Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology Class Reflection

The question that I always ask when I get done with a class is ‘How has that class affected me or changed the way I am going to teach. At the end of my Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology class they asked me how I would modify my personal theory of learning after taking the class. After some thought, I realized that the class did not change my personal theory of learning but it did give me more tools to help me diversify my instruction more than I currently do.

In my personal reflection that I complete at the beginning of the course, I said that mathematics is a tool chest. When students are learning math, they are filling their tool chest with mathematical knowledge and mathematical thinking so that in the future they will be prepared to use mathematics to solve problems that I did not teach them. Even though I have not changed my personal learning theory through this course, I have added many tools to my teaching toolbox. I have discovered many new things to do with tools like Excel and PowerPoint and I have learned about many online tools that I had not used before like VoiceThreads and virtual field trips. In the future I will use these tools to become a better teacher.


The two biggest tools that I have focused on in this class that will use immediately with my students are Excel and VoiceThread. I have used Excel personally before, but I have never used it with a class. Next year I am going to integrate Excel into several lessons. VoiceThreads are a technology that I have never used before and next year I am planning some activities for students to make individual VoiceThreads and at least one activity where we are going to make a class VoiceThread.

The last thing that was asked of me in my reflection for the end of my class was to list two long term goal changes that I would like to make in my instructional practices regarding technology integration. My first goal is to continue diversifying my instruction so I can do a better job reaching my students. The more I add technology into my classroom the more I will be meeting this goal. My second goal is for me to become more evaluative of my classroom activities. When something works well one year I need to recognize that and build more of that into the class. When something does not work well, I need to do less of it in class so I can reach my students in ways that help them not in ways that seem good to me.