SWOT+&+Goals

=SWOT Analysis & Goals=

I. Technology SWOT Analysis
__Strengths :__ I love using technology and trying to figure our the newest technologies. I work at Southwire, which requires me to use the computer to complete my work. Every day I have to use Microsoft Excel to input important data, and Microsoft Word to create tables. I also have to go into photo editor and paint to create pictures of wire or edit them. On my free time I like to get on facebook and picnic to play with my pictures. I also love using my digital camera and of course my cell phone. I do not know what I would do without technology!

__Weaknesses:__ I would have to say that my main weakness when it comes to technology is that I get frustrated way to easy, and want to give up. If I can not figure something out within thirty minutes then I begin to get frustrated. I also do not have patience for computers when they are acting up and freezing. I definitely need to learn patience when it comes to technology, because I need to be a good example in front of my students, and I am sure I would learn a lot more about it if I had the patience for it. After Taking my NETS-T self-assessment, I realized that I have some weaknesses when it comes to engaging with others in virtual environments. I do not know why but it makes me more nervous to talk over virtual environments then it does being face to face. I love to actually be able to sit in front of the person I am talking to, rather than try to talk to them over a video. I also think that I will have trouble in making effective use of emerging digital tools, because I feel that I will not allow myself enough time to sit down and try to learn the new technology. So I have several weaknesses that I will need to work out before becoming a teacher.

__Opportunities__ There are several opportunities that I can take advantage of when it comes to working with or learning about the many different forms of technologies.

I have many opportunities to work with technology at my job. There is computer with internet access, scanners, copiers, and printers. My favorite to use is the scanner which has came in handy several times when e-mailing work to others.

I also can use technology at the University of West Georgia, where they also provide computers with internet access almost everywhere you go on campus. They also allow us to check out all sorts of things if we need them such as, tape recorders, microphones, headsets, etc. I have found the tape recorders to be extremely useful for my education classes.

I also have several opportunities to learn about technology by searching google and YouTube for tutorails if I need them. My fiance is also great at figuring technology out so I could always go to him for help. Thus, I have several ways of using or figuring out how to use technology properly.

__Threats__

I have already been stressing out about how I am going to keep up to date with the newest technologies that are coming out everyday. I feel that being a teacher is much harder than a lot of people think. We have to keep up with the newest things they want us to teach our students and we have to learn the easiest ways for our students to learn these things. We also have to keep up with the changing technology from day to day. I fear that I will not have enough time to sit down and learn about the new technologies, especially when I become a wife and mother. There is just not enough time in the day to do everything. So I fear that by having new technology come in all the time, my job is threatened. I feel that I may be replaces with incoming teachers who just graduated and know more about technology than my generation at the time.

II. Goal
__Goal #1__: My first goal would be that at least once a week I take at least an hour to learn certain technologies, rather it be how to create podcast, etc. I want to make sure that I never fall behind in the world or be too far behind that I will never be able to catch up to the newest technologies. This means that I will spend more time on the internet searching how to use these certain new technologies or going to seminars where it might be taught. I think that I could easily do this within an hour or two which is really not that bad at all considereing it is out of an entire week. I want to do this for the rest of my teaching career, thus I will not have a deadline for this goal.

__Goal #2__: My second goal would be to not give up. I have always been willing to give up easily when I can not figure something out. I hope that I will learn to keep at it untill I figure it out, because I have missed out on several opporutities because of my willingness to give up. I also hope to gain more patience towards technology and realize that sometimes it just take some time to work and I should sit back and let it take its time rather than get click happy with the mouse and just make the situation worse. I also hope to not get too frustrated easily and control my temper. I want to make sure I set a good example for my students and if they see their teacher yelling at digital tools than they might be afraid to use them. Thus, my goal is to retain my anger or frustration and learn to have patience. I will know when I have achieved this goal, because I will be able to finish learning about it wather than give up half way through. My deadline for this goal is when I become a teacher, because i do not want students to see me getting frustrated with technology.