Final

 Today we reached our final session of our DFI journey and I have been reflecting on all that I have learned and want to continue learning.  

I started this year only having used Reading Eggs and Mathletics with my students and programmes that essentially run themselves.  I was fortunate that in years prior to Lockdown I had spent quite a bit of time familiarizing myself with Seesaw and was able to use that as an easy platform for learning during Lockdown.  Like everyone else I also became very familiar with Google Meets but not with students.    

Besides my own personal knowledge of Docs, Youtube and the like it was therefore a huge learning curve to start looking at some of the other suite for the first time.  It was a timely reminder what it feels like to be a learner when others seem far ahead of where you are at.  Unlike many young learners I have plenty of experiences to draw upon and remind myself that I would get there in the end and avoid being frustrated!

Though we are hopeful of not having to have round 2 of level 3 or 4 Lockdown (in our area of NZ as Auckland has already returned) I am feeling much more able to use my new found knowledge to set up Meets with my juniors and prepare some more personalised learning opportunities.  Of course I am able to  do this in our in school classroom but in limited form as we have 10 ipads to share.  

I would have loved to have had more face to face opportunities during this DFI and would certainly recommend it for those in a similar situation to mine, namely in the juniors and "early on" in the Google suite etc. knowledge stakes, as I didn't want to take up others valuable talk time,  it would be of benefit if discussions were more at a similar stage/learning level.  Those who are already teaching in a one to one classroom seem to find the online learning suitable.

I am excited about what is next in my online learning and have already made a document today that will remind me of some of my next steps...

Thanks to Amie, Vicki and the team, as well as my digital bubble and co learners who guided and supported me along my digital journey so far.  

Ngā mihi nui!