Thursday, December 17, 2009

• To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?

I did achieve the outcomes I envisioned for this course, which were to learn more about technology, make it more accessible to students, incorporate it into our (current) curriculum, and use it more in the classrooms. However, I am still learning about technology. I have currently implemented lesson plans for my team that does include techniques and advice that I have learned by taking this course. Taking this course has opened my mind to various ways of incorporating technology into our grade level curriculum. I would like to move beyond Smart Boards, projectors, and videos into the world of blogs and wiki. Those outcomes are extremely relevant and critical in the work that I do at my school. As an educator, I must strive to create lessons that not only inform and educate my students, but also engage and motivate them to learn. As a school leader, I must work diligently to ensure that my campus is responding to the needs and expectations of the 21st century learner. This includes providing adequate and consistent accessibility to the internet and other modes of technology.
• How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?

Blog and blogging are fairly new concepts in the world of education. However, blogs and blogging can be a very effective tool in communicating with parents, administrators, students, and other school stakeholders. If maintained correctly and consistently, blogs can offer a unique glimpse into the classroom. Blogs are a way for parents to interact with the teacher, as well as the students by offering insight, answering questions, and offering commentary and feedback. Parents are able to view their students work and progress, further strengthening the bond between home and classroom. A blog is also a great digital tool that will provide evidence to campus administrators, district administrators, board members, and even community members of how students are using technology and how important technology is in the classroom. I would use a blog to create a stronger sense of community between myself, my classroom, my students, the parents, and all other school stakeholders
• How can you use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders?

Blog and blogging are fairly new concepts in the world of education. However, blogs and blogging can be a very effective tool in communicating with parents, administrators, students, and other school stakeholders. If maintained correctly and consistently, blogs can offer a unique glimpse into the classroom. Blogs are a way for parents to interact with the teacher, as well as the students by offering insight, answering questions, and offering commentary and feedback. Parents are able to view their students work and progress, further strengthening the bond between home and classroom. A blog is also a great digital tool that will provide evidence to campus administrators, district administrators, board members, and even community members of how students are using technology and how important technology is in the classroom. I would use a blog to create a stronger sense of community between myself, my classroom, my students, the parents, and all other school stakeholders
• What are the concerns of blogs and blogging in education?

As with any other type of internet use, such as MySpace, there are also safety issues and concerns surrounding blogs and blogging in education. We must educate our students about the dangers of the internet, but we must not shield them from those dangers. One of the main concerns about blogs and blogging is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is one of the most popular internet occurrences and often goes unreported. Many students are unaware of what cyberbullying is and/or they are afraid to report it. Students must be educated on cyberbullying, know what it is, know what to do if and when they encounter it, as well as how to avoid being victims of it. Another concern of blogs and blogging in education is the school’s acceptable use policy. Again, students should be aware of what types of posts will be tolerated and accepted. Teachers must also explain internet/blogging etiquette and password confidentiality
• What is the educational value of blogs and blogging to the 21st century learner?

As a campus leader my thoughts on how to teach the 21st century learner is quite open-minded. I see these students in class daily force to swallow and regurgitate informational facts that are out of date or that have no future creditability. What I am mean is that we are preparing a future world of students for the unknown. We have no idea what jobs await them but I do know they aren’t the traditional everyday jobs that we seek in current unemployment offices. I envision future jobs being very innovative and the employer seeking a technological savvy person to fill it. In that truth, I cringe almost every time I see a hand written book report, or observe a teacher in her attempt to educate with white chalk on a blackboard. It is vital that we support our students’ education by allowing them the opportunity to become independent learners, strong problem solvers and effective designers. This is one advantage that students will have if we introduce blogging to our students. I think that blogging will serve as a great educational value to students by providing several of ways to generate and communicate information.
Blogs and wiki are the next step in the technology and digital classrooms. Blogs and blogging can be extremely beneficial to the 21st century learner. Not only do blogs offer parents, administrators, students, and other educators a glimpse into the classroom, they also allow teachers to use them as a tool to support teaching and foster the development of a learning community. By giving students a wider audience, blogs allow the author and others to share experiences, offer commentary, offer support, and answer questions. If a student knows the world is watching, this may also motivate them to work harder and give their best work. By gaining different perspectives to their blogs, students are able to see their work in a different perspective, which could produce greater results. Blogging also promotes social, written communication, and digital literacy skills. Blogs are ideal for classroom management, collaboration, discussions, and student profiles. They definitely add value to education.
• What did you learn from this course…about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?

I do not consider myself a digital immigrant or technologically ignorant by any means. However, this course taught me that there are many avenues of technology that can be incorporated into the classroom; ones that are often overlooked and not thought of. Most teachers, at least on my campus, are relegated to using the expected modes of technology. I would like to see some of the teachers incorporate a blog in their classroom. The course was difficult at times, but it taught me perseverance. There were moments when I wanted to slack on the assignment or not do it at all. Nevertheless, I kept at it and now I feel a great sense of accomplishment knowing that I finished. I have a positive and optimistic view of technology and as a leader, I realize it is my duty to ensure my staff feels comfortable with technology and provide consistent access to the students in order to prepare them for future learning
• Were you successful in carrying out the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?

This course definitely pushed me to extreme limits and there were times when I doubted myself as a grad student and leader and often wanted to give up. Fortunately I rose to the occasion. The assignments were extremely lengthy, especially Week 4, as were the discussion board expectations. Posting a response to each of the weekly readings was definitely within reason. However, responding to two other quotes from fellow students on the same readings was a bit excessive and discouraging. It was also difficult if other students did not post in a timely manner. I thought about giving up on a few of the weekly assignments, especially week 4. I tried to rationalize that my grades for weeks 1-3 were high and that it would be fine to slack for one week. I decided against this and quickly tried to push those thoughts out of my mind. Even though the course was challenging, I was learning a lot. My personal motto is “Failure Is Not An Option”. By not doing one of the weekly assignments, I was failing in a sense, and to me, that was unacceptable.

Road blocks

• What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?

As previously stated, my expectations of outcomes were quite simple and straightforward. All of the expected outcomes are achievable. However, budget always plays a deciding role in any and every decision on the district and campus levels. There is only so much money allocated for technology and the money has to be spent wisely and as equally (amongst the campuses). In an ideal world, every classroom would be equipped with enough computers for each student, there would be wireless access, and teachers would utilize blogs and wiki to communicate with students and parents. That sort of progress takes a lot of time; many meetings debating the pros and cons, as well as analyzing the financial aspects. I believe that in time, all of the outcomes I set forth are achievable. The only constraints are time and the budget.

Accomplishments

• To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?

I did achieve the outcomes I envisioned for this course, which were to learn more about technology, make it more accessible to students, incorporate it into our (current) curriculum, and use it more in the classrooms. However, I am still learning about technology. I have currently implemented lesson plans for my team that does include techniques and advice that I have learned by taking this course. Taking this course has opened my mind to various ways of incorporating technology into our grade level curriculum. I would like to move beyond Smart Boards, projectors, and videos into the world of blogs and wiki. Those outcomes are extremely relevant and critical in the work that I do at my school. As an educator, I must strive to create lessons that not only inform and educate my students, but also engage and motivate them to learn. As a school leader, I must work diligently to ensure that my campus is responding to the needs and expectations of the 21st century learner. This includes providing adequate and consistent accessibility to the internet and other modes of technology

Outcomes

What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?

My expectations of this course were simple, to learn more about technology from a leadership standpoint, how to make it more accessible to students, how to incorporate it into the curriculum, and lastly, how to utilize it more in the classrooms. This course pushed me to the limit; therefore, I learned a great deal and achieved those outcomes. I am far from an expert, but I definitely have ideas on ways to improve technology on my campus and in my district. I know understand the requirements that must be met in order for us to produce students that are well equipped to compete in the 21st century. Some schools consider themselves technologically savvy because they have a computer in every classroom. However, this is simply the tip of the ice burg. There is an abundance of technology resources that many districts are not using and/or simply are not aware of. As a campus, we must seek out those resources and bring them into our classrooms and to our students. This must be done in every District on every campus. This is one of many the many things that will lessen the educational divide.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Technology Action Plan - 5352

Technology Action Plan - 5352

Needs:
Both the Campus Improvement Plan and the Districts Technology Plan states that our district has a need to improve the way students interpet data in a more effeicent way. Both plans agree that the implementation of technology is greatly needed in our classrooms in order to prepare our students to meet the challenges of the future.

Goals and Objectives:
After reviewing CIP, AEIS, Technology Plan

Goal 1: Provide a well-balanced and appropriate curriculum by integrating existing and emerging technologies to meet individual student needs and district standards, giving students the opportunity to learn and practice in a collaborative real-world environment.


Objective: Identify, implement, and support projects that develop a variety of ways to integrate technology into instruction and implement the concepts of integration in the classroom.


Goal 2: Continue to improve a comprehensive professional development program complete with ongoing support to ensure the effective use of technology.

Objective: Provide appropriate and current staff development training on applications and district initiatives through a variety of methods



Strategies:
Goal 1:
1.Provide opportunities and resources for curriculum writing to develop technology enriched lessons that address the TA TEKS

2.Continue technology professional development which focuses on curriculum integration using appropriate resources

3.Support the integration of Grades 6-8 Technology TEKS into the core curriculum areas by providing planning, curriculum writing, training, follow-up and assessment

4.Collaborate with Academic Coordinators to provide content specific technology information and training tied to the TEKS and Benchmarks.

5.Work with individual campuses and teachers to support the integration of technology into the core curriculum areas

Goal 2:

1.Assess and update professional development content and materials annually to meet current needs

2.Provide incentives for staff development such as university credit, in-service credit, or certificate

3.Create and deliver online professional development activities 24/7 by maintaining password protected Intranet and Internet sites

Training:

1. Train teachers on how to intergrate technology into the classroom

2. Train teachers on ‘what is assistive technology?’

3. Hold an open lab allowing teachers to explore assistive technology tools and strategies of special interest at their own pace. Offering hands on with support from the Assistive Technology Team

4. Train teachers on how to log onto and use the online professional development

5. Train teachers how to design instruction and activities using the 6-8 Technology TEKS and Benchmarks.

6. Train teachers on how to present comfortably using technology

7. Teachers will participate every six months in an online survey conducted by the Instructional Tec gy, it will look for new technological trends and it will allow teachers to voice hnology Specialist. The survey will gauge the effectivness of the current technolo their concern.

Assessment:

1. Number of staff completeing Technology Certification Program Levels

2. Trend of updated materials

3. Number of Online registration, online professional development schedule, online workshops

4. Assessment of completed curriculum, Feedback from teachers using curriculum

5. Workshop Evaluations,

6. Monitor through administrator observations and evaluation of teacher lesson plans

7. Online resources utilized by students

8. Star Chart

9. TEKS data

Saturday, November 28, 2009

My opinion - Week 2

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020: Teaching and Learning

Because the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology is targeted at educating everyone involved in the educational system in Texas I chose one of the most important areas, Teaching and Learning. The teaching and learning strategy consists of three entities; 1.The Learner, 2.The Educator, and 3. The Leader. All three play a critical part in carrying out the teaching and learning strategy in the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. All three classifications of participants have certain objectives and responsibilities that will be implemented effectively throughout the state by the year 2020. The overall targeted goal is for these three groups to become more technological advanced and aware. This is an awareness that spreads slowly. The know how and technological information learned by one member of the participating class will infiltrate the community slowly. This in turn will change society as a whole. Technology and its features will become more common than it is today. New concepts such as email conferencing, and personal barcodes,etc. will be more readily accepted with a society awaiting its arrival. Unsought-of of concepts will invade our homes, cars, and work places and even today’s advanced concepts will be outdated. It is important that the learner, educator, and leader have the skills to process future concepts. This will ensure a more globalized society.
In essence the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology is a blue print for a successful existence when the old traditional way that past generations have carried on has diminished and all that is left is "new".

Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS.

Pre-K students can benefit from the use of technology in the classroom. Children who engage in age-appropriate and challenging software will maximize their knowledge and reinforce the curriculum. Children are taught the basic functions and key vocabulary terms. They will become proficient in handling output devices and will establish a comfort level with technology.

How do the Pre-K TEKS lay the foundation for student performance in future grades?

Pre-K TEKS lay the foundation for student performance in the future grades by introducing and applying procedures, equipment, vocabulary, and variety of software packages with audio, video and graphics to enhance learning experience. Each year the student will build off of learning expierences from the previous year and will be totally computer literate by the eigth grade.

spiraling or scaffolding curriculum

Students have multiple opportunities to master texts, audio, video and graphics. It is located in 3rd-5th (1) Foundation (A)-terminology, (5) Information Acquisition (A)-acquiring information including text, audio, video and graphics, (7) Solving Problems (A)-using software problems with audio, video and graphics to enhance learning experiences, (11) Communication (A)-publish information in a variety of media, including not limited to printed copy, monitor display, Internet Documents, and video and presentation software (B).

Other Knowledge and Skills that spirals vertically is (11) Communication (A) and (B). It is taught from the K- to High School.

My analysis of the Long-Range Plan

How can your new learning assist you as an instructional leader who is guiding technology use and integration at a campus?

I can utilize the Long - Range Plan as an instructional leader on my campus by offering my team members more solutions and activities allowing more computer integration lesson plans with even more interactive capabilities.Ensuring that my team members will be able to effectively make use of the information given I must also provide more technology driven professional development opportunities.When implementing these two changes it is important that my team have access to my unyielding support and knowledge. Because most people are uncomfortable with change it is most important to gradually shift my team in a new direction. In order to maintain the stability of my team and its members I have only chosen to work on certain aspects of the Long - Range Plan at a time.

Reflection

Part 1 of week 1 enrolled in course EDLD 5352 at Lamar University required me to complete two assessments; 1. Technology Applications Inventory, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/techapp/assess/teksurv.pdf, and 2. The SETDA Teacher Survey, http://www.setda-peti.org/tools.html. Both of these surveys are geared towards personal knowledge of technology. While completing survey 1, I noticed that I answered a majority of the questions with a“yes”. “This is good”, I thought especially when my technology skills are being questioned. Of course, I want to be current with the new technological advances. In this century staying current with technology is the pathway to opportunity. Especially when you are preparing students for a future and are unaware of what uncreated jobs await them there. This makes survey 2 helpful to a teacher. Survey 2 consists of a mixture of questions ranging from your personal computer time to your classroom computer usage during a lesson. This is great because the survey forces you as a teacher to recognize how often you are exposing your students to more modern methods of instruction. If you are not then hopefully it will inspire you to reach your students on their creative wavelengths. Before this takes place you will have to gain more technological knowledge but survey 2 will help you pin-point what you might need training in or what you may just need to brush - up on.
Each one of these surveys can serve a purpose for ensuring that technology is being integrated into the classroom, how often it is being implemented, and what is the result of technology usage.