of Edtech available for teachers, but after reviewing some of the different tools such as Google slides and Canva I think that teachers have a vast amount of technology at their fingertips to help produce creativity in their classroom. A lot of these tools use audio and video concepts to teach or explain lessons. In my classroom I will expect to teach my students to create slide shows in groups and individual projects. 

I used to think that the best was to assess a student's knowledge was mostly with pencil and paper, but now I think that there are some great tools such as kahoot and Google Forms that a teacher can use to create useful assessments based on standards they are teaching. They can also use these assessments to find likes and dislikes from their students. In my classroom I will use Google Forms to create surveys to find out more about my students.

I used to think that the only model of learning was a teacher in front of a class providing lecture to their student, but now I think that by using hybrid and flipped classrooms educators are able to provide instruction even during a pandemic. If 2020 taught us anything it is that being able to adjust to a virtual platform classroom is a necessity. Although I think in person learning is best. In my classroom I will provide both platforms to best meet the needs of my students.