In the rapidly changing technological landscape, I can't possibly dip my hands into every tool. I find the annual Horizon report by the New Media Consortium very helpful in helping me decide which digital tools are relevant in my professional context.

As well, the ISTE Standards provide benchmarks for assessing my own technological competencies:
1) Facilitate and inspire student learning;
2) Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments;
3) Model digital age work and learning;
4) Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility;
5) Engage in professional growth and leadership (ISTE. 2008).

References:
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2008). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-teachers

New Media Consortium, (2015). NMC Horizon Report 2015: Higher education. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-higher-education-edi... edition.

ETEC 565M which focuses on mobile technologies for learning is one of the highlights of my MET adventures. I experimented with virtual reality apps like Aurasma and Layar, creating multimedia overlays on static images to engage learners. As well, I explored and participated in social gaming, using apps like Kahoot and created an interactive iBook which optimizes the affordances of the iPad.

I think Ciampa (2013) nails it when she says that mobile apps motivate learners in extrinsic and intrinsic ways. I was certainly motivated and engaged the entire semester!

Reference:
Ciampa, K. (2013). Learning in a mobile age: An investigation of student motivation. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 30(1), 82–96.

"... learning is about making connections with ideas, facts, people, and communities. Obviously the Net excels at allowing users to both find and utilize these connections" (Anderson, T., 2004, p. 49).

To collaborate on group projects, I find that nothing rivals Google Docs and Hangouts. I recently learned a few neat tricks that make use of hidden animated emojis to spice up chats on Hangouts.

Weebly is another collaborative tool that I used a lot, perhaps far more than I'd have liked to. It is free and is so easy to use that it can actually make you 'lazy'. A MET instructor once commented that his only objection to Weebly websites is that they are too pretty and brochure-like, and thus not appropriate for certain projects.

Reference:
Anderson, T. (2004). Towards a theory of online learning. In Anderson, T. and Elloumi, F. (Eds). The theory and practice of online learning. Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University Press.

I'm still conflicted about the use of Twitter for learning. While I acknowledge that the platform has opened up a whole new space and dimension for education, especially for connecting with like-minded professionals, it feels too much like a popularity contest for my liking.

Three of my MET courses are offered on the WordPress platform and I really like their innovative use of WordPress as a learning management system. I also intend to start exploring Storify, which I learned about this semester.

In ETEC 540, we had a Rip, Mix and Burn assignment which gave us opportunities to experiment with remixing. I used Mozilla Thimble, part of Mozilla's excellent suite of Webmaker tools designed to teach young people web creation by remixing.

Reflecting on the remixing experience, I agree with
Stephen Downes' comment:
"I have nothing against Disney's practice here. "Rip, mix, burn." That's how Disney built his empire. And that same freedom should be allowed the creative artists of today, instead of the lockdown society in which they must toil" (Downes, S., 2011, p. 35). We are all prosumers - producers and consumers - of digital media. I feel that excessive copyright restrictions stifle creativity. As such, I typically assigned the CC BY-NC-SA license to the artifacts that my MET group project teams and I created.

Reference:
Downes, S. (2011). Free Learning: Essays on open educational resources and copyright. Retrieved from http://www.downes.ca/files/FreeLearning.pdf