My Technology Transformation

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I recently began a program to earn my Technology Specialist Endorsement through Dominican University. The first class of many technology classes I will be participating in was Integrating Technology into Programming, Services, and Instruction.  From the beginning, I was asked to challenge my views of technology and its role in my professional life and even my personal life. My first thought when I made the decision to go back to school looked something like this...

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My reaction was a combination of fear and excitement- fear of the unknown, but excitement about learning about something new.  I love when I am taking classes because I feel like it is when I am at my best professionally, but to be taking classes right now was going to be a challenge personally.    Regardless of the crazy that is my life, I am glad I decided to take the plunge and go back to school.

In the first course of my program, I didn't think I would be pushed as much as I was in my views on technology.  One area that still makes me a bit uncomfortable is... well... this.  Creating a digital presence through blogging and social media was not something I was prepared to do.  I had always been hesitant of putting myself out there.  Before even discussing the idea of digital tattoos, I was aware that anything posted onto the internet, deleted or not, may still be there somewhere even years later.  The permanency of posting onto the internet makes me a little anxious.  Despite these lingering feelings, I do now see the importance of creating a professional digital presence.  Children in classrooms today are very much living a digitally present life.  In order to meet the needs of my students, I need step out of my comfort zone.  Unless I put myself out there, I can't improve my teaching.  It will take some time, but hopefully, my new knowledge of digital tools, like Twitter and Seesaw, will make the transition a little easier.

While I am still excited about the all that is to come with the program, I'm feeling a little more like this...

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I'm sure with time and practice, the idea of being digitally public will start to feel a bit more natural.