Jonathan Langdon

In determining what learning goals I want to pursue, I used a couple of guidelines to help direct which direction I chose to follow. The first criteria, but perhaps not the most important, is that the topic interests me enough to learn about it. Secondly, the topic needs to be relevant and useful to my work and needs for maintaining the computers, network, and website at school. Lastly, the topic of interest needs to be concentrated enough with helpful material to make it worth my while spending time on it.

One major learning goal for the future is that I would like to learn more about Linux and how to manage the computers at our school more effectively. I have learned how to do many things in the command terminal and how to manage a network of Linux computers, but I have never had any official education. Edx.org offers a few courses in Linux and I would like to start going through those courses and possibly even earn some certificates. Here is a link to the first course about an introduction to Linux: click here.

Another topic I would like to explore more is that of HTML, CSS and website programming in general. I maintain our school's website by editing the HTML code directly (not using some host website like WordPress or Weebly). I know the basics pretty well, but I have never had any official classes on the topic. I audited a class on JavaScript a few years ago, but still could learn more about proper structure with HTML and CSS. Khan Academy has a few courses (click here) as well as edX (click here).

A third goal of mine is to delve more into game design. I like to incorporate educational games in my classroom when possible and I also run a strategic boardgame club at school where students can stay after school and play board games that get them to think in ways they probably haven't before. Games can be a huge motivator for students and can get them to learn things they might not have otherwise. I enjoy researching to find new games for our board game club – games that are a good fit for my students and that get them to think more deeply. A course from EdX.org covers an introduction to Game Design (click here).

Lastly a fourth goal of mine is to obtain more background in biology. I teach two biology classes at our school, but I have never had any formal education in it beyond the high school level. I majored in Chemistry for my undergraduate, and felt well prepared to teach Physical Science, Chemistry and Physics. Teaching biology has been a stretch for me, but fortunately it is one of the easier science classes to teach oneself. EdX.org has a number of Biology courses I could take, for example one about proteins and their use in cellular function (click here).