Dr. Brent Wilson and the ILT Faculty:
As I look back over the last year and a half in the ILT K-12 program, I am amazed at how much I have learned and how far I have come with the use of technology in my classroom. Before I began the ILT master's program, I thought of myself as someone who was fairly proficient with the technology that was available to me at ThunderRidge High School where I teach Spanish. I used what many people consider to be the "core" of foreign language technology in my classroom-videos and CD listening exercises. Looking back I realize how much more I could have done simply by incorporating the Internet or by using PowerPoint slide shows instead of the overhead to present new concepts to my students.
During my first semester of the ILT program our instructor, Dave Young, had us do a technology inventory in our school. It was during this inventory that I discovered the great hardware and software we had available that I wasn't using in my classroom. I also created my first PowerPoint slide show that semester and haven't used the overhead to present new concepts since then. Later on that summer, I was introduced to Web design and was amazed by all of the ways it impacted my classroom in the next school year. I implemented my own classroom site, a site for our department and created a valuable WebQuest that I used with my students throughout the year. The interactivity and the engagement that these tools brought to my classroom inspired both my students and me.
Most recently, I have become very interested in using assessment technology in my classroom. The Classroom Performance System from eInstruction has changed the way I teach. My students are constantly engaged and I am able to monitor their understanding in ways I previously deemed impossible. I have also become a leader in my school in this area and have led staff development training on this great technological tool.
As I look forward to graduation, I hope to further my technology leadership role at ThunderRidge by continuing to lead teacher trainings and staff development sessions. I also hope to continue to lead my department in the development of technology use in foreign language classrooms. The ILT master's program has prepared me well for such a role.
Sincerely,
Kiffany Lychock
ILT Master's Candidate
