One of the main takeaways from Module 2 reading and learning was the benefits of social learning and computational thinking as a method to promote student learning. I have integrated social learning into the classroom in the past through inside-outside circle, sharing circles, think pair share activities. I think my motivation for incorporating these models was more for a collaboration piece, “two heads are better than one”. I hadn’t truly connected that social learning is a motivator for students. Computational thinking is a problem-solving approach that decomposes large problems into smaller sequential problems.

Information behaviour was another big idea throughout the module that was new for me. Information behaviour is the ways humans interact with information, what information they seek and retrieve and the methods to seek information and how the information is used. Information seeking occurs to meet a need, fill a knowledge gap or solve a problem. Information retrieval is how information is found. I didn’t realize there actual degrees in the field of informatics. I see that the University of Waterloo and Toronto in the Province of Ontario, Canada both offer courses. It makes sense that companies such as Google and Amazon would value this information, but I didn’t know that employment or educational opportunities existed within the field of information behaviour and informatics. I am embarrassed about this as an educator in the elementary panel how to best prepare students for the future if I don’t even know what degree programs and employment sectors are available?

Finally, the alignment of Blooms Taxonomy with digital tools, systems and platforms was insightful for me as a resource teacher. Linking the depth of how students learn and apply their learning through different tools that available supports how I can scaffold digital tools into programming. The purpose of embedding digital technologies is to foster critical thinking skills, knowledge creation and connected learning. The confines of the classroom boundaries are pushed by the ability for students to collaborate with professionals, students in a different country and critique others learning that has been shared on the Web 2.0. Connectivism is a developing learning theory that supports the expansion of digital tools available and how the integration of these tools support students learning.