Overall, I have found this course to be very informative. There were times of confusion about assignments, when things were due, where to post responses, etc.; however, overall the course was organized and developed in a professional manner.
Before this course began, I didn't know what it was going to entail. I was already technologically literate, what more is there to learn, so I thought. Well, there is so much more to learn about technology and its components and how to effectively integrate such tools into the everyday teaching of the students that it is hard to imagine.
I find technology to be very interesting, yet intimidating at times. There is so much to learn, so many different tools and ways of doing things, I am "scared" to a point. By taking this course, I had envisioned having such "intimidation" taken away or at least minimized, and it was. I wanted to learn all there is to learn to help myself, my current students and my future role as an instructional leader of technology, and I did.
I learned that technology is a serious matter and the importance of understanding all aspects it entails; the tools, the safeties and ethics, the integration across all areas and levels of learning, etc. is necessary and needs to be understood by all. I learned about the Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020, in which I knew nothing about beforehand. I now know we as educators had standards and guidelines that are expected to be followed in integrating technology into the everyday teaching of the students in turning our students into technology "natives" rather than technology "immigrants." I became much more familiar and knowledgeable about the STaR Chart survey and its importance and components. Before, the STaR Chart was something I was told to complete without proper explanation of its significance. Now I know the components of the chart, where my campus and district rank technologically compared to others and what needs to be done to increase our level of integration of technology for our students.
I believe I am now more knowledgeable in areas that are most important to my future role as an instructional leader, areas of laws, cyber ethics, Technology Applications TEKS, standards and the importance of modeling and preparing future teachers with the tools they need to successfully teach students in becoming technology savvy. Before, I didn't know the importance of technology and its integration to learning as much as I do now. Technology is a tool that is needed for our students to become technologically literate as they should. In order for students to be taught effectively, teachers need to be properly educated in the usage and importance of such tools. Proper teaching comes from effective professional development. As a future leader, I ensure my teachers will effectively be educated and qualified in the technology field. Peer mentoring will be a strategy that will be used for teachers to help assist and educate one another in such areas. Technology usage, tools and decision-making will include all stakeholders. We will work together as a team to stay up-to-date on technology advancements, remain prepared on how to successfully integrate technology safely in the everyday teaching of the students through proper and effective professional development courses and provide every and all students equal opportunity of technological tools.
All students should and will be given the equal opportunity to use and learn technology to become successful future citizens of the 21st century technology embedded world. All students including every race, gender and ability, will have that opportunity. We are all a part of this ever-changing society of technological advancements and we will work together to become as literate as we can.
After learning so much and minimizing some "intimidation" I still am curious about other technological areas. I envisioned being exposed and working much more closely with a variety of technological tools such as Wikis, podcasting, RSS etc. other than blogs. Besides blogging, I can't say I fully understand the other tools except what I have taken from the reading articles and other colleagues' input. I wish I had had the opportunity to work more closely with these tools and become more knowledgeable and familiar with them in order to incorporate them into my current teaching and future role as an instructional leader. However, having learned how to blog and its components, is another technological tool I previously did not encompass but now I do. I plan on creating and using a blog in my future role as an instructional leader as a means of communication with all stakeholders. It will provide a communication line for the students, staff, parents and community members. Discussion and sharing of information will be allowed for all stakeholders to continue the use of such technological tool.
Blogging is an instructional and communicative tool that can be used by all stakeholders when used safely. Blogging makes learning more interesting, exciting, more hands-on and visual. Teachers can use blogs as a means of communicating with parents and students, as a form of discussion in class, and a reading and writing tool for editing and revising amongst peers; parents can use blogs to communicate with teachers about assignments and students' progress; and students can use blogs as a form of discussion and sharing of ideas of all subject matters. Blogging needs to be appropriately modeled and monitored by educators to ensure appropriate and relevant information is being posted and shared. Students need to be taught the rules, standards, expectations and guidelines when using such tools in order to make the most out of the tools and their features. Overall blogging is a great educational tool if it is used safely and responsibility.
All in all, I have become more technologically literate than I could have imagined within just four weeks of learning. I now feel more knowledgeable and ready to be an instructional leader of 21st century technological world.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Action Plan
The overall action plan is for the district to become technologically literate according to the Technology Applications TEKS and standards.
After reviewing and analysing the CIP, DIP and Technology Applications TEKS and standards, our district needs to include additional goals and objectives that pertain more geared toward technology use and its components. Such goals and objectives might include:
Goal: The district will continue to provide more technology tools and resources available for staff and students.
- Each classroom needs to be provided and equipped with additional technology tools in order to successfully teach Technology Applications TEKS such as tools that might consist of Smartboards, laptops, digital cameras etc.
Goal: The district and campus staff performance in the use and applications of technology will continue to improve.
- 100% of teachers and administrators will have access to locally-provided on-going, standards-based, high quality technology-related professional development tailored to local needs and requests.
- The district will continue to participate in Region III's Shared Service Arrangement to obtain professional development for all personnel to increase student achievement, advance scores on STaR Chart, and build technology proficiencies based on SBEC Teacher Standards.
Goal: The administration of the district will provide effective leadership for all district in integrating technology into the curriculum and using technology for information management.
- All campuses will include technology use in campus-level planning.
- The district will continue to provide centrally deployed technical support.
- The district will continue to aggressively purse other sources of funding and equipment, including E-Rate, donations of used equipment, and other grants as available.
- All campuses and business office will continue to use technology for such programs such as PEIMS information management and submission.
Goal: All students and staff members will have a cost-efficient, effective, and safe educational technology infrastructure.
- All staff members at all campuses will have access to the hardware and software necessary for successful technology integration.
- The district will continue to provide safe, high-speed Internet access to all students and staff members.
Goal: All students will receive instruction that incorporates strategies that address their diverse learning needs in order to meet and exceed state academic standards.
- Students will receive instruction that integrates technology and is responsive to individual needs and learning styles.
- District will increase number of students, parents, community members and staff who have campus access to distance learning and video conferencing by 30%.
Such goals and objectives are the beginning of fulfilling the district's "vision" of being technologically literate. With a well defined vision, a clearly drawn plan an quality professional development to successfully educate the district and staff, such goals and objectives can be developed and met. With hard work, continuous evaluation at all levels and resources and tools that need to be provided for staff and students to learn, the district could become 21st century technology rich.
After reviewing and analysing the CIP, DIP and Technology Applications TEKS and standards, our district needs to include additional goals and objectives that pertain more geared toward technology use and its components. Such goals and objectives might include:
Goal: The district will continue to provide more technology tools and resources available for staff and students.
- Each classroom needs to be provided and equipped with additional technology tools in order to successfully teach Technology Applications TEKS such as tools that might consist of Smartboards, laptops, digital cameras etc.
Goal: The district and campus staff performance in the use and applications of technology will continue to improve.
- 100% of teachers and administrators will have access to locally-provided on-going, standards-based, high quality technology-related professional development tailored to local needs and requests.
- The district will continue to participate in Region III's Shared Service Arrangement to obtain professional development for all personnel to increase student achievement, advance scores on STaR Chart, and build technology proficiencies based on SBEC Teacher Standards.
Goal: The administration of the district will provide effective leadership for all district in integrating technology into the curriculum and using technology for information management.
- All campuses will include technology use in campus-level planning.
- The district will continue to provide centrally deployed technical support.
- The district will continue to aggressively purse other sources of funding and equipment, including E-Rate, donations of used equipment, and other grants as available.
- All campuses and business office will continue to use technology for such programs such as PEIMS information management and submission.
Goal: All students and staff members will have a cost-efficient, effective, and safe educational technology infrastructure.
- All staff members at all campuses will have access to the hardware and software necessary for successful technology integration.
- The district will continue to provide safe, high-speed Internet access to all students and staff members.
Goal: All students will receive instruction that incorporates strategies that address their diverse learning needs in order to meet and exceed state academic standards.
- Students will receive instruction that integrates technology and is responsive to individual needs and learning styles.
- District will increase number of students, parents, community members and staff who have campus access to distance learning and video conferencing by 30%.
Such goals and objectives are the beginning of fulfilling the district's "vision" of being technologically literate. With a well defined vision, a clearly drawn plan an quality professional development to successfully educate the district and staff, such goals and objectives can be developed and met. With hard work, continuous evaluation at all levels and resources and tools that need to be provided for staff and students to learn, the district could become 21st century technology rich.
Professional Development Plan
Overall professional development is key in educating individuals about technology, its importance and its components in order to effectively educate students. Proper and valuable professional development targeting technology is needed especially at our district. Due to an older generation of teachers, it is important to educate these individuals on how to use technology appropriately and effectively in order to educate the students.
Professional development is a concept that needs to be revamped in order for our society to shift to the new 21st century world of technology.
Technology Professional Development needs to be:
- available to all for all
- provided closer to the classroom with lessons for classroom instruction
- available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online, to the desktop when and if possible
- provided in differentiated instruction for all levels of knowledge
- good-quality, research-based instruction
- required by all teachers a specific amount of hours each school year (at least 12 hours) with refresher courses throughout the year to update information and build on knowledge and experience
- a requirement by all "new" teachers at the beginning of school year along with a technology assessment to determine their level of experience and expertise with technology
- a requirement for all new teachers to pair up with older teachers (reverse mentoring) activity for each to learn from each other
- include a requirement that teachers create and teach at least five technology integrated lessons per school year
- vertically and horizontally aligned across all grade levels and subject matters
- provide planning, evaluating, sharing time throughout the year
- aligned with Technology Applications TEKS, SBEC requirements as well as district standards and expectations pertaining to district's Technology Plan
- explain and instruct teachers of the STaR Chart and how to successfully progress to the "Target Tech" level
- a continuous program, adapting and building on to the additional knowledge, skills and strategies for all sessions
Professional development is a concept that needs to be revamped in order for our society to shift to the new 21st century world of technology.
Technology Professional Development needs to be:
- available to all for all
- provided closer to the classroom with lessons for classroom instruction
- available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online, to the desktop when and if possible
- provided in differentiated instruction for all levels of knowledge
- good-quality, research-based instruction
- required by all teachers a specific amount of hours each school year (at least 12 hours) with refresher courses throughout the year to update information and build on knowledge and experience
- a requirement by all "new" teachers at the beginning of school year along with a technology assessment to determine their level of experience and expertise with technology
- a requirement for all new teachers to pair up with older teachers (reverse mentoring) activity for each to learn from each other
- include a requirement that teachers create and teach at least five technology integrated lessons per school year
- vertically and horizontally aligned across all grade levels and subject matters
- provide planning, evaluating, sharing time throughout the year
- aligned with Technology Applications TEKS, SBEC requirements as well as district standards and expectations pertaining to district's Technology Plan
- explain and instruct teachers of the STaR Chart and how to successfully progress to the "Target Tech" level
- a continuous program, adapting and building on to the additional knowledge, skills and strategies for all sessions
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