EDLD 5352 Week 5 Reflection

James Little
EDLD 5352 Week 5 Reflection

As I entered this course I was really curious as to how much knowledge I truly had about technology. Honestly I did not have any set outcomes for this course. This course did open my eyes to many different topics that I didn’t really think about throughout my career as a teacher. As I read through and responded to the articles I truly began to understand the vastness and importance of technology in our schools. The way this course was laid out, it created an opportunity for me to learn about the “ins and outs” of technology and how much focus was placed on learning and the law. This course and the information provided in the course definitely will wake up those individuals who do not understand the power that technology has on our students’ learning.

I will be honest in stating that pretty much everything that I learned in this class is relevant to the work I do in school. As a classroom teacher I have noticed the importance of technology day-in and day-out. As a U.S. History teacher I like to have my students perform research on various topics and historical events. I have always understood the importance of challenging data, but this class really provided me with an eye-opening perspective to research. I am looking for new ways to use technology in my classroom. I have recently acquired a clicker system to engage my students in their learning. I am also looking at purchasing a game-buzzer device so that we can prepare for exams and other materials while having some fun. Data gathered from this course will help me in providing a more technology-style class compared to the old school-style of teaching.

Since I did not set up any set outcomes for this class, I truly did not fail achieve to meet any goals. I have learned the importance as a future administrator that I must allow our teachers, students, and other stakeholders to become successful by allowing them to maximize their use of technology in the classroom. As an administrator it is important that we lead by example and provide opportunities for our teachers to examine new ways to teach. I used to be the type of person who would just look at a survey, laugh, and just answer it to simply finish the survey. We must learn to embrace surveys and take them seriously. We tend to wonder why we don’t have the items we need to teach and simply blame it on a lack of funds. If we want to become digital natives, we must take every step possible to make sure we are building a technology-friendly environment at our schools.

You know with every complaint that I had over this course, learning more about technology was returned to me two-fold. This course did kick me in the butt a couple of times, but I appreciated the assignments and information that was provided to me. I felt that I did my best on every assignment and when I had a question, it was either answered by a peer or my course “helper.” The assignments provided an opportunity for me to become a critical thinker. Even though it may seem simple to read an article and pick out a quote, I had to take the time to make sure what I read and what I perceived to be addressed was accurate. These assignments were simple yet complex at the same time. It provided an opportunity for me to use different types of technology that I was either uncomfortable using or needed to learn more about a certain program.

I learned that I have much to learn about technology. There is so much information pertaining to laws that govern the use of technology that I realized that I need to study and research those laws. The terminology that I use compare to those who are digital natives varies greatly. I need to take the time to learn more about the different devices that are available. Honestly I think I have only sent out two text messages since I have had my cell phones. The technology that I have available is good, but I need to use it more and take a step and purchase more technology. I need to find a way to provide the students an opportunity to have some ownership in their learning. If I want my students to succeed, my teaching approach needs to change to allow the students to determine how they learn in my class. I have decent leadership skills. Since I have served in the military I understand about leading by example. When I become an administrator my staff will see me as a person who supports the staff and will encourage them to use technology whenever and wherever available.

I think blogs can help our 21st century learning. Blogging can provide our students an opportunity to interact with fellow students, teachers, and other stakeholders. It also provides them a 24 hour opportunity for shared-learning. As a teacher I am so concerned about the level of thinking of our students. Blogging will provide them the opportunity to become deeper thinkers. It will also provide many of our students a sense of confidence to participate in discussions. Many of them feel shy or insecure talking in front of a class. Therefore, blogging will allow them to discuss freely from a device where they are comfortable. Blogging provides our students the opportunity to discuss and provide feedback to our peers. They will also learn how to become aware of the data that is provided and they can determine the “strength” of the information and the truth behind the information provided to them.

There are some positive aspects as well as some negative aspects of blogging. I saw that addressed in the cyber-bullying articles. Many of our students are afraid to post their opinions about different topics. We see it in the classroom on a daily basis. Students call one another “stupid” because the information that they provide to the class may or may not be appropriate or even match the ideas or opinions of another individual. Also we must consider the facts behind the data that is provided. So much information on the internet can be misleading thus causing some discrepancies in our research. Another concern that I have is the people that have access to our blogs. There are predators that are out there simply wreak havoc on our children. I do understand the importance of technology in our learning and teaching, but we must also stress the importance of internet safety to protect our children. As an administrator, I would allow blogging, but I would remind our students and teachers of the responsibility that comes along with the use of the internet.

I feel that blogging can be very useful in communication with all stakeholders. We can create a blog to provide the stakeholders information pertaining to our campuses and district. If we wish to gain the respect and understanding from our stakeholders, they need to know that we are creating ways of communicating with them. Ideas can be shared can be posted on blogs and shared with our community. I have noticed through various blogs how people are sharing their ideas and opinions with one another. Now I know that not all information shared on a blog is positive, but we must allow that to occur if we want to achieve a certain level of success. There have been too many times that I have heard parents and other stakeholders say that they didn’t know about an event. Through blogging we are able to provide them information and receive feedback. We can also provide them links to class assignments and information that they and their children can use to learn more about our classes and/or subject matter.
Technology is important for our students today. If they haven’t already, they are starting to become digital natives. We can simply sit back and remain digital immigrants or we can become digital natives ourselves. Learning and growth is a relationship that needs to be addressed and embraced by teachers, students, and all stakeholders. In a school district, this relationship starts at the top with our administrators. Without support and enthusiasm from the top there is no growth.

EDLD 5352 Week 5 Posts

Everyone's Going Wireless, So Why Aren't We? by Robert Gravina

"Wireless may be part of the answer to overbooked computer labs."
It is very frustrating working in a small school district and having to struggle to find an open spot to take your students to the computer. At my campus we have two computer labs available. Usually they are readily available; however, there are times that some teachers reserve the labs for multiple days during the week. I feel that if we are able to introduce wireless communications and laptops to our campus and students, we would be able to overcome many obstacles that are hindering our students' progress. We can also eliminate the text as being the number one source of material.

Bridge the Digital Divide for Educational Equity by Christine Y. Mason and Richard Dodds
"To address the digital divide, schools must provide full access for special student populations--especially those with disabilities--to the Internet, distance learning, and multimedia materials."

We must continue to work on ways to include all students in the education process. We should stress equality for all, and allow every student to learn and improve their knowledge about core subjects and technology through the use of technology. Programs and other means technology have been designed to address the needs of students with disabilities. I feel that in order to improve our current programs and the capabilities of these students, they must be given the opportunity to use technology in their classes. As a former healthcare professional, I have seen how the use of technology has brought on a higher, quality of life for some people.

Who's in Control of the Technology-Integrated School? by Betsy Price

"For computers to be effective teaching tools, teachers must thread computer use into group projects, whole-class demos, individual tutoring, classroom management, and alternative assessment and testing along with the traditional teaching methods of lecturing, reading, and hands-on activities and experiments."

This quote is so correct and so powerful. I would love to have the available funds and technology to all of the things mentioned in the quote. As I got to thinking, I am going to find a way to do most of these things with the money that is available to me. Technology can take an ordinary classroom and make it an extraordinary classroom. We do not wish to eliminate the traditional methods of instruction, but it is necessary to implement the use of technology in almost every aspect of our teaching. Technology can and will allow students to gain more of a sense of ownership in their learning. Technology will also allow students to learn at a pace that is suitable (considering that 100% effort is displayed) to them. Students will also be able to test and turn in homework or other assignments through the use of technology. Also we will eliminate our massage paper usage.

Action Plan Flow Chart

I just wanted everyone to know that I am not able to download my flow chart. It is probably simple, but I am having some difficulty. Therefore I am making a generic-version of my super-duper flow chart. I just wanted to build up the excitement.

----> means that they are maintaining communication and direction to/with

Superintendent--->District Technology Director and Principals

District Technology Director--->District Instructional Technologist

District Instructional Technologist--->Campus Instructional Technologist and Educators

Principal--->Educators

I apologize for its lack of pizzazz, but I tried to provide some sort of an outline.

Week 4 Assignment

Superintendent

• Will help develop and assist in the supervision of an implemented technology plan
• Provide leadership and direction for technology program and assist the district technology director

District Technology Director

 Will provide network management for the district by handling hardware & software problems, installations, upgrades, & maintenance
 Will provide and support network security by maintaining network, Internet & email accounts and designing & implementing network backups
 Will provide technical support by acting as a liaison to vendors, providing network design & configuration, and assistance to end user for equipment & software problems
 Other additional duties, to include; purchasing; documentation; compliance with state and federal law


Principal

• Will implement a technology plan on the campus and follow the guidelines set by the District Technology Director
• Will act as a liaison between the staff and District Technology Director
• Will monitor and ensure that the district’s technology plan is adhered to
• Will assist and support teachers in their application and purchase of technology


District Instructional Technologist

 Will provide instruction on technology by planning, developing, and providing professional development for the district
 Will aid in the purchasing of new technology by researching new technologies, products & services, and making recommendations for purchase and implementation
 Will provide website development and maintenance of the district and campus websites
 Will provide technical support by providing basic software and hardware support throughout the district
 Will act as the liaison for txConnect / txGradebook; ePlan & STaR chart coordinator; budget planning



Campus Technology Technician

 Will provide campus support by installing and repairing computers and peripherals throughout the district; relocating computer hardware and equipment; diagnosing, repairing, and reformatting computers; and assisting with network installations and maintenance
 Will assist with PEIMS by coordinating the collection, integration, and formatting of all data required for PEIMS submission; and working with campus/business office personnel to collect, organize, and submit district PEIMS data in a timely manner

Educators

• Will implement of the use of technology for their students
• Will provide instruction and assistance in the use of technology to their students
• Will document the use of technology in their lesson plans
• Will attend a minimum of 6 additional hours of professional development in the field of technology



Professional Development Plan

• Teachers and administrators to attend a workshop on the STaR Chart and AEIS/AYP data. This will assist each individual in the comprehension of the data, and implementation of further professional development necessary.
• All current and future teachers are to complete a professional development session over the Technology TEKS set for their grade level.
• Each teacher will be required to take a pre-, during, and post-technology assessment to gauge their improvement on the use of technology in their classes.
• Each teacher will be required to attend a minimum of 6 hours of professional development in the field of technology in addition to a professional development session in video technology.
• Teachers will be required to participate in an on-going technology discussion board to stress collaboration in the use and understanding of technology in the classroom.
• Teachers will learn about the use of blogs to aid in the increase of their communication with their students and other stakeholders.
• All teachers will be provided an opportunity to evaluate and assess various pieces of technology that may aid them in their core subject.

At my campus we are currently using and moving towards using more technology in our classrooms. What I have noticed from talking to other teachers and looking over data is that we are not as prepared for this change. We, the educators, are in need of further professional development. The majority of us know the basics of technology and are developing a better understanding of the technology we have in our classrooms. We can apply a K-W-L chart to assist in the selection of professional development sessions. It is necessary to address the budget so that we could possibility bring in those individuals that have developed the technology to provide us some hands-on professional development. I feel that the on-going technology discussion board will enable us to communicate with one another on a daily basis. We can also open up these discussion boards to additional campuses and districts. Professional development is important to the improvement of our lessons. However, we must be very critical in the types of professional development that we attend. We must be able to prove its relevance and make sure we provide some sort of assessment of technology to those who provided the professional development, and our staff. Not only should we provide staff development to our teachers and paraprofessionals, we should also find ways to assess our increasing knowledge on technology.







Technology Goals and Assessment

GOAL 1: Improve academic achievement through the effective integration of technology into curricula and instruction

• The district/campus will implement a technology applications proficiency checklist for benchmark years - 2nd, 5th, and 8th grades. Evidence of this implementation will be seen through benchmark results.
• Software and training will be provided to promote integration of Technology TEKS into the curriculum. Evaluation of this will be provided through the teacher’s lesson planning and evidence of the software being used in the coursework and/or instruction.


GOAL 2: Staff Development will enable educators and administration to effectively and efficiently use technology to improve student learning and administrative processes

• Implement a professional development plan aligned to the Tech App Educator Standards I-V. We will look at the staff development calendar and our professional development plan to ensure that we follow up on our staff development plan.
• Teachers and administrators will complete a technology self-assessment survey and the STaR Chart survey in the fall. Based on the results of these surveys, the district will create technology development opportunities for the future.

GOAL 3: Maintain and increase access to technology for students, teachers, and administrators

• The district will supply provide teachers with access to the following: smart boards, interwrite pads, clicker systems, document cameras, digital cameras (both still and motion).., etc. We will assess the inventory lists and observe the teachers utilizing these materials in the classroom.
• The district coordinator and administration will work on the increasing of the speed and accessibility of the internet on each campus.

Goal 4: Leadership and Support

• Administrators will provide mentorship to the staff over the use of technology. They will also support the use of technology amongst the staff. The administrator will keep a running log of their meetings with the staff to ensure that they have been monitoring each teacher and addressing their needs.
• Administrators will provide the staff with a guideline for technology assistance.

As we look over the use and need for technology within our districts and on our campuses, one must wonder what are our goals and how do we plan on meeting our goals? It is my opinion that we can meet our goals either simplistically or with a sense of complexity. Regardless of our approach, we are in desperate times when it comes to technology use in our districts. Our students are consistently growing as digital-citizens while many of us remain as digital-immigrants. We, the educators, must remain consistent in the use of technology in our classrooms. We must provide feedback and learn from our documentation devices. Administrators must ensure us that they are taking care of our technological needs. I feel that we will improve on our use of technology. After all, those who are leaders will look to the future and address the needs of tomorrow.

Columbus Junior High

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Columbus Junior High

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Week 2, Assignment 2: Educator Preparation and Development

Educator Preparation and Development basically means that since educators will be held accountable in effectively educating the 21st Century learner in technology and other information-rich material, they need to be prepared and have an understanding of the technology that is used and available for classroom use. Some of the guidelines that are addressed in this area are professional development experiences, models of professional development, capabilities of educators, and access to professional development. We have a responsibility to our students and stakeholders to prepare students through the use of technology and for the use of technology. We have teachers that are taking advantage of opportunities to better themselves in field of technology.
Currently, colleges/universities are making it a point of having students that are going into education take preparation courses in the use of technology in the classroom. It is imperative that they are able to meet the technology standards set before them. They are also making it a point to show students how technology relates to the other core subjects. Current teachers are also being provided opportunities to attend staff development sessions on the uses of technology. Teachers are encouraged to collaborate with other teachers in the use of technology in the classroom. My district is making it a point to have more smart boards and clicker units used in the classroom. Also they are having teachers who have experience with those and other technological units to put together some inservices/professional development sessions. Nationally I believe that schools are making it a point to include technology at any and all levels. In order for that to take place it is important that the educators are being prepared.
Currently I do not have any national data, but as I look over my campus, district, and state data, it appears that we all fit under the Developing Technology label. I have checked with some of my fellow teachers and many of them usually use their technology simply for administrative reasons and maybe some power point presentations. We are in desparate need for funding to increase our availability of technology in our schools. School districts seem to struggle with their budgets. We are also lacking in professional development.
We need to make changes when it comes to technology. It needs to be affordable so that we can make it readily available to our students and teachers. Teachers must be afforded the opportunities to attend professional development for technology and then to be able to collaborate with their peers after the professional development. People must model what has been learned. It would be helpful to have our educators meet with company representatives in order to gain a better understanding of the technology the each company creates for teachers. Finally teachers shoud also be encouraged to take online professional development. If we are too be held accountable for the use of technology, then we must take the proper steps to prepare our educators.

Summary of Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS

The Pre-K TEKS establishes a simple foundation for which our children are to learn and grow. Future TEKS will grow and develop from these simple TEKS that are developed for our Pre-K students. We begin with a scaffolding curriculum with the teacher introducing the different technology skills to their students. Most students might be unaware of the tasks being addressed by their teachers. Some of the simple tasks that we wish for our Pre-K students to address are listening and interacting to electronic storybooks, moving and double-clicking the mouse to interact with software, inserting and playing a CD to listen to the music, and writing and drawing using software.
A spiraling curriculum is a curriculum that builds on prior knowledge. Our district and the state aids in the building of a spiraling curriculum in order to meet the TEKS at specific grade levels. I have a 10-year-old daughter who is displaying some expertise in technology. She easily gets on the computer and creates documents. She is also able to download appropriate material and music. She likes to use clip art and create many different pictures. My 5 -year-old son is starting to show signs of some technology literacy. I am amazed with their level of technology literacy.
As I looked over the 3rd - 5th grade Technology TEKS, I noticed some similarities with the 6th - 8th grade TEKS. At both levels they are to us technology terminology that is appropriate to task and demonstrate acceptable use of the computer. Both grade level TEKS share in the use of acquiring information using Boolean search engines. There were also multiple opportunities shared in the Solving Problems and Communication areas to master knowledge and skills on both set of TEKS. I feel that it is wonderful that we reinforce material over periods of time. We must continuously to instruct our students on new material while still requiring to utilize their previous knowledge.

Analysis of the Long-Range Plan

Even though this document was long I did enjoy reading through it. I learned some new ideas and about the goals created for technology. There were portions within different areas that seemed to reaffirm my exact thoughts pertaining to technology, teachers, students, and all stakeholders. I felt that the highlighted areas that we responded to are truly vital to one another as well as to itself. The expectations in Phase I were truly well thought out and necessary for us to build a successful generation of technologically-sound students. I was aware of our changing society, but was not truly aware of the vastness of our current and future changes. I remember how when I was a student we were pretty much taught with the idea that "what is good for some is good for all." I feel that I struggle when it comes to meeting the needs of my students. I agree that increased technology will make it easier for teachers to meet the needs of our students and make the learning process more personal. Technology is readily available, but not to all. We, educators and stakeholders, need to find a way to make it available to all of our students. The problem most of all face is funding. Why are we making something that can be so beneficial and necessary so difficult to obtain? When it comes to educators I don't feel as though it isn't that we don't want to change, but how are we going to make the change possible. Not only is funding an issue, but we also need some preparation and more professional development. I feel that we are behind in our professional development and that we need to push both government and our districts to help us out. Time, money, and instruction is very important to the success of technology in our schools. Please don't get me wrong, I know that our administrators are working hard to help implement technology. It is necessary for our channels of communication be open so that everyone is on the same page. I really enjoyed reading the section on infrastructure. That section reaffirmed my belief that without a working system there will be no success.
This document provided me with information and guidelines to help me become more aware of the need for technology. It has provided me with a guideline and understanding on how we need to address our wants and needs for technology. I am going to become more active in following our growth in technology. I plan on meeting with the technology personnel in our district and other administrators to learn more about my district's current status in the field of technology. I feel that it won't be long before technology becomes one of the core subjects.

Technology Assessments

I will be honest with you. I was having some difficulty filling out the second assessment. When it comes to technology I feel as though I am a "fish out of water." My responses to the surveys pretty much backed up my feelings about competence in the field of technology. My concern over technology is that I really don't use it that much. I have a smart board in my classroom, but the overhead projector is placed in the spot which is not beneficial for use. I try to use it once in awhile and I understand the basics of its use, but I feel as though I do not have the time to go in depth with its uses. I can perform the basic skills on the computer; such as, spreadsheets, word documents, downloading material from both websites and cds, and emails. I utilize the textbook power point presentation for my class. What I have listed pretty much sums up my strengths when it comes to technology.
As I went through the inventory I noticed that my scores were lower in the communication and solving problems with technology tools. I may not have answered the questions correctly, but at this moment I am not sure. I will say that my confidence in what I do know and what I don't know about those two sections is not high. I know that it will help me to take some courses or attend some workshops on utilizing graphics. I also know that it is imperative that I acquaint myself with the TEKS that are set up for my current grade level.
I took a deeper look over the SETDA Teacher Survey and I will be honest with in stating that my district is in need of more technology. I asked my campus technologist about the various types of technology on our campus. It was simply put to me that she takes care of the hardware, but does not actually push for the ordering of our technology. Also our district does not have the funding to go out and purchase extra technological devices. I was somewhat disappointed to hear that statement. If I were the campus administrator I would push for the need for more technology. I have noticed that there are many of our teachers who are obtaining more technological devices, but they are strictly for teacher use in their teaching. What are we doing for the students? I believe our tech course is an elective. We have two computer labs, but those computers are combined on the same server as our elementary and high school campuses. Therefore, when we are using the computers, the server is slow. Also there are no additional computers in our classrooms. We have one computer per classroom for the teachers, but no extra ones for our students. I would find several teachers who would be interested in writing grants so that we can obtain more technological devices. We are expected to keep our students up-to-date with technology, but we are unable to provide them the equipment. I would also attempt to find ways that teachers would have time to plan lessons using technology. Patience and time is necessary to put together valuable lessons, especially about technology.