EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology Reflection

As I look back on my learning experience during the Teaching with Technology class, I realized that there are so many tools that my students can benefit from.   Each week the class offered readings that were beneficial to my development.  During week 1, I was introduced to the theory of Constructivism.  This theory “posits that students make sense of the world by synthesizing new experiences into what they have previously understood.  They form rules through reflection in their interaction with objects and ideas.” (Sprague & Dede, 1999)  I’ve seen this type of practice at my current district, so this article was relevant to me.  During the summer, I plan on visiting with teachers who currently use this teaching style to discuss management techniques, assessment strategies, etc…  During the week 2, I was introduced to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) program.  This particular program interested me because of the ability to teach to students strengths using technology.  Throughout the course this concept has been modeled each week in the video presentations.  It was good to see live examples of this type of program; the only downside was that classes in the videos were small.  I would like to see the UDL program modeled in a class with 30+ students, or in a core class.  I also enjoyed the Project-Based Learning Concept.  This type of learning allows students to look into real world problems and challenges while still meeting the needs of the curriculum.  I believe this type of learning can be the most rewarding for students because it causes them to be actively engaged.  “Because project-based learning is filled with active and engaged learning, it inspires students to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they’re studying.  Research also indicates that students are more likely to retain the knowledge gained through this approach far more readily than through traditional textbook-centered learning.” (Edutopia, 2009) The problem I have faced with textbook is readability.  The level of the textbook language is above some of my students so they end up uninterested and unengaged.  This is another reason project-based learning is a plus in the classroom.   Another positive to project-based learning is the collaborative aspect.  Students will get the chance to be active and discuss information in ways that are meaningful to them.  “I believe every student can learn, every child can learn but where children have trouble is when you have only paper, and only pencil, then only certain types of children are going to succeed.” (Edutopia.org)  This quote from Vicki Davis reinforces the need for a change from traditional to 21^st century classroom settings so all students’ needs will be met.  Educators need to present material in multiple formats so the educational experience is relevant and meaningful. 

During this class I learned a lot of new information.  Some of the information wasn’t new; I just didn’t know the technical name for it.  I found the videos to be the most interesting for me because it was real.  Sometimes I relate the readings to theory and I have difficulty picturing what the author is talking about, mainly because of my personal learning style.  From experience, I already knew that collaborative learning has many positive effects on the learning process.  My development will need to come in the areas of managing a collaborative classroom, lesson structure, and assessment.  Even with that said, during this class I have experimented with providing more opportunities for collaboration in my class.  My students seem to be more engaged, but I’m not sure if they are actually learning the content.  I know they like working with the technology!

This class was one of the most challenging classes for me because I was unsure of the final product.  Each week I would look at the videos first to get an idea of the topics that would be stressed for the week.  Then I would read the assigned readings.  Depending on the topic, I usually would discuss it with a co-worker who was the regions Teacher of the Year.   I did this to see what he thought on a particular subject and if would work at our school with the available resources.  This particular class was structured around group work and collaboration among the members.  I enjoyed this aspect of the class because I had a chance to share ideas with educators from different backgrounds.  We met weekly to discuss the assignment for the week and to come up with strategies that best fit our strengths.  Personally, I am a kinesthetic and visual learner.  Any issues I had with the assignment, I would find a co-worker who had experience in the area and discuss the topic with them.  I needed the face to face communication along with information I could have in my hands to use or experiment with.  Because I was unsure of the final product, I was not as confident in what I would present weekly.  My group members were unsure too.  I believe we were looking for a definite model to guide us through the process.    Once we decided on a format, we stuck to it.  Anytime a member found information that could help either one of us, it was posted to our team wiki site and emailed to every group member.  We also utilized Skype weekly, this helped because we could match a name to a face and it created a team bond.  Without the team collaboration, this project would’ve been very difficult.

The format of this class really reinforced my learning style.   I learn best when I have the opportunity to communicate with people and do work on my own.  Plus if the opportunity presents itself, I need to be able to physically do the work.  Because of my personality, I do need considerable time to be alone and to make sure I am completely comfortable with the group I am working with.  For future references, a resource like Skype would be good because I can match a name with a face.  I also have an opportunity to talk with people about others topics besides class.  Before this class, I was familiar with Skype but I never used it.  My team members suggested using it and it turned out to be a good thing.  I know I will be using this resource in the future, regardless if it for class.  This was the first group project I have done in 20+ years, I’m not sure I even did a group project in high school.  Prior to this project, I was skeptical of group projects because everyone has to be on the same page and committed to the successful completion of the project.  As a teacher, I have seen this fail many times and I didn’t want to be in that position.  Since this project experience was positive, I am more apt to participate in a group project in the future.  As I look ahead, the big question I have with collaboration is “how do you make it work with large classes? and “how do you make this work if students don’t have internet access at home?”  I am going to try to offer more opportunities for collaboration but I don’t want to spend excess time teaching the technology, if it is going to hinder their knowledge of content.  In the end, they are going to get tested on content.  

References

Sprague, D & Dede, C., 1999, If I teach this way, Am I doing my job: Constructivism in the classroom, Leading and Learning with Technology,  Volume 27 (1), pg 7

Edutopia.org (nd), Project Learning: An Overview. Retrieved on March 25, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction

Edutopia.org (nd), Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts. Retrieved on March 25, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-teachers-vicki-davis-video

EDLD 5362 Information Systems Management Reflection

In this particular course there were some interesting assignments that I felt could really help me in the long run.  I enjoyed my interview with a veteran teacher.  The particular teacher that I chose was my department head.  This was really my first time to sit and talk with her since I’ve been at the school.  It was interesting to hear how things have changed since she has been in education and at the same school.  I ended up gaining some insight on how my campus has functioned in the past and how things came to be.  Speaking with her, I gained some valuable knowledge on teaching, nothing related to technology when everything was all said and done.  During this class I also got a chance to discuss school networks that I can use.  Currently I use two of the networks.  Both types have been imperative to helping my students succeed.  The one site that has shown the most promise is Epals.  It is like Facebook, except it is used for education.  My students have really enjoyed communicating with other students around the world.  I find that once my students have another person to talk with, they frequently send messages outside of the school setting.  “Interestingly, less than 1% of online teenagers who go online from school say that school is their only location of access.  This means that while many teenagers do go online at school, very few rely exclusively on their school’s internet connections.” (Hitlin & Rainie, 2005)  The last network has been difficult to get my co-workers to buy into it.  It’s a forum for teachers to share their successes with others.  “Increasingly, America’s wired schools are turning to the Web as an efficient way to disseminate information about the school, specific classes, and activities.” (Arsham, 2002)  I think they view the site as extra work.  Most of the information I gathered from this class was new.  I had an idea about some of the educational networks; I just didn’t know the correct terminology when discussing them.  I knew I would have success when dealing with the Epals network because of the popularity of social networking.  In week 3 of this class, the assignment called for the evaluation of our districts student information system.  This information was interesting because I had never considered all that went into selecting a SIS.  It was one aspect of my job I’ve always taken for granted.  Outside of taking roll and grades, I never thought twice about the information system.  Because of the assignments I had in this class, I am more knowledgeable about other aspects of my district.  I now have an understanding of the student information system and all that it entails.  I also had a chance to research my campus current technology plan.  In the process of researching, I have established strong professional relationship with my school technology leaders, which can be beneficial to my career in education.  Last, I had a chance to visit with a veteran teacher at the school about how technology has changed the educational environment.

            I had to plan ahead to complete many of the assignments in this class because of time and conflicting schedules.  To conduct the interview, I had to send my department head the questions ahead of time.  Because of our schedules, we had a small window of opportunity to conduct the interview.  Since we had never spoken for any major length of time prior to the interview, I wanted to let her know the purpose of the interview.  The interview took place in her class and the conversation was casual, so we were both relaxed.  Because of the atmosphere, the interview ended up being an enjoyable experience for both.  I also had to visit with the director of student services to discuss the student information systems.  The planning for this was similar to my interview with my co-worker, mainly because of schedule conflicts.  I met with him at his office during my conference planning period.  From him, I was informed about a whole other aspect of education that teachers rarely think about.  Still to this day, there is much more to the process but our discussion helped me gain a general understanding along with the assignment template.  The remainder of the assignments in this class was fairly easy to complete.  The big deal would be time management because of my other duties.  I had to stay on top of everything and be diligent about getting something done each night.  With my learning style, the assignments in this class were perfect.  I am a tactile and kinesthetic learner.  By conducting the interviews and creating a  power point, I had a chance to be creative and moving.  During this class, I did have a chance to communicate with people who I normally don’t visit with.  There contributions had a huge affect on my performance.  We didn’t have a chance to conduct the interviews via technology, everything was face-to-face.  I don’t think I could’ve gained the same experiences conducting the interview any other way besides face-to-face.

            I know that for me to gain an optimal experience when learning something new, it has to involve movement.  This is not to say that I will not be successful if information is presented to me in a traditional classroom format, I just prefer a tactile approach.  In the future, it will be best for me to be actively involved in any new learning experience, if possible.  I believe the interview approach will be good because of the active engagement and interaction.  I think one of the major positives that I experienced in this class was the opportunity I had when visiting with our director of student services.  Because of his knowledge and experience, his information was invaluable to my class and to my career.  “Experienced leadership.  While investing in technology accelerators is important, successful planning, implementation and operation of theses investments require skilled leadership.” (Moore, 2006)  As I move forward, there are many aspects of information systems that will be pertinent to my career.  But I believe the aspect that will affect me directly will be the future implementation of my districts technology plan.  I’m curious to see which way we will go and how we will go about meeting our goals.  I also hope I will be an integral part in determining our direction.

References

Arsham, H. (2002, March). Impact of the internet on learning and teaching. USDLA Journal,16.3. Retrieved on January 26, 2012, from http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/MAR02_Issue/article01.html

Hitlin, P, & Rainie, L. (2005). The internet at school. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved on January 26, 2012, from http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2005/PIP_Internet_and_schools_05.pdf.pdf

Moore, R.J. (2006, August). The five best accelerators in school. School Administrator, 63.7, p8

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.