Weekly Reflection
Friday January 16 2026
These first two classes of Technology have been very insightful and full packed with information. There are two main forms of communication this course uses, which are MatterMost and OpenETC. I have never used either of these tools before and I was quite intrigued by them, as I am not the most tech-savvy person. However, with the guidance of Mike, I slowly started to understand the nuances, in’s and out’s, as well as the appeal of these tools. I am still feeling nervous about this course as a whole, and I feel that I am going to have a lot of questions and require an abundance of guidance to be successful.
In today’s class I was very excited to hear that we would be using Paddlet, an online tool I really enjoy using. I remember when I first started using this tool I found it quite confusing, and honestly a little stupid, as there are many other means of communication that could take place, physically in a classroom. I had a shift in my opinion of this tool when my schooling went online for COVID. We used this tool frequently and I started to understand the appeal. It is low pressure for students, as you can respond anonymously, and it includes your peers’ responses; so if you need a little guidance you can lean on your classmates.
In choosing a topic for my inquiry project, I found myself deciding between two main ideas. The first option is to create a series of hand-designed puzzles, each made using a different artistic medium. The second option is to design and create a recipe box filled with recipes collected from my family, friends, and myself. My plan was to reflect on these two ideas and then consult with Mike to gain his perspective on which project would be both successful and useful, particularly in relation to my future teaching practice. Mike made an impactful point about the importance of creating a project that I would genuinely want to use in a classroom setting. With that advice in mind, I made my final decision. I decided to focus my inquiry project on creating and designing a recipe box, as it is a multi-faceted assignment that could easily be incorporated into a classroom. The key distinction between my two ideas was that cooking and baking really brings people together and builds community, something I value greatly.