EDLD Course Reflection

      EDLD 5306 Concepts of technology was my first graduate school course. I envisioned it to be a rigorous learning experience. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I had prepared to dive in to technology and fine-tune my skills. We indeed did just that. We dove in head-first and I learned about more aspects of technology than I had ever dreamed. It was a fast paced but very thorough course. The course was laid out in a very detailed manor to allow us to efficiently transition from activity to activity. Through all of the web 2.0 skills that we were exposed to I was able to really get my skills into shape. The WORDLE was a great editing tool, the blog was a great way to learn new forms of communication, and the video was a valuable asset to my skills as well. That being said, the outcome of this course was in perfect sync with my expectations.

     I think I am at a mid-level of knowledge of the activities in the class, and with constant integration in my classroom those skill levels will increase. As I teach pre-k, it is hard to incorporate all that I learned, but through my internship I will be teaching the staff and faculty in my school to utilize the various web 2.0 tools etc. I have collaborated with several teachers already to plan how we will approach integrating more technology into their rooms. Web 2.0 tools have been the main interest to the teachers so far. The special education teacher was the most excited as she is always searching for new ways to motivate the unmotivated. My building principal is all in favor of implementing the new ideas that I have and is anxious to begin seeing results.

      I was able to achieve everything I set out to accomplish for the most part. The one thing that I had a difficult time with was the APA format for writing. I have not been a writer in years and really need to work on that. I have had several blogs and I enjoy carrying a “funny” tone in them. It is hard for me not to include that in my writings, even the assessments. It is my nature to crack jokes during a serious and stressful time. I am working hard at not doing so for these assignments. The technology of this course I feel like I can handle. The scholarly writing will be something that I work on throughout my program. Mrs. Borel gave me many greats suggestions. I plan on working with those suggestions to move forward.

      I felt very successful in carryout the course assignments. They each seemed very daunting at first glance. After taking each assignment apart into smaller sections I was able to breathe and complete each task. I learned very quickly that the key to success was to begin early and plan ahead. I could not have been able to complete the assignments had I waited for the weekend to roll around. The only part of the assignments that discouraged me was the volume. It seemed like a lot at first. But as I stated before I took it slow and it was much less daunting.

      Throughout the five weeks of this course I learned that I have more organizational skills that I had thought. I realized early on that organization was going to be a major factor in the success for the course. I also learned that I am on target with my work, and I possess good leadership qualities. Several of my classmates came to me for guidance, so I am guessing I appeared approachable and helpful. I always feel like people do not take me very seriously, so it was a huge boost to be contacted with questions. I truly hope that I was able to lead them in the right direction. I have become very good friends with one of my classmates and I treasure her friendship. She has been a sense of security in the moments when I didn’t think I could handle to course load. Overall the course was a huge benefit to me and I truly enjoyed being a part of it. I look forward to my next journey!

Last web conference for EDLD 5306

We had our very last web conference for EDLD 5306. It was very emotional for me, as I am completely over-whelmed. I spent the hour crying. UGH! I hate that I do that, but it just happens. I felt better after it was over. OKAY, the problem was....I completed my assignment to find I out I did it the hard way and it would had been impossible to implement the plan. (Although I was a little excited about some of the activities I listed). SO, I re-vamped my assignment and I think I am on the right track. I do believe everyone feels the same as me. I just carry my emotions on my sleeves. Not a good trait, I know! I am very sad that our professor won't be with us any more. I feel as though we are leaving behind part of the group. I do hope she remembers us on graduation day! I will definitely remember her. She made the entire process a little easier. I wish everyone the best and if you are ever in the Beaumont area and want to meet for coffee, shoot me an email. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR RESEARCH CLASS!!!!! WE GOT THIS IN THE BAG!

Web Conference Number Four

On March 17, 2011 cohort 19 had their fourth web conference. Once again my internet was wacky. I will be watching the session once it is posted. We discussed, in depth, the internship journey we are entering. I am really confused at this point. Next week we have to create an internship plan and I have no clue how to do that. The books seem over-whelming. I see it this way...many have done this before me and many will complete the task after me, so I think I can manage. It just seems so foreign to me at this point. We finally got a chance to meet Murrell (and his baby!) Other than the feeling of losing my way, it was a good meeting. Things went MUCH smoother with the technical issues. That was a plus. Well, It's our last week guys. Step it up and ....get r done! Good luck and happy planning.....

Web Conference number three

On March 10, 2011 at 8pm I attended an optional web conference via the adobe connect pro software. I have to say that I really like the connect pro software. It is fairly easy to use and has many nice features. That being said, let's discuss the conference itself.
We all logged on  quite promptly. There were seven of us present. It was a much less formal conference than the ones we have had before. We discussed this weeks assignment and the fact that next week we will need to work on our book review. I am fortunate that I have my book, and completed all of this weeks work. Now I need to finish reading that book.
During the web conference we had several technical difficulties. Everyone was working together to solve the issues. Perks of being in a class filled with technology majors, we can usually solve the issues together. One classmate couldn't get her camera working, so our professor will work with her on that at a later date. I am very curious as to what was causing the problem.
Overall a successful conference and it was nice to see the shiny faces once again. Good luck on  next weeks  work. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Technology powerpoint

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Technology powerpoint

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National Educational Technology Plan

The Obama administration has set two main goals to be met by the year 2020. They are, "we will raise the proportion of college graduates from where it now stands (39%) so that 60% of our population holds a 2-year or 4-year degree by the year 2020" and "we will close the achievement gap so that all students - regardless of race, income, or neighborhood - graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers".

There are five main components that will help local school systems reach these goals. They are in the areas of learning, teaching, assessments, infrastructure, and productivity. The end result is that providing all of the components are well within reach of the local school systems the goals will be met and learners will be successful.

The learning component is geared towards engaging and empowering learners. If we provide students with state of the art technology and the skills in which to use higher order thinking skills the engagement opportunities will be endless. Students need to feel like they are a part of the learning process. The old way was to lecture and take notes. This does not have to be the case any longer. Educators are encouraged to create life long learners no matter what the race, gender, or background is of the learner.

We as educators need to be constantly assessing and measuring skills and academic growth. There are many tools to collect data, and the National Educational Plan encourages the use of this data to create a plan for further enrichment. Data needs to used to promote continuous improvement.

Teachers need ongoing professional development in order to integrate technology to meet the learners needs. The students already know about the technology. Educators need to keep abreast of what is going on with the technology. There are a plethora of tools available, educators need to seek those tools out and fully learn how to incorporate them into their lessons. It doesn't have to be high dollar equipment. Web 2.0 is full of ideas to take advantage of. The technology savvy teacher will be ready to move their students to the next level. For instance, blogging seems like a simple concept. Teachers can use this as a homework tool, a communication tool, and a testing tool. There are many other mediums available to push the student's learning capabilities. Educators need to peruse the different avenues and see which fits their style and students the best. Educators need to do whatever it takes to best connect with the learners.

The infrastructure needs to be reliable in order to best implement technology. It needs to always be ready for the learner to access the wealth of information out there and to be able to collaborate in online learning communities. The infrastructure is important to the learner, but also to the teacher and administrator. It has become an invaluable asset to education and needs to be within reach of every learner at all times.

The productivity in a our schools is something that needs continual growth. The budget is tighter than ever, so we have to look within our systems to increase productivity. If the goal of every child graduating is to be met, organization must be enforced. Educators needs to incorporate learning in every minute of the day. This doesn't mean having the students seated, quiet, and listening. It means they need to be engaged in the learning process; whether that mean creating graphs online in math or learning new scores in the marching band. The idea is to keep the learner motivated and utilize time wisely.

There are many goals and recommendations for the states in the National Education Technology Plan. These are designed to help reach the two ultimate goals. Basically, these goals are in the districts technology plan already. The basic idea is that each state and local entity provide a quality technology driven education to each and every child, and provide teachers with the necessary training to accomplish that. This plan is something districts need to use when creating their own technology plans. It is a thorough document that cover every aspect of education.

Resource:
Transforming American Education Learning Powered by Technology (Atkins, Daniel, et al. 2010)

WISD TECHNOLOGY PLAN

A technology plan is very detailed and many people work collaboratively together to create a document  that represents the entire district. The local districts are required to have a technology plan and actively work to meet the goals.

I teach at Warren Elementary school. We are a small district. There are four schools in our district; one high school, one jr. high school, and two elementary campuses. There were a total of 1223 students in our district when this plan was developed. Fifty two percent of our population was economically disadvantaged. The goal with the technology plan was to bring the 1223 students we had up to date (technology speaking) and get them ready for the world that awaits them from the years 2010-2013.

When making a plan you have to seek out your needs. The needs assessment states that WISD needs to update the network hardware and technology infrastructure. Teachers need to integrate technology into their daily activities, and to effectively do this they must have access to the technology equipment and training necessary to accomplish the integration. The goals stated will all have a common goal; to help the district solve these issues.

WISD has six main goals they are looking at. Each goal has several objectives to meet the main goal. These goals are all designed to help the learner reach his/her highest potential and ultimately be prepared for higher education or the workforce.

The first goal as stated in the Warren ISD technology plan 2010-2013 is "Identify and promote curricula and teaching strategies that integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction". In order for the district to effectively meet this goal the teachers, technology coordinator, and principals will integrate technology into teaching, increase the use of technology curriculum materials, and monitor TEKS integration. They will show evidence of this by lesson plan documentation, evaluations, observations, and updated STaR Charts. The budget allotted for this goal is $91,000 in the area of teaching and learning.

The second goal in the WISD technology plan 2010-2013 is "Incorporate existing and emerging technology into curriculum and instruction". The superintendent, technology coordinator, network administrator, principals, and teachers will work together to achieve this goal by gaining access to existing and emerging technology, utilizing available hardware and software, continuing integrating technology into the classrooms, facilitating the use of technology in the classrooms to promote higher order thinking skills, provide the distance learning lab for college credit for students and staff, and continue using technology for testing purposes. The personnel will show evidence of these goals being achieved by purchasing new technology for the classrooms, observing the technology in use, lesson plan documentation, and providing a functional distance learning lab. The allotted budgeted amount of $91,000 for the area of teaching and learning is to help achieve these goals.

The third goal in the WISD technology plan 2010-2013 is : "Use the district's electronic resources to provide educational services to the community." The district will use a web page designer, superintendent, technology coordinator, network administrator, and campus principal to facilitate strategies to achieve this goal. They will continue to maintain the district and campus websites, establish list-serves to maintain email communication, provide parent access to pertinent student information, and provide GED training and continuing education opportunities. The district will show evidence of these things by having a current web site, having an active list-serve available to the community, providing online student information to the parents, and offering distance learning classes to the community. The budget shows an amount of $69,000 in the area of teaching and learning to support the third goal.

The fourth goal stated is to "Provide opportunities and support for educators to develop practices in the integration of teaching, learning, and technology. The district will use the technology personnel, and campuses principals to create a comprehensive technology plan, gather information from teachers about their technology skills, promote peer teaching, provide instant and on-going software training. They will show evidence of the for-mentioned by implementing strategies for increased technology use in the classrooms, surveying teachers on their skills and use of technology, having active peer groups, and cooperation among staff, and providing adequate in-service training. There is $160,000 in the budget for the use of educator preparation and development.

The fifth goal is stated is to "Provide and maintain a network that supports the integration of technology into teaching, learning, and school operations". The technology coordinator will form a committee of staff members and community members. The technology committee will review current technology resources, form a technology plan for the years 2010-2013, and work with administration to sustain professional development for all staff. The committee will conduct surveys and meet regularly to complete these tasks. There is $15,000 in the budget to implement this goal.

The last goal stated in the WISD technology plan 2010-2013 is "Increase the availability of specialized technologies for instruction and learning". The superintendent, technology coordinator, network coordinator, and campus principals will help achieve this goal by replacing and repositioning obsolete technology, maintaining a 1:1 workstation ratio for staff, maintaining a 4:1 workstation ratio for students, and increasing the technology available. The evidence for this will be proof of upgraded equipment, appropriate workstation ratios, and new available technologies. There is a $201,000 budget to help achieve this goal.

The total budget for all items involved in implementing this plan is $231,533.00 This includes all equipment, materials, professional development, maintenance, internet access, etc. The budget is the same for all three years.

WISD will implement an ongoing evaluation process. The district will actively monitor all technology implementations. The plan will be revised annually to update any necessary changes. The staff members will be observed and interviewed to find out any problems or concerns. Surveys will be administered and analyzed by the committee to find any area that might show concern.

REFERENCE:

Warren Independent School District Technology Plan (2010)

TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS

As the era of technology driven education is in full swing it is imperative that student's skills and knowledge be assessed. Without an accurate representation of where the student's knowledge lies educators cannot raise the bar. The Texas Technology Application Standards states that students must be "technology literate" by the end of their eighth grade. This is a fact that is out there and must be addressed. Assessments need to be in place in order to help the student move further in their technology driven world. There are several ways that assessments can take place. The process can be incorporated into the curriculum of the core subjects. A state wide assessment is also a viable option. However the means of assessing, it is a given that it needs to be done. The world they will enter after high school is a world of high technology. Whether or not the school had ample technology is not a factor; the world does. Also knowing that they will be assessed the student will be more apt to strengthen their skills. The districts' technology plans need to address the issue of assessing student's knowledge. It is critical this day and age that students leave high school feeling very confident in their ability to use technology.

Teachers also should be held accountable for their knowledge and skills in technology. It is included in the new Texas teacher certification exams. But what about the veteran teacher, like myself, who did not have to take that section of the test. At the very least a checklist of knowledge needs to be collected and analyzed in order to provide staff development in appropriate areas. It is a tough task to plan technology workshops when you are uncertain of the skill levels of the participants. The STaR Chart gives a good representation of technology uses and equipment etc. It would be a useful tool in planning, but it needs to be more basic. Specific pieces of equipment, specific software that the school has purchased all need to be understood and used to best of each teachers ability. The tools are steadily becoming available, we need to teach the teachers to use them.

REFERENCES:

Texas STaR Chat: (http://starchart.esc12.net/)

Texas Technology Applications Standards: (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/ch126.html#s1261)

WEB CONFERENCE NUMBER TWO

    We finished up week one. After attending the first web conference I feel much better about the path that lies ahead. I then attended the second web conference. Everything that felt smooth before is now bumpy and uncertain. Our professor laid out the plan for the entire eighteen month program. Our "internship" was explained in detail to us. I have to read the transcript to make sure I understand this process. It seems like a daunting task, but I am up to the challenge.
    We were instructed to select a mentor to guide us through our internship. Blogs were also discussed. Fortunately I have done several blogs and already know the concept. We have a fair amount of work to accomplish this week and I wish every one the best in getting it all completed.

WEB CONFERENCE NUMBER ONE

     Our first web conference last week was a trial run for the required web conference in week two. We had some technical issues that needed to be resolved. Some freeze frame and sound issues. It was worked out in a timely manor. One by one our fellow scholars began to join the group. We ended up with six if I remember correctly.
     I was thrilled that I got the chance to join the conference. It made the entire process seem a little less daunting. Our professor introduced herself with an exceptional introduction. We then took turns introducing ourselves. I found it fascinating that three of us have four children. To know that others are in similar situations as mine and are tackling the journey seemed very reassuring to me.  Everyone in our cohort seemed to be from different areas (except for two working in the same district.) It makes me wonder how everyone's path led them here.
     I was getting quite over-whelmed before the conference. Engaging with the others in the cohort and visiting with the professor helped calm my nerves a bit. I will have to remember to tackle this one day at a time and breathe. For my fellow cohort 19 members....YOU CAN DO IT!