A Reflection on my Graduate Experience
As I began this degree program I wondered if perhaps I had waited too long into my career to pursue an advanced degree in technology. Since I completed my bachelor’s degree I have taken numerous classes dealing with subject that interested me at the time and I have constantly been teaching myself new skills or working to improve skills that I already have. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner and I have been a firm believer in the observation made by Eric Hoffer that in times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. (Hoffer 1951) This observation is absolutely the situation many people find themselves in at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. My ability to successfully complete this degree program shows me that I am still very much the learner.
Something that I have wondered about for several years is whether I would enjoy participating in an online learning environment. If I am going to be a technology leader and innovator on my campus and in my district, it is important to me that I have participated in the learning environment that I am asking my students to join. This program has proven to me that I can perform well in this learning environment and I am convinced that there is a genuine application for this type of learning not only in secondary and post secondary education but used correctly there will be opportunities for the upper elementary levels as well.
As an early adopter of technology, I have been using technology in my classrooms for many years. When I left the classroom I was well prepared to take on technology training for my campus and my district. I have always tried to keep up to date with the current technology in use and I feel that being current has given me the ability to present training to my students and to my colleagues in a manner that they can learn and make it relevant to them. Another advantage that I feel that I have is my age and experience. Many teachers feel that a trainer with more experience can do a better job of training. What is the commercial says about having a little grey hair – it shows that I have the experience and the knowledge to do the job. I have been told by people who have attended trainings that I have presented that they know that I am enjoying myself and that I feel that this training is important. (J. Stutzman personal communication March 2010) I am quite sure that I could not continue to do the job that I am doing if I did not feel that it was important to my students and colleagues and if I did not enjoy what I was doing.
Eric Hoffer, (1951), The True Believer, New York: Harper and Row
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
TF/TL Standards III & IV
Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum
The Technology Facilitator Standard III focuses on the role of technology in teaching and learning. The standard outlines how school technologists influence teaching and learning from another strategic direction -- the curriculum. (Williamson & Redish, 2009) As technology facilitators and leaders implement TF/TL III, they will find a strong disconnect between the ways technology is used for teaching and learning and the ways students use technology in their own personal lives. (2009)
In EDLD 5306 I spend a good deal of time looking at the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, and it is clear that the education leaders in Texas are aware of the disconnect and are working to bring about changes to the public school systems in the state to deal with the problems. As I look through the individual standards presented in the Texas plan there is a strong correlation between what is said there and what is set forth in the ISTE guidelines.
In TF-III.A.1-5 the standards address the the methodologies and strategies for teaching concepts and skills that support integration of technology productivity tools (III.A.1), support the integration throughout the curriculum (III.A.2), support the integration of research tools (III.A.3),, support integration of problem-solving/decision-making tools (III.A.4), support use of media-based tools such as television, studio, print media, and graphics, (III.A.5), Support use of distance learning systems appropriate in a school environment (III.A.6), and support use of Web-based and non Web-based authoring tools in a school environment. (III.A.7) (2009) All of these standards are specifically and directly addressed by the Technology Applications TEKS that have been established by TEA for all grade levels Pre-K through 12.
The balance of the objectives within standard III focus upon subsets of learners within the educational environment. As the move toward inclusion has increased we are more often seeing student within the school environment who can function well as long as some accommodations are made for alternate learning styles. Objective III.B.1 focuses on integrating technology resources that support the needs of diverse learners including adaptive and assistive technologies. (2009) Objective III.C.1 addresses the teaching of problem-solving principals and skills using technology resources while III.D.1 focuses on strategies for teaching technology concepts and skills in individual, small group, classroom, and/or lab settings. (2009) Objective III.E.1 & 2 focus upon describing and identifying curricular methods and strategies that are aligned with district/region/state/national content and technology standards and on the use of technology in education to support integration throughout the curriculum. (2009).
All of these objectives address the crucial need for the educational systems in the United States and particularly in the State of Texas to address the changing learning styles of students in the 21st century and to make the necessary changes to the educational process to meet the needs and expectations of the student population.
Assessment and Evaluation
TF/TL Standard IV addresses the ever growing importance of skilled use of assessment and evaluation of both students and teachers. This standard highlights the unique and critical roles that instructional technologists must assume in this area. (2009) The authors highlight four key areas of focus at the district, state, and national level. These include:
1. Using technology to assess students learning of core academic contend and to differentiate instruction based on students' individual learning needs
2. Assessing student technology literacy
3. Using technology to collect, analyze, interpret, and report all types of data, including student achievement data, for the purpose of school improvement
4. Evaluating the implementation of technology programs, including the impact of technology on student learning, for the purpose of accountability and program improvement (2009)
The objectives for standard IV address the use of technology tools to assess student learning of subject matte using a variety of assessment techniques (IV.A.1) and using technology to improve learning and instruction through the evaluation and assessment of artifacts and data (IV.A.2). The importance of the collection and analysis of data is addressed in objective IV.B.1 as it relates to using data for the improvement of instructional practice and to maximize student learning. (2009) Finally objective IV.C.1 addresses the use of recommended evaluation strategies for improving student's use of technology resources for learning, communications, and productivity. (2009) It seems that the crux of standard IV is to focus on technology as a tool of student learning but more importantly to focus on technology as a tool for evaluation of students performance by such means as on-line testing at the district and perhaps the state level with the eventual administration of high stakes tests such as the TAKS on line.
Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and be Able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology Education
The Technology Facilitator Standard III focuses on the role of technology in teaching and learning. The standard outlines how school technologists influence teaching and learning from another strategic direction -- the curriculum. (Williamson & Redish, 2009) As technology facilitators and leaders implement TF/TL III, they will find a strong disconnect between the ways technology is used for teaching and learning and the ways students use technology in their own personal lives. (2009)
In EDLD 5306 I spend a good deal of time looking at the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, and it is clear that the education leaders in Texas are aware of the disconnect and are working to bring about changes to the public school systems in the state to deal with the problems. As I look through the individual standards presented in the Texas plan there is a strong correlation between what is said there and what is set forth in the ISTE guidelines.
In TF-III.A.1-5 the standards address the the methodologies and strategies for teaching concepts and skills that support integration of technology productivity tools (III.A.1), support the integration throughout the curriculum (III.A.2), support the integration of research tools (III.A.3),, support integration of problem-solving/decision-making tools (III.A.4), support use of media-based tools such as television, studio, print media, and graphics, (III.A.5), Support use of distance learning systems appropriate in a school environment (III.A.6), and support use of Web-based and non Web-based authoring tools in a school environment. (III.A.7) (2009) All of these standards are specifically and directly addressed by the Technology Applications TEKS that have been established by TEA for all grade levels Pre-K through 12.
The balance of the objectives within standard III focus upon subsets of learners within the educational environment. As the move toward inclusion has increased we are more often seeing student within the school environment who can function well as long as some accommodations are made for alternate learning styles. Objective III.B.1 focuses on integrating technology resources that support the needs of diverse learners including adaptive and assistive technologies. (2009) Objective III.C.1 addresses the teaching of problem-solving principals and skills using technology resources while III.D.1 focuses on strategies for teaching technology concepts and skills in individual, small group, classroom, and/or lab settings. (2009) Objective III.E.1 & 2 focus upon describing and identifying curricular methods and strategies that are aligned with district/region/state/national content and technology standards and on the use of technology in education to support integration throughout the curriculum. (2009).
All of these objectives address the crucial need for the educational systems in the United States and particularly in the State of Texas to address the changing learning styles of students in the 21st century and to make the necessary changes to the educational process to meet the needs and expectations of the student population.
Assessment and Evaluation
TF/TL Standard IV addresses the ever growing importance of skilled use of assessment and evaluation of both students and teachers. This standard highlights the unique and critical roles that instructional technologists must assume in this area. (2009) The authors highlight four key areas of focus at the district, state, and national level. These include:
1. Using technology to assess students learning of core academic contend and to differentiate instruction based on students' individual learning needs
2. Assessing student technology literacy
3. Using technology to collect, analyze, interpret, and report all types of data, including student achievement data, for the purpose of school improvement
4. Evaluating the implementation of technology programs, including the impact of technology on student learning, for the purpose of accountability and program improvement (2009)
The objectives for standard IV address the use of technology tools to assess student learning of subject matte using a variety of assessment techniques (IV.A.1) and using technology to improve learning and instruction through the evaluation and assessment of artifacts and data (IV.A.2). The importance of the collection and analysis of data is addressed in objective IV.B.1 as it relates to using data for the improvement of instructional practice and to maximize student learning. (2009) Finally objective IV.C.1 addresses the use of recommended evaluation strategies for improving student's use of technology resources for learning, communications, and productivity. (2009) It seems that the crux of standard IV is to focus on technology as a tool of student learning but more importantly to focus on technology as a tool for evaluation of students performance by such means as on-line testing at the district and perhaps the state level with the eventual administration of high stakes tests such as the TAKS on line.
Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and be Able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology Education
Sunday, September 5, 2010
A Vision of Educational Technology
What the Technology Future May Hold for LPISD
Looking at the classroom of the near future will, in many respects, be very much like looking at the classroom of today with, hopefully, one glaring exception. The classroom of the near future should be much more technology rich than the classroom of today. For the purposes of this assignment I am choosing look at the district in which I work and to make some prediction and assumptions about where we will be in the near term future of five to ten years.
Our students today are already very sophisticated in the ways that they use technology to communicate with their peers and teachers need to incorporate this sophistication into the educational domain by encouraging students to work collaboratively. One important factor that teachers must remember is that collaborative inquiry is not having students fill out worksheets together. Rather collaborative inquiry is students using collective intelligence to work through a variety of situations and problems to get a common solution (Gerber 2009). Students would be as likely to communicate with students from another country as they would be to communicate with their own classmates to collaborate on a particular problem or issue.
With the sophistication of today’s personal electronics, many students are able to utilize their cell phone not only as a personal communications device but also as a means to stay connected to the world at large. The manufacturers of mobile devises are keenly aware of the needs of the educational community and they are paying attention to the needs of schools as new models are geared for educational markets with increased screen size and durable designs (Rice 2009). Unfortunately, the use of mobiles continues to be restricted by polocies tht prevent many schools from taking advantage of them as tools for teaching and learning. (Johnson, L. et al 2010) School districts like mine have begun to look at the second generation netbooks as a possible solution to providing every student with the computing power that they will need in the future.
This will become an even more critical consideration as we move forward with providing more cost effective application and network usage with the development of “Cloud Computing”. The Texas Legislature has already enacted and the governor has signed HB 4294 which allows for the purchase of electronic textbooks in the state. The benefit of electronic texts is that textbooks are notoriously difficult to update, and purchasing cycles can take years to complete (Rice 2009). By providing student with a device that can readily access all of their textbooks any time any where schools can be much more effective in meeting the needs of their students. Beyond the classroom walls, students can take advantage of online resources, explore ideas and practice skills using games and other programs they may have on systems at home, and interact with their extensive and constantly available social networks. (2010)
Let’s imagine a science student equipped with a district provided netbook collaborating on a lab assignment where the tools that they are using will communicate directly with programs on the netbook. If a student is using a triple beam balance to determine the mass of a particular sample, the data will be recorded in the data sheet set up by the student on their netbook. In a physics class the student could be using the accelerometer on their iPhone to measure the vibrations of a simulated earthquake in an applet called iSeismo and then sending the data to their laptop to be incorporated into graph or spreadsheet.
As the sophistication of electronic devices continues to develop it is entirely possible that there will be a greater push for the development of entire virtual classroom and schools. From a cost standpoint virtualization makes a lot of sense for many school districts. For schools, the costs of using virtual instruction can be considerably less expensive: an average of $4300 per full time student versus $9100 (Devaney, 2009). So as student fine tune their personal web they can focus even more clearly on their personal education both within the traditional classroom and within the virtual classroom of the near future.
Devaney, L. Study: Virtual schools can help cut costs. eSchool News (Online) Retrieved 8 Feb. 2010.
Gerber, Hannah R. Lessons in Literacy 2.0 TechEdge Winter 2010 14-18
Rice, John The Future of Ed Tech 2009 TechEdge Summer 2009 20-21
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Levine, A., Haywood, K., 2010. 2010 Horizion Report; K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium
Looking at the classroom of the near future will, in many respects, be very much like looking at the classroom of today with, hopefully, one glaring exception. The classroom of the near future should be much more technology rich than the classroom of today. For the purposes of this assignment I am choosing look at the district in which I work and to make some prediction and assumptions about where we will be in the near term future of five to ten years.
Our students today are already very sophisticated in the ways that they use technology to communicate with their peers and teachers need to incorporate this sophistication into the educational domain by encouraging students to work collaboratively. One important factor that teachers must remember is that collaborative inquiry is not having students fill out worksheets together. Rather collaborative inquiry is students using collective intelligence to work through a variety of situations and problems to get a common solution (Gerber 2009). Students would be as likely to communicate with students from another country as they would be to communicate with their own classmates to collaborate on a particular problem or issue.
With the sophistication of today’s personal electronics, many students are able to utilize their cell phone not only as a personal communications device but also as a means to stay connected to the world at large. The manufacturers of mobile devises are keenly aware of the needs of the educational community and they are paying attention to the needs of schools as new models are geared for educational markets with increased screen size and durable designs (Rice 2009). Unfortunately, the use of mobiles continues to be restricted by polocies tht prevent many schools from taking advantage of them as tools for teaching and learning. (Johnson, L. et al 2010) School districts like mine have begun to look at the second generation netbooks as a possible solution to providing every student with the computing power that they will need in the future.
This will become an even more critical consideration as we move forward with providing more cost effective application and network usage with the development of “Cloud Computing”. The Texas Legislature has already enacted and the governor has signed HB 4294 which allows for the purchase of electronic textbooks in the state. The benefit of electronic texts is that textbooks are notoriously difficult to update, and purchasing cycles can take years to complete (Rice 2009). By providing student with a device that can readily access all of their textbooks any time any where schools can be much more effective in meeting the needs of their students. Beyond the classroom walls, students can take advantage of online resources, explore ideas and practice skills using games and other programs they may have on systems at home, and interact with their extensive and constantly available social networks. (2010)
Let’s imagine a science student equipped with a district provided netbook collaborating on a lab assignment where the tools that they are using will communicate directly with programs on the netbook. If a student is using a triple beam balance to determine the mass of a particular sample, the data will be recorded in the data sheet set up by the student on their netbook. In a physics class the student could be using the accelerometer on their iPhone to measure the vibrations of a simulated earthquake in an applet called iSeismo and then sending the data to their laptop to be incorporated into graph or spreadsheet.
As the sophistication of electronic devices continues to develop it is entirely possible that there will be a greater push for the development of entire virtual classroom and schools. From a cost standpoint virtualization makes a lot of sense for many school districts. For schools, the costs of using virtual instruction can be considerably less expensive: an average of $4300 per full time student versus $9100 (Devaney, 2009). So as student fine tune their personal web they can focus even more clearly on their personal education both within the traditional classroom and within the virtual classroom of the near future.
Devaney, L. Study: Virtual schools can help cut costs. eSchool News (Online) Retrieved 8 Feb. 2010.
Gerber, Hannah R. Lessons in Literacy 2.0 TechEdge Winter 2010 14-18
Rice, John The Future of Ed Tech 2009 TechEdge Summer 2009 20-21
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Levine, A., Haywood, K., 2010. 2010 Horizion Report; K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium
EDLD 5364 - Teaching with Technology
Teaching with Technology
The assignment in EDLD 5364 required that I work with a group of my fellow students, who I did not know, and that we collaborate to create a technology rich lesson that addressed all of the learning styles of our students as well as addressed the learning objectives of the unit. I worked with Matt MacVeigh, Gathern Jones, David Satcher, and Luis Alba and Matt MacVeigh volunteered to be our team leader and created our Google Docs site where we deposited and shared our ideas and created information that we needed. We chose to create a unit that addressed junior high school / middle school English Language Arts and give students the opportunity to use their technology skills creatively while meeting TEKS learning objectives as well. We worked to create a learning environment that addressed all of the learning styles of students as well a developing a staff development piece to make the teachers comfortable with the implementation of the unit.
The action plan developed by our team can be viewed at https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARc1Nr4Qc6QlZGdycDdzMnBfMTA4ZHE1NzhtY2g&hl=en and our completed assignment can be viewed at the Cast Lesson Builder site http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=view&book=22384&page=1. Please visit these sites to see our planning and also the final product of our efforts.
The assignment in EDLD 5364 required that I work with a group of my fellow students, who I did not know, and that we collaborate to create a technology rich lesson that addressed all of the learning styles of our students as well as addressed the learning objectives of the unit. I worked with Matt MacVeigh, Gathern Jones, David Satcher, and Luis Alba and Matt MacVeigh volunteered to be our team leader and created our Google Docs site where we deposited and shared our ideas and created information that we needed. We chose to create a unit that addressed junior high school / middle school English Language Arts and give students the opportunity to use their technology skills creatively while meeting TEKS learning objectives as well. We worked to create a learning environment that addressed all of the learning styles of students as well a developing a staff development piece to make the teachers comfortable with the implementation of the unit.
The action plan developed by our team can be viewed at https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARc1Nr4Qc6QlZGdycDdzMnBfMTA4ZHE1NzhtY2g&hl=en and our completed assignment can be viewed at the Cast Lesson Builder site http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=view&book=22384&page=1. Please visit these sites to see our planning and also the final product of our efforts.
EDLD 5362 -- Information Systems Management
Information Systems Management
This course was for me one of the most interesting in the entire curriculum. I was required to make an in depth examination of our district student information system (SIS). As a part of that examination I was ask to look as all aspects of the system and its workings. This was a particularly interesting assignment because we were in the process of transitioning from one SIS - SASI to a different SIS - eSchool and as a result there were a number of unknown factors that had to be taken into consideration. As a part of my research I sat down with our district programmer, C.C. Wu, who was responsible for the maintenance of our SIS. I was particularly interested in how effective the SIS was in providing the data that the district needed to stay in compliance with the State of Texas and also how much effort was involved in maintaining the integrity of the system and providing the data that was needed by district administrators as well as the teachers. What I found was that SASI has had a proven track record for several years in term of reliability and robustness. Mr. Wu pointed out that SASI is particularly easy to manage because of the organization of the program. In addition he stated that staff development training on the program has been very successful for the past several years and the staff in general seems to be very pleased with the data that can be extracted. The initial cost of the program is quite substantial and the yearly renewals also add to the total cost of ownership for the program but when looking at the cost benefit ratio it seems that overall the satisfaction is really quite good for the entire program package.
This course was for me one of the most interesting in the entire curriculum. I was required to make an in depth examination of our district student information system (SIS). As a part of that examination I was ask to look as all aspects of the system and its workings. This was a particularly interesting assignment because we were in the process of transitioning from one SIS - SASI to a different SIS - eSchool and as a result there were a number of unknown factors that had to be taken into consideration. As a part of my research I sat down with our district programmer, C.C. Wu, who was responsible for the maintenance of our SIS. I was particularly interested in how effective the SIS was in providing the data that the district needed to stay in compliance with the State of Texas and also how much effort was involved in maintaining the integrity of the system and providing the data that was needed by district administrators as well as the teachers. What I found was that SASI has had a proven track record for several years in term of reliability and robustness. Mr. Wu pointed out that SASI is particularly easy to manage because of the organization of the program. In addition he stated that staff development training on the program has been very successful for the past several years and the staff in general seems to be very pleased with the data that can be extracted. The initial cost of the program is quite substantial and the yearly renewals also add to the total cost of ownership for the program but when looking at the cost benefit ratio it seems that overall the satisfaction is really quite good for the entire program package.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Second Web Conference
This week's web conference was very helpful for me because I am still playing catch-up and Dr. Mason was very helpful with her suggestions and feedback on the work that has been done so far.
TF/TL Standard I & II
Technology Operations and Concepts
Educational technology facilitators demonstrate an in-depth understanding of technology operations and concepts. (Williamson & Redish, 2009)
This standard focuses on the ability of technology facilitators and leaders to possess the fundamental understanding and skills needed to operate specific technologies and understand the concepts associated with technology use. (2009) The first indicator (TF-I.A.1) addresses assisting teachers in the ongoing development of knowledge, skills, and understanding of technology systems, resources and services that are aligned with district and state technology plans. (2009) During my course of study I have facilitated or assisted with several professional development sessions relating to the implementation of our new student information system (SIS) and our migration to a new network domain. I assisted with the set-up and distribution of new laptops to 90% of our current faculty and I was directly involved with assisting teachers in migrating their documents and data to the new platforms. The second indicator (TF-I.A.2) addresses providing assistance to teachers in identifying technology systems, resources, and services to meet specific learning needs. (2009) At the beginning of this school year I conducted several teacher in services on the implementation and use of the Mimio interactive board system as well as the utilization of newly installed digital projectors and sound systems in all of our classrooms. The third indicator (TF-I.B.1) calls for leaders to model appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of the understanding of technology operations and concepts. I have modeled a number of uses for a variety of software and hardware solutions that have been implemented in many of my classes. I facilitated the implementation of a project with third grade students to create an oral history project by interviewing family members and creating a podcast of the information they obtained. By using programs such as Audacity, PhotoStory3, and MovieMaker I have been able to assist teachers and students with the development of many projects.
Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences
Educational technology facilitators plan, design, and model effective learning environments and multiple experiences supported by technology. (2009) This standard focuses on the ability of the technology facilitator to plan and execute effective learning environments for their students. Part A of the standard focuses on providing the developmentally appropriate learning opportunities by focusing on the needs of the teachers as they plan and prepare lessons. In 2009 my district adopted the CSCOPE curriculum and I devoted a great deal of time to working with individual teachers and with grade levels correlating their CSCOPE lessons with appropriate technology. This was particularly important since the developers of CSCOPE have chose not to integrate technology into their curriculum structure. Part B of the standard focuses on applying current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences. (2009) As with part A I spent a great deal of time developing the technology component of lessons that teachers needed. Indicators C, D, E, and F all place emphasis on assisting teachers with the development of age appropriate and curricular appropriate lessons that enhance the learning environment for students. As stated above, I facilitated the presentation of a number of lessons which were technology rich and addressed specific curricular goals within CSCOPE. One of particular interest involved 5th grade math students creating 3 to 5 minute videos demonstrating examples of geometric shapes specified in the mathematics TEKS for 5th grade. These videos were created using Flip cameras and were edited using Windows MovieMaker. The videos were then presented in class to demonstrate that the students understood each of the geometric shapes.
Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009) ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and be Able to do Eugene Or. International Society for Technology in Education
Educational technology facilitators demonstrate an in-depth understanding of technology operations and concepts. (Williamson & Redish, 2009)
This standard focuses on the ability of technology facilitators and leaders to possess the fundamental understanding and skills needed to operate specific technologies and understand the concepts associated with technology use. (2009) The first indicator (TF-I.A.1) addresses assisting teachers in the ongoing development of knowledge, skills, and understanding of technology systems, resources and services that are aligned with district and state technology plans. (2009) During my course of study I have facilitated or assisted with several professional development sessions relating to the implementation of our new student information system (SIS) and our migration to a new network domain. I assisted with the set-up and distribution of new laptops to 90% of our current faculty and I was directly involved with assisting teachers in migrating their documents and data to the new platforms. The second indicator (TF-I.A.2) addresses providing assistance to teachers in identifying technology systems, resources, and services to meet specific learning needs. (2009) At the beginning of this school year I conducted several teacher in services on the implementation and use of the Mimio interactive board system as well as the utilization of newly installed digital projectors and sound systems in all of our classrooms. The third indicator (TF-I.B.1) calls for leaders to model appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of the understanding of technology operations and concepts. I have modeled a number of uses for a variety of software and hardware solutions that have been implemented in many of my classes. I facilitated the implementation of a project with third grade students to create an oral history project by interviewing family members and creating a podcast of the information they obtained. By using programs such as Audacity, PhotoStory3, and MovieMaker I have been able to assist teachers and students with the development of many projects.
Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences
Educational technology facilitators plan, design, and model effective learning environments and multiple experiences supported by technology. (2009) This standard focuses on the ability of the technology facilitator to plan and execute effective learning environments for their students. Part A of the standard focuses on providing the developmentally appropriate learning opportunities by focusing on the needs of the teachers as they plan and prepare lessons. In 2009 my district adopted the CSCOPE curriculum and I devoted a great deal of time to working with individual teachers and with grade levels correlating their CSCOPE lessons with appropriate technology. This was particularly important since the developers of CSCOPE have chose not to integrate technology into their curriculum structure. Part B of the standard focuses on applying current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences. (2009) As with part A I spent a great deal of time developing the technology component of lessons that teachers needed. Indicators C, D, E, and F all place emphasis on assisting teachers with the development of age appropriate and curricular appropriate lessons that enhance the learning environment for students. As stated above, I facilitated the presentation of a number of lessons which were technology rich and addressed specific curricular goals within CSCOPE. One of particular interest involved 5th grade math students creating 3 to 5 minute videos demonstrating examples of geometric shapes specified in the mathematics TEKS for 5th grade. These videos were created using Flip cameras and were edited using Windows MovieMaker. The videos were then presented in class to demonstrate that the students understood each of the geometric shapes.
Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009) ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and be Able to do Eugene Or. International Society for Technology in Education
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