In this particular chapter in the textbook, there was much information that I agreed with. I felt it is very important that I continue to grow professionally because it will help my students in the long run. As we look into the future, technology will continue to be a major factor in the educational landscape so utilizing and promoting productivity tools we be a must for technology leaders. “Helping others to use technology to enhance productivity and professional practice establishes additional responsibilities for technology facilitators and leaders.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009) I had never heard of the term productivity tools until I read this chapter. Most of the tools are devices and applications that I use daily. I was aware that some of the devices can be difficult to learn because they have to be compatible with other devices; personally I have been guilty of giving up because of that. I also was familiar with the term “professional practice” but never heard it in that context. I agree that as a leader, I will need to take on a role that shows others how to effectively use productivity software and try to be at the forefront of the learning communities. I do believe that in the future, both the facilitator and the leader will have to take on an active role in the educational community to promote the use collaboration and communication, which will ultimately result in educational success for our students.
I knew prior to reading this chapter about the importance of continually growing professionally and how important this will be to the students. I was unaware of all the devices that were considered productivity tools and professional practice. From some of the classes I have taken through this program, I was familiar with the disconnection of how a student uses technology at home opposed to at school. “If educators trying to meet the needs of digital-age learners are to be successful, school cultures must change.” (Willimason & Redish, 2009) When communicating these concerns with different stakeholders, many agreed but we were still confused on which way to attack the issue. Because of the indecisiveness, I attended a conference that discussed different resources that can be used at school. The conference allowed me the opportunity to showcase different application that professional could use to help others.
The strategies I used in implementing this standard was difficult in the beginning because I had to first convince some people that we had a problem, even though it wasn’t a blatant issue. I first had to show some research of current practices from other districts. I had to show that we could do the same things if we just change our thought process. It was difficult because showing research in a paper format was not the best method. I had to actually show some examples of tips and tricks I learned from the conference to gain some interest. “Models of professional development that are generative, meaningful, collaborative, and participant-centered are also best suited to supporting change- a frequent companion to most technology-related initiatives.” (Fullan, 1996) Once some of the teachers understood what I was trying to convey, we realized that our districts has a similar feature we offer our teachers. So I realized that I needed some help in the explanation process when disseminating new information.
When looking at this standard, I knew I was going to have to utilize a different learning style when gathering information. I was not too pleased with my performance in implementing this standard, and I will definitely need more help. One of the problems for me was I had to communicate with people who I’ve never spoken with. I felt I was playing the role of a salesman. Now, this didn’t happen all of the time, but it occurred more than I was used to. Discussing the convention I went to was no problem. My method of trying to convince people that we needed to change was the hard part. I know that in the future, I will need to be more prepared, as far as literature is concerned. My interaction with my colleagues was one that was needed. There were a few times I had issues with interacting with colleagues throughout the program because it was poor planning on my part and the lack of interest with some of my co-workers. Because of the experience, this particular problem wasn’t that bad. I had an easier time adjusting to the issues and the implementation, though difficult, went better. Again, I blame myself, because I don’t feel I was as prepared to deliver the correct information.
I know that I will need to be prepared and pay close attention to the auditory facet of my learning style. As a leader, this would damage my credibility if I am unprepared. I have to realize that I cannot rely on activities that are purely kinesthetic to carry me through the process. My past interactions with colleagues, for the most part, have been positive. Most of my colleagues know that my intentions are for the improvement of all aspects of the educational environment. As I continue forward, I value the learning experience even if they didn’t turn out quite like I expected. As I complete this program, I think a topic of research will be catered to my district. I want to investigate methods for utilizing distance learning for our teachers. I think our teachers will be more apt to look into professional development opportunities if they can do it during a time that fits their schedule.
References
Fullan, M. (1996, February). Turning systematic thinking on its head. Phi Delta Kappan. 77(6), 420
Willamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). Iste’s technology facilitation and leadership standards, what every k-12 leader should know and be able to do. (p101). Eugene , OR
Willamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). Iste’s technology facilitation and leadership standards, what every k-12 leader should know and be able to do. (p106). Eugene , OR
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