Exasperation turns to Facination and Inspiration

Yes, I was exasperated and frustrated when I first tried to get everything done for my ED 5670 Literacy and Technology Class. It seemed that a simple task always took 2-5 hours. However, the more I clicked and eventually did not care if I broke something, I learned more and was able to accomplish more. I conquered my fear!
The one thing I heard in the video Learning to Change and Changing to Learn really cemented the importance of technology in the classroom. One commentator stated that students lives outside of school are so rich and interesting because of technology. When thy come to a classroom that is lacking the same tools, it is no wonder they are bored and dislike learning. If we want to keep students engaged it is necessary to use tolls that they like using such as the computer , I-pod, etc.
I enjoyed working with my group on Wiz IQ and that is tied with learning how to start a new folder in Microsoft Word as the highlight of my week!!! Woo Woo! I have been wondering how to do that fo so long. I can also click and drag files into the new folders so everything is arranged by class. Technology is great and I want more.
Discussion Forum - I like it but it takes more time than a telephone. However the positve point is that you can read comments when you are available and ready.
PWS, Blog and Wiki - All took a tremendous amount of time to choose an acceptable site and then use the tools to create something. I enjoyed doing the PWS the most and can see how useful it could be for parents and students. The blog would also be useful for parents (especially if they want to complain because then I could just quickly skim those comments.)
Self Inquiry and Teacher's Profile - I enjoyed doing the Educational Philosophies Self Assessment. I am a Humanist educator and proud of it. I would like to give this assessment to some of the people I work with and see how their philosophies lie. I have a feeling they are essentialists which explains why I am always at odds with them.
LoTi - According to the survey, I am not as tech ignorant as I originally thought. I realized that I could perform most of the activities. Why do I still feel so technologically inadequate? I work in a HS library and we use technolgoy for research and projects. I actually learn more from the students than I teach them. I think the most important and helpful aspct of the internet and technology is in research and to find almost any answer in minutes. You can also use a variety of medis to show what you have learned from power point, excell spreadsheets and graphs to posters and clip art. When I was in high school (1980) I hated research. However, because of the internet and databases, I enjoy research and writing papers.
Our group meetings were very difficult at first but I can see improvement each time we use WIZ IQ. It really is a wonderful way to communicate but it takes practice. I would rather have face to face meetings because I think a lot of our communication is done through body language. However, when teachers are expected to collaborate but are not given time to do than I can see how WIZ IQ could be very helpful option. One could still be at home and still discuss lesson planing with co-teachers. !!
I am looking forward to our next week. I think the secret to keeping the frustration level down is to expect snafu's and just walk away for a little while. When I come back I am refreshed and can usually solve the problem.