TF/TL Facilitator Standard II: Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences Reflection

TF/TL Facilitator Standard II:

Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences

The topics covered in standard two were very relevant to my current experience.  Since I have been in this program, I have tried to implement different strategies into my classroom and on my campus.  Some, not all of the issues I faced, were covered in the textbook.  The text mentioned the planning process and how it needs to be very clear, “If no criteria are provided, teachers will continue to plan and design the same types of learning experiences that they have implemented in the past.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009)  This practice was really evident for much of my teaching career.  During professional development meetings we received many good lesson designs but that was it.  No real background or framework to allow us to continue in a successful manner.  Also, when looking at trying to convince teachers about the importance of designing the learning experience, it has been difficult to use research.  Many teachers do not have time to figure out what the numbers mean and how they relate to their students.  I think if teachers had a chance to be actively engaged in a lesson that was designed to produce a certain learning experience; they would be more apt to consider the research.  In my experience, it has been necessary for the administration to be in full support of the integration of technology and the endless possibilities it can provide the students.  “Administrative support is essential as teachers make the transition from more traditional teaching to student-driven learning.” (Boss & Krauss, 2007)  In order for teachers to excel in providing relevant learning experiences, the administration needs to provide professional development opportunities that immerse teachers in that type of learning experience.  From the text, I was already familiar with the different types of models that can help teachers provide authentic learning experiences.  I have seen videos and witnessed several different teachers that have tried to create a 21^st century type learning environment.  I think the hardest aspect of this standard that I had to deal with was the lack of change by some teachers.  Even when given a multitude of methods to enhance the learning environment, the teachers are set in their ways.  I thought I would have a realistic shot in changing their views because I once was in their shoes and I felt I could relate to them.  I’ve experienced some success in establishing an ongoing collaboration between the teachers in my department.  We usually meet once a week to discuss any new ideas that can aid in lesson design and student engagement.

The way that I tried to assist teachers at my school with technology has been through meetings and one-on-one training.  Usually, I set up a time when I could meet with the teachers during my planning period.  If we didn’t share the same planning period, we tried to meet after school.  Most of the teachers came to me if they needed help with different web 2.0 tools that involved discussion boards, blogs, and educational social networking sites.  I think the small group setting was best for giving teachers the opportunity to try out the sites because it allowed for personal attention.  Since my learning style is more hands on, it was good for me to be actively involved in teaching the different tools to the teachers.  In time I wouldn’t mind presenting the information to a large group, but my main concern would be if the teachers are paying attention.  My interaction with colleagues provided me with mixed reactions.  The hardest part was the lack of change when trying to provide strategies to implement technology in the classroom.  I also had trouble trying to present research results to teachers to validate certain practices.  On the other hand, I’ve had positive responses to our department meetings, one-on-one technology sessions, and modeling technology standards.

What I learned about myself when dealing with this standard is patience.  I have to realize that change occurs when a person is ready to change.  As I progress into the leadership role, I need to make sure that my expectations are clear and that failure to plan is planning to fail.  Somehow I need to relay how important this will be for our students. “Proven technology, integrated by well-trained and competent teachers, who are guided by effective school leaders; and solid longitudinal data that provide not just accountability, but also a compass by which to keep teaching and learning on a true course for each unique student.” (Stansbury, 2007)  Because of the success with the one-on-one and small group technology sessions, I will continue to use that format to introduce new technology applications.  Professionally, this will help me grow and become more comfortable with presentations, eventually with a larger group.  I think the biggest challenge I will face will be compliance by teachers.  I think my best method for research will be to consult with administrators.  I think they can provide invaluable information that may not be found in a textbook.

References

Boss, S., Krauss, J. (2007). Real projects in a digital world. Principal Leadership,8(4) pg24

Stansbury, M. (2007). Savvy educators reveal secrets of reform. eSchool News, 10(9), 17.

Willamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). Iste’s technology facilitation and leadership standards, what every k-12 leader should know and be able to do. (p40). Eugene, OR: Intl Society for Technology in education

TF/TL Facilitator Standard I: Technology Operations and Concepts Reflection

TF/TL Facilitator Standard I:

Technology Operations and Concepts Reflection

            Looking back on all of the technology standards under ISTE, standard one seemed to be the most basic.  I believe most teachers today have a basic understanding of many of the competencies under this standard.  Most of the concepts are found in our daily activities, such as finding files, starting up/shutting down a computer, using email, identifying a mouse, using cell phones, etc…  “The Web, email, and basic computing are often a part of educators’ daily and professional lives, and as younger teachers enter the workforce, it is increasingly likely that they will not remember a tine when they did not have access to the internet.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009).  Most of the content under this standard wasn’t new information.  During my teaching career, I have come to realize the importance of technology and the different ways it can be utilized to reach our students.  I also realize the importance for teachers to continue to grow professionally when using technology because it is always changing.  “Also like their students, educators need learning environments accommodating their individual learning styles, abilities, skills, and interest.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009)  There have been many instances where I provided co-workers with different resources to help their students become more engaged.  Usually we would meet in an informal setting during our common planning period and I would walk them through the whole process.  In the years prior to this program, I would’ve never held a meeting to discuss any type of technology application but because of the opportunities I had to actively engage myself in the application, I was comfortable enough to help others.

            To keep myself abreast of the new changes in technology, I attended conferences in Houston.  The format of the conference allowed you to choose the sessions you wanted to attend.  All of the sessions I went to revolved around implementing technology in the classroom.  “Teachers who received technology integration training were much more prepared to integrate technology in their classroom.  More importantly, teachers who received both skill-based and integration training felt significantly more prepared to use technology in their teaching than those who received training of just one type.” (Mouza, 2002/2003)  As a result of my attendance, I was able to add a whole new variety of technology tools that our department began to use.  The workshop was very beneficial for me because it involved active engagement.  I learn best by being engaged kinesthetically.  The way I presented the materials to my colleagues was done the same way.    I also had notes to accompany the meeting, just in case any of the teachers needed to have the directions in an outline format.  I believe that meeting helped our department become more aware of how technology can aid our students and help us professionally.

            As I look to make the transition from facilitator to leader, it will be important to keep in mind the different learning styles when sharing information.  Even though I learn best by doing, I need to be prepared to present information in different formats to accommodate my co-workers.  In turn, they will see how they can present the information to their students.  Based on the feedback I have received from some co-workers, there has been interest in creating a blog for our department.  Some of us have experience using a blog, so we want to give others the opportunity to see how it works and how it can be beneficial.  While in this class, I have maintained a blog but I plan on attending a regional workshop that covers different web 2.0 tools like blogs and wikis.  As a life-long learner, one of my goals is to become more skilled in the aspects of networking and infrastructure.  Many times I have had to turn to our campus tech to help with wireless connectivity issues in my classroom.  I’d rather do this on my own and help others who have the same issues.

References

Mouza, C. (2002,2003). Learning to teach with new technology: Implications for professional development. Journal for Research on Technology in Education, 35(2), 272-89

Willamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). Iste’s technology facilitation and leadership standards, what every k-12 leader should know and be able to do. (p19). Eugene, OR: Intl Society for Technology in education

Willamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). Iste’s technology facilitation and leadership standards, what every k-12 leader should know and be able to do. (p22). Eugene, OR: Intl Society for Technology in education

EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability Course Reflection

EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability

Course Reflection

            During this class I learned about many aspects of my campus, some topics were familiar to me, others weren’t.  Most of the articles were interesting but there were a few I could relate to.  The article concerning NCLB was probably the most relevant to me because of my current position and my experience with testing.  “Students are taking more tests as a result of NCLB.” (Jennings & Renter, 2006)  In the districts I have been employed with, benchmark testing occurred frequently.  The problem was we were never trained properly on how to use the results of the data to guide instruction.  “Determining readiness involves assessing the data knowledge and skills of school administrators, teachers, and staff members, as well as their attitudes toward and commitment to using data.” (Parsley & Miller, 2006).  As far as the other topics discussed during this class, I liked the information regarding the site base committee and the principals’ role in campus planning.  At work, each year I see announcement concerning site base but I never really knew what went on.  Because of this class, I understand the importance of what the committee brings to the campus and how they can aid campus improvement.  In this class we also discussed goal setting and using the S.M.A.R.T. acronym.  This was the first time I seen this acronym used in an educational setting.  This acronym is also used in the fitness industry when setting goals for clients.  It was interesting to see the parallel when dealing with education and fitness goals.

I had to use some input from co-workers when completing some of the assignments for this particular class.  It was good because I got a totally different perspective from teachers of other subjects and administrators.  It was also good to see that there isn’t such a wide communication gap between the administration and teachers.  All of my questions were answered without any problems.  In this class I struggled slightly because many of the assignments were not tactile or kinesthetic.  I learn best by movement and doing.  I still completed all of my assignments, but it was difficult trying to coordinate schedules to talk with my administrator and other teachers.  I thought about sending the questions via email but I wanted to conduct the questioning face to face.  I don’t think I would do it any differently; there is no replacement for face to face communication.  For this class, the discussion board didn’t really have any affect on my overall learning.  I gathered more input from my colleagues at work.

“Teachers are more likely to reflect a “go it alone” ethos where “academic freedom” translates into “let me close my door and do my thing.” (McTighe, 2008)   That statement described me for much of my teaching career.  Mainly because I was use to doing things by myself as an only child.  Even as I completed several classes in this program it still took me awhile to buy into collaboration.  As a result of my collaboration during this class, I am now more apt to discuss issues with my administrators because we really do have a common goal.  As I continue to grow professionally, I like to research best practices by new principals.  This upcoming school year we will have a new principal and there is already talk of a mass exodus.  The new principal that is coming is the exact opposite of the current principal.  Many of the veteran teachers are the main complainers to the change he is trying to bring about.  I’m interested in learning how principals come into a building and bring about cultural change on a campus.

References

Jennings, J., & Renter, D. (2006). Ten big effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on public schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 88(2), 95

McTighe, J. (2008). Making the most of professional learning communities. The Learning Principal, 3(8), 1, 4-8

Parsley, D., & Dean, C. (2006). Selecting the right data. Principal Leadership, 7(2), 38-42.

Multimedia and Video Technology Week 5 Reflection

As I look back on my experience during weeks 3-5, I have to say I was blessed.  I had the opportunity to work with (2) professional ladies who were enthusiastic about the challenge that lay before us.  During the pre-production phase, many ideas were tossed around but the topic of child obesity seemed to strike a nerve in all of us.  We all agreed, unanimously, that this was the way to go.  We created a Google doc page to begin brainstorming on the way we wanted to attack this topic.  This part could’ve possibly been difficult but we decided pretty quickly on the direction we wanted to go and the message we wanted to relay.  During the production phase, choosing the roles was easy.  I think we took on roles that fit our niche’.  Other assignments, we would do together.  As each member completed a task or had a question on a topic, we would add it to the Google doc, or contact the other partners by email.  The production phase went smoothly because we had more than enough information.  We had to cut out much of our information because of the PSA time length.  We had more than enough video footage from different angles, related images, and research articles.  The post production phase also went smoothly.  We thought we were going to have an issue with the video file extension, but that was solved quickly.  It was simply a process of dragging the file to another location and changing the file extension.  There were a couple of questions about citation but the one of the web conferences addressed the issue.  Overall the whole project went smoothly; I would only hope that I could relay this information that smoothly to my students.

With this being my first time creating a PSA and doing a project like this, this went really well.  Each member had many things going on in their personal life that could have a created a negative experience for all involved, but we all manage to be professional and make this a great learning experience.  The only thing that could’ve made this a better experience is if we had physically worked together on the project.  Our interaction was positive and supportive.  Members were willing to do what it would take to make this a success.

Multimedia and Video Technology 12-4-11 Web Conference

In this week’s web conference there was a lot of important information discussed that would be important for Weeks 4 & 5.  Dr.Abernathy wanted to make sure she addressed some of the issues that needed clarification.  As far as week 3 is concerned, each team member needed to submit the assignment document.  Because of the collaboration among group members, the documents should look similar.  Week 4 will be used for production purposes.  Also during week 4, the students will not receive a grade.  Dr. Abernathy forgot to mention previously, that it would be wise to get more video footage of each shot.  If possible, try to get a couple of extra minutes to accommodate the audio.  Also she spoke about the e-portfolio and its purpose.  The e-portfolio should be viewed as a documentation of your work and it can be displayed as a wiki, blog, or any other web 2.0 tools.  A couple of questions came up about the audio portion of the PSA and documentation.  Many students do not use different sounds from other places because of the correct copyright citations that are required. 

When looking at the overall big picture of this particular class, Dr. Abernathy stressed that we should explore.  Don’t be afraid to try different programs.  The information gained from this class can be used as a blueprint for activities that can be used with our students.  As a leader, you want to be able to share your knowledge with co-workers.  The more we stress the importance of technology integration, the better chance we have in creating an environment that fosters student success.  As we move ahead it will be difficult to keep students engaged if we don’t utilize all of the new technologies.

Week 2 Reflection: Creating a Podcast for a Video Editing Software

In week 2 we had to learn the basics using a video editing software suite.  We had the option of using different types of software as long as the file extensions were usable.  I chose Windows Movie Maker 2.6.  I have never worked in this program and didn’t realize that I had an earlier version of Windows Movie Maker on my computer.  I went to YouTube to view a tutorial on how to use the program and what features the program offered.  Once I found my video and began to experiment with the features, I figured out some of the basic operations.  I really had fun working with this software.  It was very user friendly.  The part I had the most difficulty working with was how to save the video so that it could be uploaded to YouTube.   I haven’t given up on Windows Movie Maker yet.  My group partners have had success with their projects using the same program, so I know it’s just a minor issue, hopefully.  Overall this week has been slightly stressful trying to complete this assignment but I like having the freedom to create.  The podcast portion of this week assignment was very simple.  For some reason I thought it would be much more difficult to complete.  We used two programs to complete the assignment.  The only problem I can see with students doing a podcast will be finding a place quiet enough to record.  Both types of projects would be very beneficial to students because the finished product would be relevant and authentic.

Multimedia and Video Technology Web Conference Reflection Week 1

This web conference was very helpful.  Initially, I was unsure of what the final product was supposed to be or look like.  At the same time I was eager to get started on the project because I want to try this with my students this year.  My students will collaborate with different classes from around the world and create a digital story.  So the timing of this class was perfect.  It was good to hear Dr. Abernathy discuss the topic of working in teams.  Teachers need to know how to do this if we expect our kids to do it.  There will be many different elements to make the project successful as we work from week to week.  So as an educator, I need to have experience doing this because my students will come across the same issues.  During the conference we touched on the expectations of the program.  One of the program goals is to prepare teachers to be ISTE technology facilitators.  In turn we can push for every K-12 course to be fully integrated with technology. The belief is that all faculty needs to be able to use technology.  As a facilitator it would be a plus to share any products your kids create with administrators to let them know of the endless possibilities.  It helps the administrator buy in to the idea of full technology integration.  It was good to see that the professors have all had many years of K-12 experience.  So they understand the dynamics of what I do.  It was also good to know that the technology Masters program is transferable in 26 other states.

The conference discussed the progression of the project through each week.  In week 1 we can use (1) partner to help and assist with the creation of the digital story.  It would probably be a good idea to add more people as we get into weeks 3-5.  As of now, I have one partner and I think she will be an excellent person to work with.  Based on our initial conversations, I think this will be a great experience for me.