Summary
This course had two main focuses:
1) leadership within the context of educational technology
2) evaluating and making decisions about educational technology
The first of these objectives, leadership within the context of educational technology, was the first part of the course as we read the book "The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity" by George Couros. In this book, we were called to be problem finders and discover which areas within our leadership skills were strongest and which areas were the weakest. To coincide with this project, we were tasked with a leadership and innovation project. For my project, I co-presented at a DSU college of education faculty Lunch & Learn session. The focus was on student perceptions of online courses. This project required me to be reflective in my previous experiences and a willing risk taker in order to present to the faculty I look up to as a developing professional.
The objective for the second half of the course, evaluating and making decisions about educational technology, was a a reflective opportunity for my own professional development when it comes to making decisions about what technology to use and why. We read the book "The EdTech Advocate's Guide to Leading Change in Schools" by Mark Gura to help drive our discussions.
As a final project of the course, we created an "Ignite Talk" to recap the information covered throughout the semester.
1) leadership within the context of educational technology
2) evaluating and making decisions about educational technology
The first of these objectives, leadership within the context of educational technology, was the first part of the course as we read the book "The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity" by George Couros. In this book, we were called to be problem finders and discover which areas within our leadership skills were strongest and which areas were the weakest. To coincide with this project, we were tasked with a leadership and innovation project. For my project, I co-presented at a DSU college of education faculty Lunch & Learn session. The focus was on student perceptions of online courses. This project required me to be reflective in my previous experiences and a willing risk taker in order to present to the faculty I look up to as a developing professional.
The objective for the second half of the course, evaluating and making decisions about educational technology, was a a reflective opportunity for my own professional development when it comes to making decisions about what technology to use and why. We read the book "The EdTech Advocate's Guide to Leading Change in Schools" by Mark Gura to help drive our discussions.
As a final project of the course, we created an "Ignite Talk" to recap the information covered throughout the semester.
Artifacts |
Textbooks |
Leadership & Innovation Project Reflection
Ignite Talk See below for a more detailed week-by-week display of learning artifacts that were compiled throughout the semester. |
The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity
— George Couros The EdTech Advocate's Guide to Leading Change in Schools — Mark Gura |
Week One (January 9-15)
What do you want to get out of this course?
I believe in order to give a meaningful answer to this question, I must reflect on how I have progressed in my own experiences as a student, including both my K-12 and post-secondary experiences. My memories as a student in elementary school are nothing out of the ordinary. I attended a private school and had a small class of 12 students. I had a mix of teachers I enjoyed quite a lot and others which led me to not care much for school. Middle school was mostly the same - I had some teachers that I felt were invested in me and my peers, and some the complete opposite. In high school, I found myself resenting school until halfway through my sophomore year. I had the most energetic and caring English teacher who truly loved what she did, and her enthusiasm spread to my peers and me. Largely thanks to this teacher, it was during this year I discovered some interests and aspirations which, in an indirect but seemingly connected way, have led me to earning a teaching degree and now continuing into a master's program.
In this course, and really for the entire MSET program, I want to learn how to be a leader in education - not only on a school-wide platform, but also on a one-on-one basis with students and/or colleagues. I don't consider myself someone who is confident in blindly leading a group in a direction towards a new focus or method, but I do think my ability to relate on an interpersonal level is meaningful in leading people, even within a small group of colleagues. I want to learn how to maximize on these strengths, especially in promoting new technologies, and be a cause for change which directly impacts learning and student achievement/growth. Using my own experiences as a student, I want to learn methods to help kids stay engaged in their education, and help them seek out their own passions and motivations for putting forth their best effort in learning.
One thing I really connected with while reading the article "The Importance of Reflection in Education" is that in the world of academics, students are oftentimes not reflective in a way that allows them to seek out their shortcomings. Additionally, due to time restrictions or for the sake of staying on a prescribed curriculum pacing schedule, teachers don't always give students these opportunities to reflect, and therefore learn from their mistakes. This idea of rushing to get through the content is something I hope to combat in my own practice, and hopefully be an example to my future colleagues. Corresponding with the idea of reflecting both as a teacher and student, in this course (and again, throughout the MSET program) I desire to learn more about instructional design and using assessment data and other measures correlating with student growth.
In this course, and really for the entire MSET program, I want to learn how to be a leader in education - not only on a school-wide platform, but also on a one-on-one basis with students and/or colleagues. I don't consider myself someone who is confident in blindly leading a group in a direction towards a new focus or method, but I do think my ability to relate on an interpersonal level is meaningful in leading people, even within a small group of colleagues. I want to learn how to maximize on these strengths, especially in promoting new technologies, and be a cause for change which directly impacts learning and student achievement/growth. Using my own experiences as a student, I want to learn methods to help kids stay engaged in their education, and help them seek out their own passions and motivations for putting forth their best effort in learning.
One thing I really connected with while reading the article "The Importance of Reflection in Education" is that in the world of academics, students are oftentimes not reflective in a way that allows them to seek out their shortcomings. Additionally, due to time restrictions or for the sake of staying on a prescribed curriculum pacing schedule, teachers don't always give students these opportunities to reflect, and therefore learn from their mistakes. This idea of rushing to get through the content is something I hope to combat in my own practice, and hopefully be an example to my future colleagues. Corresponding with the idea of reflecting both as a teacher and student, in this course (and again, throughout the MSET program) I desire to learn more about instructional design and using assessment data and other measures correlating with student growth.
Week Two (January 16-22)
What did you learn from the reading and videos?
How does it change your thinking moving forward?
This week's assigned readings and videos provided me with new perspectives on the ideas of embracing innovation, promoting creativity, and serving a a leader and voice in the age of technology. In the book Innovator's Mindset and in the video published by George Couros, I gained an overview of what an innovator's mindset is and is not. Some of the key points that stuck with me include staying ahead of trends, and that innovation starting simple — sometimes with a straightforward question — and then expanding out from there. In Ewan McIntosh's talk, he discussed the intent of schools to produce students who go onto earn high levels of education. However, when considering the statistics of how many students realistically will earn a Ph.D., it presents the disconnect between what we're teaching and where students are bound to take their education after the K-12 settings. In the TedTalk by Sir Ken Robinson, I connected with a lot of what he said regarding schools killing creativity. Having attended public school in the United States and in Italy, I have some cross-cultural comparisons that relate to his thoughts about schools. As much as I would like to see the United States, or at least my school district, put less of an emphasis on standardized test scores, I think as a nation we do a more effective job of exposing students to real-world learning opportunities (at least for math/science) than I experienced in Italy. Rote learning is more regularly promoted. I think we have some great opportunities to continue the trend towards learning experiences, and therefore promoting creativity. In the speech by Carl Bass, I learned about his idea of "New Rules of Innovation" which included five parts, those being 1) The Age of Access and Experience 2) Business Unusual 3) Digital Fabrication 4) Rise of Information 5) Infinite Computing. It was interesting to consider how these principles apply to today's students. Finally in
After reading George Couros' words about being an innovator, and listening to the four different speakers' respected opinions, moving forward I want to remain in the mindset that I must always be open to embracing the newness of education — whether that be a new teaching style, technology tool, piece of curriculum, etc. With that said, I need to be sure what I'm embracing is worthwhile and not merely for the sake of originality. As mentioned above, I connected with the speech by Sir Ken Robinson, and I want to hold myself accountable for not killing the creative minds and spirits of my students. In regards to both my teaching and my work in the MSET program, moving forward I want to embrace the ideas presented in the book, namely those of embracing failure while maintaining a sense of resilience. In my teaching and in my master's degree, it's an inevitably reality that I will have failures. It will be my reactions and attitude towards the reactions which define how much (or how little) I will learn and gain from the experience. I hope this mindset allows me to connect and relate to my students' experiences.
After reading George Couros' words about being an innovator, and listening to the four different speakers' respected opinions, moving forward I want to remain in the mindset that I must always be open to embracing the newness of education — whether that be a new teaching style, technology tool, piece of curriculum, etc. With that said, I need to be sure what I'm embracing is worthwhile and not merely for the sake of originality. As mentioned above, I connected with the speech by Sir Ken Robinson, and I want to hold myself accountable for not killing the creative minds and spirits of my students. In regards to both my teaching and my work in the MSET program, moving forward I want to embrace the ideas presented in the book, namely those of embracing failure while maintaining a sense of resilience. In my teaching and in my master's degree, it's an inevitably reality that I will have failures. It will be my reactions and attitude towards the reactions which define how much (or how little) I will learn and gain from the experience. I hope this mindset allows me to connect and relate to my students' experiences.
Week Three (January 23-29)
What are 3 key takeaways from the book thus far?
This book has already been a great tool of inspiration, motivation, and self-reflection in my teaching, my coursework, and my GA duties with the MSET Program. The questions to ponder always elicit some areas of consideration where I think I could improve my practice as a teacher or restructure my efforts and time as a student. There have been a number of takeaways from the book, but of these takeaways, I think the top three for me include:
My first of the key takeaways, adopting an innovator's mindset, is one I think we as educators all should adopt and regularly promote in our school. Prior to reading this book, I had experience with Carol Dweck's idea of a growth mindset, and George Couros' spin off of this is essentially taking the growth mindset that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed and expanding on it: these same things can then be used to create new things and make existing things better. I am not one to make a vocal impact on a school, so embracing these ideas of an innovator's mindset, and being a leader with them, is something I know I can strive to improve at doing.
In my undergraduate courses at Dakota State University, I was fortunate to have a number of inspiring teachers who helped forge me into the educator I am today. Of these strong role models, regardless of their area of expertise within the teaching field, one message always remained consistent: relationships. Regarding relationships, in chapter five the author quite simply states, "The three most important words in education are: relationships, relationships, relationships. Without them, we have nothing." Being able to connect with learners, have them understand we are there for their development as more than just students, and modeling this behavior in our teaching practices is a pedestal of any great teacher's classroom.
Finally, the last key takeaway I have so far from the book is the concept of not merely engaging learners, but empowering them, too. Having worked in the same school district for the past five years, I have seen some trends and consistent areas of emphasis within our professional development speakers, webinars, and trainings. While some trends such as instructional frameworks or different teaching strategies lack consistency in how often we discuss them, engagement is one area with common reoccurrence. The author takes the notion of engagement and adds onto it by outlining how to empower learners. Of all the key point George Couros makes in this chapter, two of the lines that stuck with me were: "School promotes surface-level thinking. Learning is about deep exploration." and "Engaging students means getting kids excited about our content, interests, curricula. Empowering students meaning giving kids the knowledge and skills to purse passions, interests, future. Kids need to be powered, not engaged." This is a powerful last line, and it makes for an interesting topic of consideration.
- adopting an innovator's mindset
- continuously strive to develop quality and respectful relationships
- empower learners each day
My first of the key takeaways, adopting an innovator's mindset, is one I think we as educators all should adopt and regularly promote in our school. Prior to reading this book, I had experience with Carol Dweck's idea of a growth mindset, and George Couros' spin off of this is essentially taking the growth mindset that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed and expanding on it: these same things can then be used to create new things and make existing things better. I am not one to make a vocal impact on a school, so embracing these ideas of an innovator's mindset, and being a leader with them, is something I know I can strive to improve at doing.
In my undergraduate courses at Dakota State University, I was fortunate to have a number of inspiring teachers who helped forge me into the educator I am today. Of these strong role models, regardless of their area of expertise within the teaching field, one message always remained consistent: relationships. Regarding relationships, in chapter five the author quite simply states, "The three most important words in education are: relationships, relationships, relationships. Without them, we have nothing." Being able to connect with learners, have them understand we are there for their development as more than just students, and modeling this behavior in our teaching practices is a pedestal of any great teacher's classroom.
Finally, the last key takeaway I have so far from the book is the concept of not merely engaging learners, but empowering them, too. Having worked in the same school district for the past five years, I have seen some trends and consistent areas of emphasis within our professional development speakers, webinars, and trainings. While some trends such as instructional frameworks or different teaching strategies lack consistency in how often we discuss them, engagement is one area with common reoccurrence. The author takes the notion of engagement and adds onto it by outlining how to empower learners. Of all the key point George Couros makes in this chapter, two of the lines that stuck with me were: "School promotes surface-level thinking. Learning is about deep exploration." and "Engaging students means getting kids excited about our content, interests, curricula. Empowering students meaning giving kids the knowledge and skills to purse passions, interests, future. Kids need to be powered, not engaged." This is a powerful last line, and it makes for an interesting topic of consideration.
Week Four (January 30-February 5)
What did you learn from the book this week?
What did you learn from the videos this week?
Week four of the course presented a number of ideas for me to consider. In addition to chapters 8-12 which outlines leadership, technology, and meaningful learning experiences, we had three TedTalks to watch from three vastly different people:
From the book, one of the key things I learned include the importance of pushing one another to grow into more effective teachers, leaders, and innovators to impact those around us. I found the information regarding managerial styles and how they are attributed to workers' disengagement. Although I'm not a manager of a large group of people, I can apply this thinking into my teaching practice with my students. Rather than ignoring their misunderstandings and focusing on areas they struggle on, I should (and can) focus on their strengths as learners to build their knowledge on the weaker areas. The perspectives given in chapter 10: "Less Is More" remind me of some of my favorite philosophical writers Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. In The Innovator's Mindset the author discusses a TedTalk in which the speaker outlines what he coins as the "Paradox of Choice" which Sartre and Camus would describe as an existential crisis of the condemnation of boundless freedom. Now, in relation to the material discussed in the book and throughout our coursework, the number of technology tools available for implementation can be overwhelming. Thus, it's important now more than ever before that we look at the purpose we desire technology to serve in the classroom and make sure it empowers, rather than inhibits, student growth and achievement.
I learned different things from each of the three speakers of the videos. From Chris Anderson, I learned that even the even the best, most well-established industries, forms of entertainment, and consumer-based businesses have to stay current and continue to evolve as the world does each day. I had never considered that a company like TedTalks needs to be pushed for new ideas; why would they, though? A seemingly straightforward approach of an expert speaker enlightening the audience on a topic that is well-received doesn't warrant evolution to me. Instead, they created TedTalk events to reach a large audience and create a global impact through smaller events like TedX and some audience-based participation pieces. In relation to education, I think this quite clearly shows we all need to be willing to evolve what it is we do, even if our methods are currently the best in the field. The minute we cease to innovate is the second we fall behind the next best idea.
I've listened to a number of Simon Sinek's speeches online, and he always does an exceptional job with his work. From this particular talk, my key takeaway was the importance of an inspiring and positive environment. He gave examples of a soldier's commitment to his comrades in battle and a manufacturing business owner's response to the 2008 recession. His inspiring thoughts are difficult to justify in my own expansion, but in an oversimplified recap, it's important beyond comparison to surround oneself with good people at school. This relates to what George Couros writes about focusing on what others are good at, rather than what they struggle with or merely ignoring them.
Listening to Kayla Delzer, an impactful educator, taught me the importance of letting students be owners of their learning. Early in her talk she gave a resonating line: "We must embrace the students of today to reimagine tomorrow." Some of the ways she has done this is through using a genius hour and the students-teach-students model, especially regarding technology. A lot of what she talked about is a result of her view that schools, teachers, administrators, etc. need to evolve their mindsets that technology can be a catalyst to students' learning. Instead of blocking or limiting their access to sites and hardware, let it be readily available for students' use. Her thoughts echo the words of Chris Anderson, but with a particular lens towards education.
- Chris Anderson - an entrepreneur, journalist, and publisher; he is most well-know as the curator of TedTalks
- Simon Sinek - a motivational speaker and author; he often discusses finding meaningfulness in the workplace
- Kayla Delzer - a teacher from North Dakota
From the book, one of the key things I learned include the importance of pushing one another to grow into more effective teachers, leaders, and innovators to impact those around us. I found the information regarding managerial styles and how they are attributed to workers' disengagement. Although I'm not a manager of a large group of people, I can apply this thinking into my teaching practice with my students. Rather than ignoring their misunderstandings and focusing on areas they struggle on, I should (and can) focus on their strengths as learners to build their knowledge on the weaker areas. The perspectives given in chapter 10: "Less Is More" remind me of some of my favorite philosophical writers Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. In The Innovator's Mindset the author discusses a TedTalk in which the speaker outlines what he coins as the "Paradox of Choice" which Sartre and Camus would describe as an existential crisis of the condemnation of boundless freedom. Now, in relation to the material discussed in the book and throughout our coursework, the number of technology tools available for implementation can be overwhelming. Thus, it's important now more than ever before that we look at the purpose we desire technology to serve in the classroom and make sure it empowers, rather than inhibits, student growth and achievement.
I learned different things from each of the three speakers of the videos. From Chris Anderson, I learned that even the even the best, most well-established industries, forms of entertainment, and consumer-based businesses have to stay current and continue to evolve as the world does each day. I had never considered that a company like TedTalks needs to be pushed for new ideas; why would they, though? A seemingly straightforward approach of an expert speaker enlightening the audience on a topic that is well-received doesn't warrant evolution to me. Instead, they created TedTalk events to reach a large audience and create a global impact through smaller events like TedX and some audience-based participation pieces. In relation to education, I think this quite clearly shows we all need to be willing to evolve what it is we do, even if our methods are currently the best in the field. The minute we cease to innovate is the second we fall behind the next best idea.
I've listened to a number of Simon Sinek's speeches online, and he always does an exceptional job with his work. From this particular talk, my key takeaway was the importance of an inspiring and positive environment. He gave examples of a soldier's commitment to his comrades in battle and a manufacturing business owner's response to the 2008 recession. His inspiring thoughts are difficult to justify in my own expansion, but in an oversimplified recap, it's important beyond comparison to surround oneself with good people at school. This relates to what George Couros writes about focusing on what others are good at, rather than what they struggle with or merely ignoring them.
Listening to Kayla Delzer, an impactful educator, taught me the importance of letting students be owners of their learning. Early in her talk she gave a resonating line: "We must embrace the students of today to reimagine tomorrow." Some of the ways she has done this is through using a genius hour and the students-teach-students model, especially regarding technology. A lot of what she talked about is a result of her view that schools, teachers, administrators, etc. need to evolve their mindsets that technology can be a catalyst to students' learning. Instead of blocking or limiting their access to sites and hardware, let it be readily available for students' use. Her thoughts echo the words of Chris Anderson, but with a particular lens towards education.
Week Five (February 6-12)
What was your thought process?
What process did you go through to create the visual?
Why did you include certain things in your visual?
My thought process was to break the organization of the information (which I used the Popplet software to do) into four parts, just as the book Innovator's Mindset by George Couros did in his book.
Regarding the process I took to create this graphic organizer, I started with part one (highlighted in green) and review which of my notes/annotations were of the most value to be included in this project. I completed this for the next three parts of the book, and at the end I followed the pattern of this flow chart to see if the content and descriptions were coherent. I went back and added a few more pieces that I felt were missing. I included things such as the numbered lists (things to look for in a classroom, behaviors of the innovator's mindset, etc.) for a quick reference. Overall, I tried to make this Popplet with short explanations and/or bits of information rather than lengthy descriptions, as I believe this method is easier to follow and it covers more of the information discussed in the book. |
Week Six (February 13-19)
Leadership & Innovation Project
Week Seven (February 20-26)
How does technology improve teaching and learning in your school?
What are some areas in which this could be improved?
How do you go about making decisions about what technology to use in your classroom or school?
Having attended school in Madison as a K-12 student, and having worked there for four years as a paraprofessional and the past school year as a teacher, I have experienced the impact that technology has had on student learning. We have been a one-to-one district since I was in middle school, so the accessibility alone has been valuable. Reflecting on what I did with technology has a student compared to the place technology has in the classroom now, I can see a lot of growth in the past half decade. In my school, a lot of the teachers has transitioned to online textbooks, digital content delivery, and the use of Google Classroom. Another way technology has potential to impact teaching and learning in our schools is through the use of NWEA assessments which students take three times a year.
I think the collaboration portion of the way my school uses technology could be improved. With the invention of web-based softwares that allow multiple users access to editing and viewing documents, we should continue to transition to these formats. This might not seem essential to impacting the students' learning, but I would argue it does, as the more collaborative we are among staff, the more we can make informed decisions about what students needs are. I think that the more we professional development we have with the NWEA assessments results the more impact it can have on our teaching.
I have a few different things I think about when evaluating the use of technology in the classroom. First, I consider what the technology is being used in place of (whether this be paper, another technology tool, etc.) and if the implementation of that software or tool will have a meaningful effect. I then think about how sustainable using that tool is. If it will only be used one time I don't usually find it to be beneficial because of the time required in the startup portion of using a tool. Lastly, I think about how this tool can be used throughout the school (not just in my classroom.) If what I'm doing can be used in more than just my teaching, I'm glad to share and encourage my colleagues to explore its use in their teaching as well.
I think the collaboration portion of the way my school uses technology could be improved. With the invention of web-based softwares that allow multiple users access to editing and viewing documents, we should continue to transition to these formats. This might not seem essential to impacting the students' learning, but I would argue it does, as the more collaborative we are among staff, the more we can make informed decisions about what students needs are. I think that the more we professional development we have with the NWEA assessments results the more impact it can have on our teaching.
I have a few different things I think about when evaluating the use of technology in the classroom. First, I consider what the technology is being used in place of (whether this be paper, another technology tool, etc.) and if the implementation of that software or tool will have a meaningful effect. I then think about how sustainable using that tool is. If it will only be used one time I don't usually find it to be beneficial because of the time required in the startup portion of using a tool. Lastly, I think about how this tool can be used throughout the school (not just in my classroom.) If what I'm doing can be used in more than just my teaching, I'm glad to share and encourage my colleagues to explore its use in their teaching as well.
Week Eight (February 27-March 12)
Select one of the frameworks/models you learned about above that really resonates with you and your work. Reflect on what you liked about it and how you think it could have an impact on your work.
The model I selected for this week's blog entry is the TPACK model. TPACK is made up of a number of individual components, including Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Content Knowledge (CK), and Technology Knowledge (TK). These components are combined to make Technological-Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological-Content Knowledge (TCK), and Pedagogical-Content Knowledge (PCK). When combining each of the three components into one, the TPACK acronym is formed: Technological-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge.
What I like about this model is that none of the three components are viewed as more important than the others. The key to good teaching is being strong in content knowledge, building relationships, and having research-backed instructional strategies, using technology in an effective way is no different. The TPACK model requires a combination of technology knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge. This can have an impact on my work by my efforts of a more intentional planning approach. By considering the knowledge I want my students to gain (content), what strategies I will use to teach them (pedagogy), and how technology can empower their learning (technological), I can make the learning experiences in my classroom more meaningful. |
Week Nine (March 13-19)
What did you learn from Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of our textbook?
The two assigned chapters from The Tech Advocate's Guide to Leading Change in Schools by Mark Gura provided both an overview of important pieces to consider when developing a vision for the use of technology in a school, and then putting that vision into action within classrooms.
Prior to starting my undergraduate degree at DSU and continuing into the MSET program, I had limited knowledge on technology plans and their place in the school. Thus, from chapter 5, I learned how to arrive at a technology plan that is grounded in principles that are vital to the use of technology that enhances learning rather than acting as a time filler. Gura talks about having "purpose and function" within the vision of technology use, and that vision should answer two simple but important questions: 1) What will the use of the technology accomplish for the school? 2) What will the school accomplish with technology?
Having a sound vision for technology use is not worth the time is took to create it if the plan itself doesn't receive proper implementation to affect student learning in a positive manner. The Japanese Proverb quoted at the beginning of the chapter is a good way to think about using the vision statement: "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." Just as educators, even the most skilled ones, don't take for granted the value of lesson planning, the use of technology in schools shouldn't be a passive thought. Proper implementation requires goal setting, curriculum planning, and ongoing opportunities for professional development. Lastly, decisions on what technology to implement, how to set up the planning or the curriculum, and what kinds of professional development are needed should not be a decision made by one person. Instead, the decision should take into consideration the opinions of the members of the staff and/or technology team.
Prior to starting my undergraduate degree at DSU and continuing into the MSET program, I had limited knowledge on technology plans and their place in the school. Thus, from chapter 5, I learned how to arrive at a technology plan that is grounded in principles that are vital to the use of technology that enhances learning rather than acting as a time filler. Gura talks about having "purpose and function" within the vision of technology use, and that vision should answer two simple but important questions: 1) What will the use of the technology accomplish for the school? 2) What will the school accomplish with technology?
Having a sound vision for technology use is not worth the time is took to create it if the plan itself doesn't receive proper implementation to affect student learning in a positive manner. The Japanese Proverb quoted at the beginning of the chapter is a good way to think about using the vision statement: "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." Just as educators, even the most skilled ones, don't take for granted the value of lesson planning, the use of technology in schools shouldn't be a passive thought. Proper implementation requires goal setting, curriculum planning, and ongoing opportunities for professional development. Lastly, decisions on what technology to implement, how to set up the planning or the curriculum, and what kinds of professional development are needed should not be a decision made by one person. Instead, the decision should take into consideration the opinions of the members of the staff and/or technology team.
Week Ten (March 20-26)
"Big Picture" Infographic and ReflectionThinking about the "big picture" of how technology is used in the classroom and throughout schools made me take an intentional look at the role it plays in my own practice.
Under the "resources" section of the infographic, I broke them into three categories: websites, apps, and hardware. I had originally included another section of software, but I had a difficult time deciding where to categorize various resources since a number of softwares overlap as websites and apps. At the bottom of the "resources" block, I included a small graphic which outlines my approach to resources: creating a vision, intentional implementation, and thoughtful reflection to measure the effectiveness. The book stated the next section as "approaches" but I felt it was more fitting to term it as "teaching and learning." In my own practice, I use adaptive learning and project-based learning quite often. Adaptive learning in my classroom takes place with the use of two programs: Imagine Learning Literacy and Imagine Math. Project-based learning is a way for me to expose newcomer English learners to real-world situations that require critical thinking and allows them to learn a functional use of English. Both adaptive learning and project-based learning are improved through the effective use of technology. I would like to implement the approaches of student online research and game-based learning, which are both mentioned in Mark Guro's "The EdTech Advocate's Guide to Leading Change in Schools." The third section of the infographic was created as a way to show how resources and approaches to teaching and learning result in practices, namely student portfolios and student creations. Under student portfolios, I included SeeSaw, Google Classroom, and Blogs. These three are great ways for students to display their work for others; each of these tools promotes the idea of a wider audience. Adobe Spark, Educreations, and Canva are all great ways for students to express themselves creatively. Lastly, I included a quote from page 87 of the text. The extended version is: "If the change agent is going to play a key role in bringing about a profound, needed change, his/her understanding of that change is essential. Also helpful is a sympathetic view of the resistance to change—especially to the integration of education technologies—and knowledge of methods for addressing or overcoming this resistance." To put it in more concise words, we as technology leaders need to have the vision, knowledge, and ability to guide others. Additionally, we need to exhibit patience for those hesitant to changes, and help them see the benefits. |