I was not really sure what to expect from this course; however, when I dove in head first, I was comforted to know that this course would center around the use of technology in the 21st century. Even though I graduated in 1997 with a fairly good understanding of how to use technology, the technological world is now far more advanced than it was twelve years ago. I was hoping to learn how to incorporate the use of blogs and social networking in the educational setting. I definitely have a better understanding of how to set up a blog and why they are used, and I feel fairly confident that I could implement the use of them in my classroom; however this is a topic that I still would like to learn more about to be completely confident in using them - something I think that will only come from first-hand experience. I didn't have any clear expectations when starting this course. I do feel that I have gained more than I expected and have already set up a blog account for my classes at my school in order to move forward in implementing the use of more technology.
I was able to create a blog account for my school and am currently setting up parameters with my immediate administration - this is something that has never been used on my campus, so we are having to establish some guidelines for school use. The use of blogs at school is a great way to communicate with staff, students, and parents. It is available to all stakeholders who have access to computers and the Internet. However, as a teacher/future administrator, you must take into consideration what is being posted on your blog. It is a public record. Blogs need to be used educationally, not as an informal way to communicate with students about non-school related topics. I also see a benefit of being able to communicate with other schools about school-related content.
There were not many outcomes that I did not achieve. Throughout this course, I have been able to make suggestions to my current administrators about how we could further enhance the use of technology in our school. I see many more possibilities that could be utilized that are currently not. Our campus has the tools available, but the staff needs to be made aware of all the possibilities. This course was able to update my knowledge of technology - I am much more up-to-date on the use of current technology than I was when I started 5 weeks ago. The expectations of this course were average in comparison with other courses I have taken through Lamar. I was able to conquer the objectives and feel comfortable with applying them in my classroom. I had the information necessary to be successful and the ability to do so as well.
In carrying out all that was expected of me, I had little problem in completing the assignments, although some were rather lengthy. Once I figured out how to set up and operate the programs I had never used, the rest fell into place. The directions and guidelines provided by the professors and video segments were helpful in getting started. I did have to research a little deeper in order to be successful in this class only because I had no prior knowledge on some of the technological tools that were being implemented. Learning how to use the new programs was the most challenging part. I have enjoyed this class and have learned many new things.
This class helped me understand not only how to use 21st century technology, but also how I can become a 21st century teacher that creates competent graduates who are ready for the workforce. The 21st century has brought about an abundance of new information and innovative ways to present instruction. In this class, my knowledge about blogging and the multiple uses for blogging has grown tremendously. Through hands-on experience, I also learned how to download and upload information and presentations to my blog. Through the surveys I conducted on my campus, I also realized that I have the ability to be a technology leader, as I am far more educated and utilize more technology than most.
I truly feel that there are great benefits in communicating via blogs. With smart phones and wireless Internet connections, there are so many ways to communicate with businesses and coworkers. Blogging can be a valuable tool for both corporations and educational institutions. So many different entities can be involved with blogs. Posting blogs on the World Wide Web can change the way business is done. This class is evidence as to how blogs have changed the way students can receive and document their education.
One of the main concerns with implementing blogs into the educational setting is making sure teachers and students understand the guidelines for use as well as the benefits they can provide. With the advances in technology today, blogging will continue to grow. What we learn today could always be replaced with a new tool tomorrow with the advances that continue to be made; hence, educators need to stay current with the new trends in technology. By using blogging to communicate, it makes it easy to convey information across the country or world which opens endless possibilities in the educational setting.
In using blogging to communicate in the school setting, administrators can communicate with their staff on an up to minute, daily, or even on a weekly basis. Blogs could be used to encourage professional development by providing a mean of discussion from book studies. This type of communication is more like an open forum where, unlike email, everyone has access to the blog and everyone can communicate through it. With the ability of all stakeholders having access to blogs, everyone from the superintendent down to the teachers and support staff can and should have an open line of communication.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Professional Development Planning and Evaluation
Professional Development Planning
At the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, my district developed a technology plan to improve the use of technology within the district. Several aspects had to be taken into consideration in developing the technology plan: where would the funding to integrate technology come from; which tools should be implemented first; and what type of staff development opportunities are needed in order for our district employees to be able to implement the technology in their classrooms?
The district has placed a strong emphasis on the integration of technology and professional development opportunities to allow this to happen. Both district staff and administrators complete a "needs assessment" on a yearly basis that allows the district to plan staff development based on the needs of teachers.
In my week 3 report, it was stated that the students are using technology offered to them but not to its fullest potential. The student interviews confirm that students know basic technology skills. They are using the tools for which they were meant to be used, but are not allowed to venture beyond the basics.
In planning professional development opportunities, I would use all the data collected from students, teachers, community members, and district personnel to develop professional development that directly meets the needs of the students and staff - especially the needs current with today's technology trends.
If a student cannot relate and directly associate technology with real-world application, a disservice is being done. In order for students to be serviced correctly, my staff and the staff of the entire district must become comfortable and fluent in the use of current technology. My plan would require each teacher to obtain 25 hours of professional development each school year, of which 12 hours must be directly related to implementing current technology in the classroom.
To ensure the professional development opportunities are meeting the needs of district staff, employees would be required to complete an evaluation after attending a training to enable workshop facilitators to continue to improve their presentations. In order for the opportunities to be beneficial to the staff, an ongoing assessment of needs and continual monitoring of trends must occur.
Evaluation Planning
It is crucial for evaluations to be administered after professional development has occurred. This element of assessment is vital to administrators to determine if the professional development served the intended purpose. There are many different types of evaluations that can be administered. Some of the possibilities include:
- Written evaluations of professional development
- Teacher classroom logs
- Computer lab schedules - are they being utilized
- Lesson plans directly related to technology integration
- STAR Charts
- Documented increase in use by students
- Professional development records for teachers (yearly record of trainings)
- Feedback from all stakeholders - verbal/written
- Quantitative and qualitative data collection
- Ongoing monitoring by campus and district personnel
- Increased professional development opportunities for teachers and staff
- Quarterly evaluation of campus, district, and state mandates
It is important to use a variety of evaluations in order to get a clear picture of the use of technology on a campus.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Texas STaR Chart Editorial
Based on my Campus STaR Chart Summary, Educator Preparation and Development continues to be one of the lowest rated areas for my campus, as well as one with the least amount of growth over the past three years. In order to see growth in this area, more opportunities for professional development within my district need to be made readily available. Teachers who are new to the profession are far more advanced in the use of technology than more experienced teachers due to lack of training and experience with technology. Education programs at the college level are preparing their graduates to be technological leaders.
Professional development opportunities are available through the Region Service Center in my area; however, the expectation to seek out courses related to technology use has not been established by the district. As the use of technology continues to grow and become a major source of communication, the expectations for teachers must follow.
My recommendation for immediate growth is to seek out the technology leaders on my campus and have them facilitate professional development sessions, based on the needs of staff members and current trends in technology. Staff members who teach professional development sessions should be compensated in a way similar to holding tutorials for students.
The expectations for technology use have been set by the state and districts are working diligently to comply. My district has continued to increase the funding for technology, but without the proper training for teachers to implement these tools in the classroom, our students will leave us unprepared for the 21st century work place.
Professional development opportunities are available through the Region Service Center in my area; however, the expectation to seek out courses related to technology use has not been established by the district. As the use of technology continues to grow and become a major source of communication, the expectations for teachers must follow.
My recommendation for immediate growth is to seek out the technology leaders on my campus and have them facilitate professional development sessions, based on the needs of staff members and current trends in technology. Staff members who teach professional development sessions should be compensated in a way similar to holding tutorials for students.
The expectations for technology use have been set by the state and districts are working diligently to comply. My district has continued to increase the funding for technology, but without the proper training for teachers to implement these tools in the classroom, our students will leave us unprepared for the 21st century work place.
Long-Range Plan
It has become evident to me that the United States has fallen behind on the technological highway. Other countries are graduating millions more students from high school and colleges than the U.S. and it is time for that to change. We, as a nation, state, and local district, need to put our foot down and step towards a more technological time. The state has put together a plan of action and local districts have started to implement this plan to help close this gap. In order for this plan to become a reality, it will take time, funding, and education of both teachers and students. The time table for this plan is broken down into three phases.
Phase I has already begun. It was launched in 2006 and will end in 2010. Phases II and III will begin in 2011 and 2016 and will end in 2015 and 2020. By then, we should be up to speed with the rest of the world. Will other countries advance between now and then? Yes, but with this plan the state has taken that growth into account.
Funding must increase in order for this plan to become a reality. State and local funding will play a key role in expanding technology. Re-allocations and some prioritizing will need to happen to help fund this initiative.
A key component to the state's plan is education. Teachers, administrators, parents, school board members, and even the superintendent will need to become comfortable and proficient in the use of this new technology. Teachers, especially, will need to be proficient in using technology to enable them to educate our students and implement the program.
As a future administrator, I would ensure that staff members have access to staff development opportunities to enable them to use the technology. I will be a strong advocate of using more technology in classrooms. I will lead my staff into becoming more proficient users of technology in order to educate our students.
Phase I has already begun. It was launched in 2006 and will end in 2010. Phases II and III will begin in 2011 and 2016 and will end in 2015 and 2020. By then, we should be up to speed with the rest of the world. Will other countries advance between now and then? Yes, but with this plan the state has taken that growth into account.
Funding must increase in order for this plan to become a reality. State and local funding will play a key role in expanding technology. Re-allocations and some prioritizing will need to happen to help fund this initiative.
A key component to the state's plan is education. Teachers, administrators, parents, school board members, and even the superintendent will need to become comfortable and proficient in the use of this new technology. Teachers, especially, will need to be proficient in using technology to enable them to educate our students and implement the program.
As a future administrator, I would ensure that staff members have access to staff development opportunities to enable them to use the technology. I will be a strong advocate of using more technology in classrooms. I will lead my staff into becoming more proficient users of technology in order to educate our students.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS
The use of technology in the Pre-K classroom enables children to have exposure to different curriculum content areas and helps to develop problem solving and communication skills vital in the 21st century. By the end of the Pre-K year, children are expected to navigate through age-appropriate software programs, use a variety of computer input devices, have the ability to operate voice/sound recorders and touch screens, use software programs to express their own ideas, and recognize that information can be obtained through technology. Teachers play a vital role in the success of students using technology at this age by modeling how to use all components necessary as stated in the guidelines.
Using technology at an early age lays the foundation for the years to come by exposing students to the tools necessary to enhance their education, each skill building upon the other. The technology TEKS have been set up to give repeated exposure to the same TEKS, with greater depth, at different grade levels to ensure mastery. For example, in grades K-2, students are expected to "use technology terminology appropriate to the task" (126.2.(b)(1)(A)). This same TEK appears in grades 3-5 (126.3.(b)(1)(A)). In grades K-2, students are expected to be able to "start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files." The TEK in grades 3-5 takes it to the next level of difficulty - students should be able to "save and delete files, use menu options and commands, and work with more than one software application." This spiraling effect continues through grade 12.
Using technology at an early age lays the foundation for the years to come by exposing students to the tools necessary to enhance their education, each skill building upon the other. The technology TEKS have been set up to give repeated exposure to the same TEKS, with greater depth, at different grade levels to ensure mastery. For example, in grades K-2, students are expected to "use technology terminology appropriate to the task" (126.2.(b)(1)(A)). This same TEK appears in grades 3-5 (126.3.(b)(1)(A)). In grades K-2, students are expected to be able to "start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files." The TEK in grades 3-5 takes it to the next level of difficulty - students should be able to "save and delete files, use menu options and commands, and work with more than one software application." This spiraling effect continues through grade 12.
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