Final Reflection

I very much enjoyed taking this course for a number of reasons. I loved learning how to incorporate various forms of technology into the classroom and library. I enjoyed transitioning from a consumer to a creator. I am naturally a creative person and love having new outlets to choose from to share with my students and fellow educators. I have grown a lot over the course of this semester by taking risks and trying new things. I have found that by putting myself out there I have made new connections, gained new knowledge, and joined new communities of like-minded people. I definitely enjoyed using Instagram the most as I learned there is an entire "bookstagram" community out there which has exponentially added to my TBR pile! Also, there are so many innovative and creative librarians that post regularly and are sharing their ideas. The most difficult thing for me is to record myself on video or audio, but I was happy once I got past my fears and enjoyed the process. I think it allows me to peek inside my students' lives and how they learn and choose to access information. I think any of these outlets are excellent for engaging students, teaching information, and allowing students to be creative in their sharing of learning and collaborating. If I had to choose one, I would say the Comics and Cartoons are most beneficial because it motivates even some of the most resistant students  and allows them to create something from scratch using their own acquired knowledge.

I agree with Jen Hatmaker in that we need to listen to our community and meet them where they are. Our community can be our students and it can be our teachers. There will always be those students and teachers hesitant to take risks and learn new things. We need to be a sympathetic ear and patient guide in teaching new concepts. Technology can help us do this and help them to feel empowered.

Hatmaker, J. (2015). For the love: Fighting for grace in a world of impossible standards.Nashville, TN: Nelson Books.