Reflections on EDLD 5366 Digital Graphics, Animation and Desktop Publishing

Creating my own rubric for the newsletter assignment in this course was a great exercise. We didn't only have the opportunity to critically analyze the essential elements of design that must be included in the newsletter. We also had the opportunity to learn what is involved in creating a grading rubric that holds students to a standard of quality and is easy to understand (Rubistar, 2008).

I thoroughly dislike Second Life. I always thought of myself as a very adaptable person, and in my various careers, I have used various degrees of detailed simulation programs for different purposes. This "game" is by far the most completely outlandish and ridiculous thing I've ever experienced. It must be called second life because it can consume your entire life just figuring out how to make the thing run. However, by looking at the "game" from a teaching perspective, if I were teaching a course solely on animation or virtual reality, or needed to have a platform that allowed virtual interaction, I would definitely use this program with my students from day one (Wong, 2006).

The discussion posts regarding perceptions of beauty provided a great opportunity for reflection. I believe our current cultural concept of beauty is actually not the averaging, but more so an extreme version of the way a thing or person can look. I believe proportions are decided according to where the attention is desired to go. The exercises during this week were a great exercise in determining personal tastes with regard to beauty and proportion, and explaining the reason for those preferences.

I thoroughly did not enjoy the historical portion of the first week in 5366. I felt it was the antithesis of everything we learned in the first course. If I was a high school student who signed up for a graphic design elective presented with such a low-tech, and seemingly irrelevant dive into history, I probably would have dropped the class in favor of something else. That being said, this is a master's level class, not high school graphic design. I suppose that knowledge of where we've been is essential to then gain knowledge of where we're going.

Learning about the CRAP acronym (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity) was perhaps the most beneficial part of this entire class (Yearwood, 2009). I majored in journalism in college, and perhaps in my undergraduate design classes, the professor talked about these elements, but I don't remember. I really enjoyed the demo portions of the week and learning the elements of design...better presentation in one week of on-line lectures and examples than in three years of classes in undergrad. When I learned this was the next class in the program, I was so excited. And the demo lectures did NOT disappoint. I can't wait to put these lessons into use.

Logo design was thought-provoking. Classrooms can carry such a negative connotation of being stale, boring and irrelevant and branding could be a huge leap forward in creating a different mind-set in students. As a teacher, I could work to develop a brand that tells students that my class will be tough, thought-provoking, and rewarding...while also telling them that I stand for ethical behavior and high expectations. I used the Smithsonian logo as an example of one that conjures up feelings of the importance of history. Kids may fight tooth and nail to avoid going into a classroom, but they'll line up to go to the Smithsonian (Smithsonian, n.d.).

Just coming up with a personal teaching mission statement for me is hard because (1) I'm not currently a teacher and (2) I've always been taught to use my next higher administration mission statement to craft my own. I hadn't thought before about establishing a personal mission statement for my classroom, however it makes sense. The mission statement serves as a guide to help the teacher stay focused on what he hopes to accomplish in the classroom, as well as to reflect upon the teaching he has done (Chism, n.d.).

Future learning experiences will include determining how to most effectively craft a mission statment and perhaps even how to include the students in the process.

Chism, N. (n.d.) Developing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement. http://spinner.cofc.edu/~cetl/Essays/DevelopingaPhilosophyofTeaching.html?referrer=webcluster&

Tips for Visiting with Children (n.d.) Smithsonian: Visitor Information for Kids & Families. http://www.si.edu/visit/kids_and_families.htm

What is a Rubric (2008). Rubistar: ALTEC at University of Kansas. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=WhatIs&module=Rubistar

Wong, G. (November 13, 2006). Educators explore 'Second Life' online. http://articles.cnn.com/2006-11-13/tech/second.life.university_1_second-life-educators-virtual-world?_s=PM:TECH

Yearwood, J. (2009). Basic Elements of Page Design. [multimedia]

Reflections on EDLD 5368 Instructional Design

Obviously by being an online master's degree student, I am a beliver in online education. However from the assignments in this course, I have gained an even stronger insight into the boundless benefits of online education. Educators in standard classrooms wishing to enhance their lesson design can implement online learning in order to give students opportunities for exploration outside of standard class time. Additionally, educators can implement online learning in order to provide lesson recovery opportunities for students who might be absent from lessons.

Districts implementing online learning can provide credit recovery for whole classes that students have either missed or failed during the standard school year. Additionally, districts can implement online learning as part of their regular course offering in order to better prepare students to meet the online learning opportunities offered when they get to college. What’s more, teaching “across the curriculum” through integrated online learning can help students truly undersand lessons and encourage students to apply what they learned in one subject to necessary problem solving in another (Cook, 1995).

The professional development course I designed in this class is appropriate for both the classroom teacher and for the corporate trainer to understand more fully the learning styles of his students as well as to achieve the teaching style he hopes to adopt or modify. In my current position in public relations, the class I developed is less relevant than if I became a teacher of students wishing to enter the public relations field. Once my master’s degree is complete, I can then attain a teaching position. As a teacher, I can use the course I designed coupled with Dabbagh’s online theories database to help students learn techniques to help their students to achieve a higher level of understanding (2010). I can also teach others how to integrate hands-on learning into lesson design.

I think integrating online learning is paramount in any modern learning environment. Whether used during standard class time, or designed for students to “catch up” or get ahead, students are going to begin to expect online learning opportunities. What becomes more important in the days ahead is to design relevant and rigorous online learning that corresponds to the curriculum and not simply have online learning for the sake of having it. The online learning should alleviate frustrations, not create them, and should be technically useable in order for students to concentrate on the concepts to be learned instead of spending all their time on the technical side of operating the interface (Shank, 2009).

Armed with this new learning I will not hesitate to create online learning opportunities for even the most outwardly simple tasks. Even in my position, I have people at each of our district schools who help me collect news items to publicize about the district. I can create online learning to help them understand timeliness, essential elements of a news story, how to capture and transmit engaging photographs, etc, or as Williams and McTighe state it, "to have both knowledge and the ability to transfer it to practical applications" (Ch. 3, p. 41). By directing my helpers to these online courses and giving them the opportunity to excel at what I design, they may become more confident in the materials the submit to me for publication.

My remaining questions about online learningare simple: What are the leading techniques for creating online learning for handicapped learners?; How can differentiated online instruction best be integrated with the standard differentiated curriculum?; and In what instances is online learning best suited compared to standard personally interactive class time?

Cook, Cathy J. (1995) Critical Issue: Aligning and Articulating Standards Across the Mathematics Curriculum, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/math/ma400.htm.

Dabbagh. N. (2006). The instructional design knowledge base. http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm

Shank, Patti, Ph.D. (March 5, 2009) Usability Issues That Impact Online Learning. Faculty Focus. http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/usability-issues-that-impact-online-learning/

Wiggins, Grant and Jay McTighe, Understanding by Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, 2005.

Reflections on Technology Facilitator Standard IV: Assessment and Evaluation

I was interested to read Williamson and Redish's finding that most current assessment efforts focus on creating stand-alone technology assessments that merely assess knowledge domains instead of embeding a technology literacy component into content testing (2009).

Prior to beginning this degree program, I hadn't heard much about un-funded mandates. No Child Left Behind requires schools to report their progress and meet certain Adequate Yearly Progress markers. Schools that do not "meet AYP" face sanctions that could include school administration being replaced or school restructuring (Sanctions, 2010). The problem with NCLB and its mandates is that the federal government has made these mandates without also properly allotting funding for states and school districts that may not have the financial resources for developing and purchasing technology, much less technology literacy assessments (Williamson, 2009).

I haven't yet developed a field-based activity to satisfy my implementation of TF IV. However when I do, I will ensure that I assess the students knowledge of technology applications TEKS, as well as content-area TEKS (Assessment Tools, 2001).

In the future, I plan to engage in action research to assess students' technology proficiency (Fichman, 2009). Benefits of action research include focusing on improving student achievement, improving teacher performance and instruction, becoming more efficient at conducting inquiry, and school personnel having ownership of the results.

I found the assignment from week 2 of EDLD 5301 particularly applicable to this reflection. After watching the videos from Dr. Kirk Lewis and Johnny Briseno, I thought Briseno was particularly prolific in saying that at his school they don’t make decisions without looking at the data first. He did note that they do take qualitative data into account, but the numerical data helps him and his staff maintain “all kinds of reports” that analyze where students are successful versus where students are struggling.

The topic that Lewis mentioned that I found particularly interesting was Expectation Graduation. It was also interesting that Lewis looked to his teachers and administrators to be able to read research from other sources outside the district, be able to glean what parts were relevant to Pasadena’s teachers and “see what they’ve done”, then ultimately be able to compare that data with their own to find what would “fit” in their particular environment. Lewis’ advice that teachers, or researchers, need to do what is practical for them hits the nail on the head. Lewis drove home his point by saying that researchers need to look into practical things that they need to know to apply directly to student learning.

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.

Sanctions for Not Making AYP (Apr 7, 2010). Sanctions for Not Making AYP: Wisconsin Department of Public Education. www.dpi.state.wi.us/esea/doc/sanctions-schools.doc

Assessment Tools (2001). The Technology Applications Center for Educator Improvement: University of North Texas. http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/assess/tools.htm

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action
Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Briseno, Johnny and Lewis, Kirk, Ph.D. (2009) Action Research Interviews: EDLD 5301 - Lamar University. [multimedia]

Reflections on Technology Facilitator Standard III: Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum

This chapter was chiefly focused on bridging the gap between technology students use in their home lives and technology used in the classroom; and in implementing national standards in order for students to achieve technological literacy. I was interested to learn of how ISTE has developed the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETs-S)and at the publication date of our textbook, 48 states had adopted the standards for its students (Williamson, 2009).

Before beginning this master's program, I was not aware of any program at the state or national level that called for students to attain a level of mastery with regard to technology. I simply thought that schools integrated technology according to their resources and local policy. After noting in this chapter that technology literacy is part of No Child Left Behind, and that the state of Texas includes technology standards in its Long Range Plan for Technology, I have a new-found knowledge from which to advance my future learning (Texas LRPT, 2006).

Since I'm not a classroom teacher, these two pieces of knowledge have not effected my implementation. However I was priveledged enough to hear Mark Prensky speak at a school in our district in June. Prensky's presentation was focused on how NETs-S and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) can work together in the classroom. Many teachers and schools tend to believe it is NETS versus TEKS, however Prensky gave several examples as to how the NETS and TEKS can be intertwined (MacVeigh, 2010).

As I noted above, I'm not a classroom teacher, however there was one instance where I was able to integrate TF III into a field-based internship activity. Using the presentation from Dr. John Yearwood that he presented in EDLD 5366 - Digital Graphics & Desktop Publishing, I spoke to a business computing class in our district about principles of graphic design. I combined the simpler concepts from two of his presentations and used the Sweet Home Alabama poster as a visual aid (2009). During the presentation, I also taught students how to set up and use automated actions in Photoshop CS4. Since the class is conducted in it's own media lab with one computer per student, I had students log on to classroom desktops. I let them through the process to find my instructions saved to my Google Docs folder and download them. Then I led students through the initial processes of opening an image, recording actions, applying edits to the image, saving the recording, the applying the recording to other images. In this presentation, I integrated TF-1.B., TF-II.A., and TF-III.D (Williamson, 2009).

Participants were only about 70 percent engaged during the graphic design presentation, so I used the Socratic questioning method to spur their engagement. However when students were allowed to log on to the computer and begin to learn the physical process of automating actions for image editing, the students' questions became very technical and results oriented, and I could tell this was an activity that they had never engaged in and were eager to learn something new.

Though I use automated actions in Photoshop in my job on a weekly basis, it was a nice refresher in reviewing the specific process needed to save the actions. Also, this presentation would have been much less engaging without the presentation regarding basic design principles I received in EDLD 5366.

In the future I will be sure to look for correllations between NETS and TEKS. After Prenksy's presentation in June, he made it seem as though teachers should have no problem integrating the two in their classroom. In my presentation to the business computing classroom, I was able to integrate three Technology Facilitator Standards. It should be no problem integrating NETS in a similar fashion.

My past interactions with colleagues related to implemenation of Standards & Indicators is limited to this course. However through the discussion and group projects from this course, I have learned the vocabulary of the classroom teacher, and have learned how to speak the language of classroom technology as well. As a district or school technology facilitator, I feel that I will be more prepared to expain to teachers how best to easily integrate technology into their curriculum. I will be able to talk to classroom teachers about technology applications TEKS, and how they can be integrated even into core classroom areas where technology isn't traditionally heavily applied, but where there are clearly stated technology application TEKS (THE Journal, 2004).

For future learning, I would be interested to look into how many teacher preservice programs put emphasis on the technology applications TEKS for core content areas, i.e. science, math, social studies, English, etc. I realize that a lot of professional development s offered in our district, however I would be interested to know how many university preservice programs are relying upon district-offered training versus putting significant effort into training preservice teachers on technology applications TEKS prior to graduating them into the workforce.

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.

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology (November 2006). Texas Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020: Texas Education Agency. http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/technology/EktronAttach/FinalCombinedLRPT2020.pdf

MacVeigh, Matthew (July 14, 2010). Irving ISD District Weekly: Irving Independent School District. http://www.irvingisd.net/districtweekly/weekly356.htm

Yearwood, John C. Ph.D. (2009). Basic Design Principles. [multimedia]

THE Journal (July 1, 2004). Texas: Meeting the Technology Integration Challenge in Texas Schools. THE Journal. http://thejournal.com/Articles/2004/07/01/Texas-Meeting-the-Technology-Integration-Challenge-in-Texas-Schools.aspx?Page=1

Reflections on Course-Embedded Assignments for EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology

As the title of this class suggests, I had hoped to learn techniques to integrate various technologies into classroom instruction. What I received was that and more. Not only did I learn some techniques, but I also learned the theory behind why students respond to technology and how to effectively plan to efficiently use technology in the classroom. As Page points out in his 1970 quote from Flanders, "Most important, early in the movement to analyze classroom interaction, it was found that superior achievement could be found among classrooms in which the teacher attained complete compliance from students, but these classrooms also consisted of an environment in which the teacher supported and encouraged student initiative. (2002) This is very true of classroom technology. As students are permitted to engage in discovery using technology, their achievement increases.

What was also interesting was learning, and practicing, different techniques for collaboration with geographically separated people. I’ve never been a fan of group work, and doing it when geographically separated was at first a daunting task. I had hoped to achieve the outcome of learning to facilitate group work over distance without loosing too much time in the period between messages being sent and input being submitted from group members. I feel we accomplished this fairly well. Though there are areas that could be improved related to coordinating more efficient times and methods of communication, through time management and simple document sharing strategies, I feel we all learned a few solid techniques for virtual collaboration.

The outcomes gained from this course are more relevant to my current work than ever before. I have seen my own daughter (6-years-old) wake up before everyone else in the family, sneak downstairs to use the family computer, and play math game software she received at school just so no one will bother her. In reflecting upon the Edutopia interview we watched featuring Sasha Barab, children everywhere seem to have mysteriously decided, almost on their own, that they don’t care what kind of game is presented, whether it is obviously for learning or meant for entertainment. As long as it is an engaging game that offers rewards and challenges, to them the game is worth playing. (n.d.) Upon completion of my degree, I hope to attain an instructional technology specialist position with a school district, or lecture in a school of education at a University. By learning more about the tools available that can be used in the classroom, I can help teachers determine the most effective tool for them, or I could take this knowledge and share it with pre-service students so they have a full toolbox to take with them into their careers.

I am still relatively uncomfortable associating learning activities with the correct corresponding TEKS and NETS. I feel this is from not having a class that specifically addressed how to select TEKS and how to cite them in a lesson plan. We have been exposed to TEKS, told where to find them, but I would appreciate a full week summarizing the theory behind the TEKS and how to determine the correct TEKS and NETs for a lesson. I also feel that I didn’t have the opportunity to see technology integrated into every subject that would appear in school. Though this demand sounds like a lot, I don’t mean it to sound so. I simply would have liked, each week, so see a different digital medium applied in a different subject class. For example, Week 1: math; Week 2: science; Week: 3, English language arts; Week 4: music; Week 5: art. This may sound overly simplified, but I’m sure many teachers feel that besides overhead projectors and smart boards, there simply is no place for flavor-of-the-month digital technology in some subject areas. I would like to know the language to help them see differently.

I felt I was very successful in completing the assignments for this course. However, I didn’t like having to submit my notes to the academic coach in the form of wiki posts, as I have always felt that notes are a personal thing. The way a person organizes their thoughts related to a lesson to be learned can be confusing and difficult for others to understand. By having to submit my notes as an assignment, I felt pressure to make my own notes understandable to a mass audience. This took them from being quick reference notes, to being a project that had to be professionally edited and presented. Though I wasn’t discouraged, I felt that the extra step of creating, editing and submitting the wiki pages was a time consuming effort that would have best been spent doing other coursework. Our group assignments went well. For group work, the best course of action I found was for me as group leader to create a document in Google Docs that served as a worksheet, then I shared that document in a folder I created for the group, and members contributed to the worksheet. I was then able to summarize the group’s input into an assignment to be submitted. The shared Google Docs folder was also useful in serving as a repository for individual assignments that supported a group project. This saved having to call or email each other constantly with attachments that may or may not be admitted through servers’ security or mailbox sizes.

From this course, I learned that I have a pretty good grasp on time-management skills (there was a lot of work to accomplish the past five weeks!), and my tech skills are mostly on-par with trends in current classroom technology. Before this class, I hadn’t used wikis much, but I feel that I can now effectively use wikis to foster group classroom collaboration. My leadership skills came in handy and were relatively unchanged from this experience. I have been in the military, so leadership, time management, and problem solving fortunately are not issues that I struggle with.

What I did struggle with was the assignments for week 4 in that they were to be student centered learning products citing associated TEKS & NETs. Because of the nature of the assignment, I asked a more experienced classroom teacher and group member to take the leadership role during week 4. As we worked through the assignment for this week, I was reminded of a quote from one of the videos from week 3: "In the beginning, what we tried to do was motivate. And then if all things come together as they should, pretty soon we're just trying to get out of the way." (n.d.) When a teacher or technology facilitator plans curriculum for students, they really should do so with this concept in mind. Teachers should take on more of a facilitator role, and leave the learning to the students. When they are ready to take the reins, let them go. This kind of harkens back to week two and the quote "if I teach this way, am I doing my job". My answer is that as long as a teacher has explained the parameters of the assignment, the class has developed a standard of ettiquite as well as standard of performance, then a teacher should just supervise to ensure standards are met and prescribe additional practice as necessary.

Overall, the group members were great, very accommodating, and very punctual in participation. Since our group members are dispersed throughout the state, as group leader I took on these weeks’ assignments with the feeling that I was going to push members pretty hard to get the product I wanted, the standard I wanted, and the grade I wanted without waiting around for consensus to build. I figured the consensus would come after I had presented a draft summary of group work back for their evaluation. Cooperative learning, such as the type we particpated in, not only will help students be better prepared for the fast-paced, virtual workplace, but also provide students a base of support on which they can lean for help or for praise. Cooperative learning activities help build trust, comaraderie, and teamwork. They are also useful for self-checking progress of in-class activities, homework and for completing other routines. Studies show that there is a small improvement in outcome when students use technology collaboratively. (Pitler, 2007)

Page, M. S. (2002). Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4), 389–409. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from the International Society of Education at http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Number_4_Summer_20021&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=830

Edutopia.org. (n.d.) Big Thinkers: Sasha Barab on New Media Engagement. Retrieved October 5, 2009, from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-sasha-barab-video

Edutopia.org (nd). Digital Youth Portrait -- Luis. Retrieved on Oct. 5, 2009 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-luis-video

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 139-154.

Week-2 Web Conference - EDLD 5370

This evening's web conference was very helpful as well. When I logged-on, Dr. Diane Mason was already talking with my fellow students regarding proper APA formatting. I purchased the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association today. A very thick book with a lot of guidelines for properly formatting a publication. The questions Dr. Mason was answering, along with the typed chat running concurrently was extremely helpful in ensuring our in-text citations were formatted correctly as well as our references at the end of scholarly writing.

Also helpful was the conversation regarding ensuring our journals are up-to-date with all assignments in accordance with the internship handbook. I was particularly interested in a series of emails I had received several months ago regarding the requirement to purchase a software in order to take the remainder of my classes. Dr. Mason as well as my classmates let me know that our program manager said we didn't need to purchase the TK20 software.

Reflection on Assignments for EDLD 5362

Teaching and learning over the past decade has seen an enormous paradigm shift in the way computers are used in the classroom. Teachers use them more for administrative tasks, and students go to the computer more often than to the library for research. The purpose of the first asignment for EDLD5362 was to explore one teacher’s experience with Internet resources in her classroom.

During the past ten to fifteen years, the availability of resources on the Internet related to teaching and learning has blossomed. Before the Internet, teachers had to rely solely on what they learned in preservice training and what was available to be shared among peers or in staff development. With the maturing of the Internet, new tools and resources are constantly made available. According to his 1998 survey, Henry Jay Becker found that 68 percent of teachers were using the Internet to find information for use in building lessons, and more than 28 percent accessed the Internet to do so at least once per week. (1998)

Findings are likewise with students. Before the Internet, students had to rely upon the availability of resources in the school or municipal library. They also had to trust that the information being shared by teachers was accurate and above reproach. As the Internet has become more readily available in school and home-life, students have had a much more robust resource opened to them. According to 2002 research conducted by Douglas Levin and Sousan Arafeh, 94 percent of 12-17 year olds who report using the Internet have used it for school research, and 71 percent used the Internet as the major source for their most recent school project. (2002)

When originally contacted for the week 1 assignment, Becky Christenberry, German teacher at Irving-Nimitz High School, replied that she wasn’t a “big fan” of the Internet, but she agreed to help. Having taught for 28 years, and also a former volleyball, cross country and track coack, Christenberry is not one of those stereotypical grousing teachers who simply shows up each day, sits a the desk, and collects a paycheck. Her drive to help students achieve is evidenced in her performance, and is evidenced in her acceptance and use of technological standards. For Christenberry, the ideal Internet resource she would design, if given the opportunity, would include interactive, language-use games. She would use such games for virtual trips to a German-speaking country where students have to interact using German. Fortunately for Christenberry, Second Life has already been invented. Education administrators just need to learn the potential for its application in order for it to be allowed in the classroom.

In week two, two networks were evaluated as to their usefulness for me in my current position. This was definitely a very helpful exercise in analyzing technology and determining it's applications for my duties. I've often heard older administrators seem to refer to technology as a thing to be loaded upon a child, or for teachers to plug in and all of a sudden they are successful.

"Too often school districts invest in technologies because of their high-tech, 21st century appeal without fully considering their impact on student learning and long-term total cost of ownership. The technology accelerators described here are neither particularly new nor innovative, but when combined with sufficient training and support, they will make a significant difference." (Matthews, 2004) I don't think of technology as a thing to be bought and used like deodorant or toothpaste, but the elements listed in this article are exactly the kind of expendable items that I believe our administrators often refer to.

These administrators often think of technology as wires, blinking lights, computers etc. The accelerators referenced in this article are necessary to make technology work, but they are not the whole of technology. As the article states, "...when combined with sufficient training and support..." These are the key words of success with technology. School districts have to provide the infrastructure of technology as well as the training and support in order for technology to be used successfully in the classroom. Technology isn't a thing to pick up and throw at a kid hoping they'll get it, technology is the sum of the parts necessary to make 21st century learning happen!
The week three assignment involved evaluating Irving ISD student information systems (SIS). One of the more "dry" assignments, this week did offer the opportunity to learn more about how student information is stored by our district and information is uploaded to the state. Since I didn't grow up in Texas and attend Texas public schools, I didn't have to take the standardized tests required of our students. It was interesting to learn how our district's pentamation department shares student data with the state, and how the student information system purchased by the district has to be compatible with state guidelines.


Learning this information also opened up the opportunity to learn the processes used by the district to train and certify employees on the SIS. When the system was purchased in 2000, the vendor provided initial traning. Since that time, training has been conducted for district personnel by district personnel.

Week four involved analyzing the 2009 K-12 edition of the Horizon Report and develop a vision of instructional technology for the next five years. My report involved collaborative environments, online communication tools, mobile devices, cloud computing, smart objects, the personal web, and infrastructure and safety. Ultimately I surmised that in five years the classroom will become more collaborative, will be more integrated with increasingly smaller portable and web-enabled devices, and will be more secure for students.

In doing this project, I was particularly interested in learning more about what the Horizon Report terms as the "personal web." Of particular interest in Web 2.0 was the use of widgets to personalize a users web experience. Widets can be used by students to create interactive, individualizeed instructional materials, discussion boards or calendar reminders. (Guess, 2008) Also through completing this project, I experienced for the first time what it means to visualize how the future of instructional technology will look based upon resources that are available at present.

The questions I have for future research include how students may make more use of their wireless handheld devices, such as smart phones and digital music and video players. More than laptops and netbooks being available, in the future it seems as though more students may arrive with personal handheld devices, or schools may find purchasing such devices more economical than laptops. These devices can be used to make podcasts, take notes, organize schedules and homework, use as classroom-response devices, and send text messages while collaborating with classmates. (Trotter, 2009) Future research can include shaping district acceptable use policies to account for students expanded use of such devices.

Finally, week in week five the assignment involved creating a multimedia presentation about the IISD Long Range Plan for Technology (LRPT). The analysis required for this presentation allowed me to gain an increased understanding of how our district plans for and implements technology in the classroom. Also included in the plan are the three-year goals for district technology.

It was interesting to note that the plan is required to obtain e-rate funding, and required as part of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The Irving ISD LRPT was created by a 52-member committee. The plan was created through a needs assessment from committee meetings, teacher and student surveys, staff development needs, and findings from the district and individual school STaR charts.

As a potential instructional technology facilitator, this document would be very helpful to keep me on task with regard to what the school and district planned to do in my field. As a technology leader, this document would help me identify the needs of the district as identified by the very people who use the technology on a daily basis. Since the IISD plan is developed largely through needs assessments and written by such a large committee, if I was the technology leader for my district, it would be very helpful for me and my department to allocate resources according to the real-world needs in the classroom.

Finally, this assignment represented a paradigm shift in my thinking toward how technology integrates into the classroom. The enstate of the IISD LRPT includes students being able to evaluate and apply information; think critically; problem solve; write for an authentic auidence; and become well-rounded in academics, fine arts and athletics. One would tend to believe that these functions were being met in traditional classrooms, instead of being part of an instructional technology plan. As we discussed in week two, many administrators believe technology is a thing to be used in a specific setting, then left when one moves to the next setting. However by analyzing the IISD Long Range Plan for Technology, one begins to see how technology is an integrated concept that helps to develop students accross the curriculum.


Becker, Henry Jay (1998). Internet Use by Teachers. Teaching, Learnnig, and Computing: 1998, A National Survey of Schools and Teachers. Retrieved January 2010 from http://www.crito.uci.edu/TLC/findings/internet-use/startpage.htm

Levin, D., & Arafeh, S. (2002). The Digital Disconnect. The Widening Gap Between Internet-Savvy Students and Their Schools. (2002)The digital disconnect. The widening gap between internet-savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet and American Life Project. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2002/PIP_Schools_Internet_Report.pdf.

Mathews, J.B. (2004, April). Why statewide educational networks are important to state and educational leaders. Southern Regional Educational Board. Retrieved on November 17, 2009, from http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/PDF/04T02-Statewide_Ed_Tech_Net_Important.pdf

Guess, A. (December 8, 2008) A Widget Onto the Future. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/12/08/widgets

Trotter, A. (January 7, 2009) Students Turn Their Cell phones On for Classroom Lessons: New Academic Uses Challenge Restrictions. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/01/07/16cellphone.h28.html&levelId=2100

Irving ISD Long Range Plan for Technology, 2010-2013. (n.d.) Retreived February 10, 2010 from http://www.irvingisd.net/technology/documents/lrtp.pdf

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020. (December 2006) Retrieved February 12, 2010, from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/etac

Reflections on Technology Facilitator Standard II: Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences

Self –Assessment

• Critically reflect upon the knowledge you gained from the reading. (3 Points)

Interesting statistics from 2005 in this reading: 85 percent of teachers use technology for administrative tasks, but less than 50 percent ever use technology to support instruction. (Williamson, 2009). This paragraph goes on to state that only slightly more than half of teachers said technology has significantly changed the way they teach. This TF standard comes down to one common theme: teaching teachers how and when to integrate technology into their lessons. It is easy for a technology facilitator or leader to tell a teacher to use technology more in lessons, but it is another thing to actually help that teacher know when are appropriate times to use technology.

• Critically reflect upon the relationship between any new information you gained from the reading with old information you previously held to be true. (2 Points)

A lot of older education administrators seem to think of technology as a thing, like textbooks and calculators are a thing. "Get in there and use the technology we've purchased and make the students use it." Many of you may have heard a similar quote before from your administration.

The definition of technology is: 1 a : the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area : engineering 2 b : a capability given by the practical application of knowledge 2 : a manner of accomplishing a task especially using technical processes, methods, or knowledge 3 : the specialized aspects of a particular field of endeavor

Nowhere in any of these three definitions does it say technology = computer. The closest is the example for #2, but even then that definition is "a manner of accomplishing a task"
Technology is a tool just like the old fashioned gradebook, the slide ruler, or a chalkboard, but teachers have no problem integrating those tools into their curriculum. By simply giving students a learning task as part of a well-planned lesson, the students will take care of implementing the technology for the teacher.

Fortunately many teachers are beginning to find ways to implement various technological tools into curriculum. It is the ones who are not that are simply remembering the lessons from their youth and re-packaging them in their own classes that are not taking advantage of technology. It isn't that those teachers don't have the tech available, it is that they are too lazy to re-write curriculum for particular subject areas that has been available for decades.

• How did the relationship between the old and new information you learned affect your personal experience with implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities? (2 Points)

Unfortunately since I am not a classroom teacher, I had a bit of a challenge in integrating this standard. What I attempted to do in the below example of the automated actions in Photoshop is to ask the classroom teacher at what level the students were operating at, then assume the students would understand the vocabulary I would plan to use. I did not assume that I would have to teach them the basics of operating Photoshop, nor that I would have to spend time discussing the vocabulary terms in my presentation. I gave students every opportunity to ask me questions, but treated them as though they were competent enough to handle the task using the knowledge they had learned from their classroom teacher.

Learn as a Learner

• Critically reflect upon your approach and strategies used in implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities.(3 Points)

As the reading points out, teachers may be doing fine using technology in their classrooms for clerical items, however as of 2005, less than 50 percent used technology to support instruction. (2009)

"It has been said that the person doing the work is the person who learns." (Learning, 1999) Any time I have to teach a class or make a presentation, I always find how easy it is to wrap my head around a subject after having researched it, written out discussion points, and actually talked through the presentation. Conversely, when I'm the recipient of information, unless it is really an engaging subject, I usually get tired-head about five minutes into the presentation and completely zone out.

By doing the research and trying to prepare for possible questions the audience may pose, as a learner I really feel that I get more out of a subject when I am the one preparing to teach it. Whether or not I ever present my findings matters less than the learning that took place to prepare for presentation.

For example, the other day I visited one of our school district classrooms and presented a brief class about automating actions in Photoshop. I am by no means an expert on Photoshop and I usually have a really hard time remembering all the necessary steps. But the time I had created a handout and had practiced my presentation, I really had a strong grasp on that particular function. The same is true to learning any subject in our classrooms...if you give the students a subject, plus give them some boundaries in order to stay on task, you will be amazed at the depth and variety of learning that takes place.

• Critically reflect upon how you learn as a learner and how you assess your own performance in implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities. (2 Points)

As stated above, I am not a classroom teacher. However in my field-based internship activities, I try to teach as I would like to be taught. I want my instructor to give me the benefit of the doubt that I can understand the basic concepts and am able to keep pace with the instructor in what they are trying to teach. When making a presentation, I try not to bore my audience with mundane minutae, but instead push forward and encourage audience members with questions to ask them on the spot, or contact me separately to get the answer.

In one of the videos we watched in EDLD 5364, a teacher said "In the beginning, what we tried to do was motivate. And then if all things come together as they should, pretty soon we're just trying to get out of the way." (Edutopoia, n.d.) This quote supports everything we've learned in most of our classes. Teachers should take on more of a facilitator role, and leave the learning to the students. When they are ready to take the reins, let them go. This kind of harkens back to last week in the quote "if I teach this way, am I doing my job". My answer is that as long as a teacher has explained the parameters of the assignment, the class has developed a standard of ettiquite as well as standard of performance, then a teacher should just supervise to ensure standards are met and prescribe additional practice as necessary.

I really like that this video used Luis as an example. I met a student in my own district who's life is changed because of technology. He isn't in a supportive family like Luis, instead our student lives with different friends because, if memory serves me correctly, his parents are separated and both work outside our district. Like Luis, our student's interest in technology has motivated him to succeed in all classes, and in projects outside of the standard curriculum.

I hope that in the near future we experience a paradigm shift as evidenced by these Edutopia videos, and that all education stakeholders: students, parents, administrators, teachers and pre-service teacher-educators begin clamoring for student-directed curriculum development.

• How did your learning and interaction with colleagues (such as discussion forum, web conferences, wiki and blog participation, etc.) affect the results of your performance with respect to implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities?(2 Points)

The disucssion boards in our weekly lessons brought to light a lot of the positives of working in a district like Irving ISD, and made me thankful to not be a teacher in others. In one of my classmate's districts, teachers at her school feel they have to "fly under the radar" in order to get student access to the technology that properly engages their interests, but I am glad that her building principal has taken the responsibility for ensuring students learn what they need to learn in a way that gives them the most benefit. The video I referenced above about Luis isn't contrived for Edutopia, because I've seen the same thing happen in my district and have been personally introduced to an amazing young man who is Irving's "Luis".

I'm looking forward to the time that teachers -- and maybe even more-so referring to district administrators -- are secure enough in their training as learning facilitators to give the students the tools they need, get out of the way, and watch how much learning will take place.

Lifelong Learning Skills

• Critically reflect upon what you gained about learning and how you learn that will impact your future learning regarding the implementation of the Standard and Indicators. (3 Points)

Standard II is all about planning and designing relevant and engaging learning for students. I am reminded of the reading from Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, pp. 168-176, where the authors talk about the practical application of what students have learned in a wide variety of media, then assessing students knowledge by employing ongoing, formative evaluations. Ultimately students can know a lot of stuff, but if they use that stuff, then they really haven't learned anything. The effect of this will be that societal contributors educated in this form of schooling won't support an economically prosperous economy. The future trends in educational technology will hopefully offset this traditional factory approach to schooling and pave the way for more practical application of knowledge learned.

• How will your past interactions and collaborations with colleagues impact your future learning experiences with regard to the implementation of the Standard and Indicators?(2 Points)

Page points out that computers and other classroom technologies...have become a mainstay in education. Despite the low amount of credible data to support full-scale integration, technologies have entered the educational scene in ever-increasing numbers. More research is needed to examine the effects technology has on the educational achievement of students worldwide, and more attention should be focused on whether technology contributes to the personal worth each student assigns to himself or herself during the technology-assisted process. (Page, 2002)

I met Gary Stager in November 2009 and I had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Gary Stager (http://stager.org/). In his electrically-charged speech, one specific topic caught on with me. He said -- to paraphrase -- computers have been in our schools more almost thirty years now. How can we still be announcing technology pilot programs, and testing the effect computers have on our students? The computers have been there for so long that there is no excuse for not using them to their full educational potential and knowing exactly how that use effects our students' achievement.

• As a lifelong learner, what questions or issues challenge you and are worthy of future research or investigation with regard to the implementation of the Standard and Indicators? (2 Points)

TF II includes a lot of language about how students will aquire technical skills when the teachers aren't qualified or confident in their own technical skill-teaching ability. (2009) Teachers uncertainty of how to embed technical training into instruction could hinder student use of technology. More research is definitely warranted in learning how to impart to teachers that they don't have to be an expert, just that they have to know when appropriate times are to integrate technology.

In the same conference where I met Stager, I had the opportunity to meet Marco Torres (homepage.mac.com/torres21). I asked him how, when he was having his students develop their own class projects, did they develop the evaluation instrument that would determine their grade. He simply said "we did it together."

Torres went on to talk about systems he put in place for his students to help teachers at the school keep their technology up and running, and how he taught his students to create films in class. I have no doubt that with the engaging nature of his curriculum, coupled with Torres' charismatic personality, that he in fact attained complete compliance from his students. And I'm confident that he attained this compliance not from being a overbearing taskmaster, but by being himself and putting himself in the shoes of his students. Therefore Torres attained an environment that supported student initiative.

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

Learning as a Personal Event: A Brief Introduction to ConstructivismSouthwest Educational Development Laboratory, (1999). Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to constructivism. Retrieved on October 4, 2009 from http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html

Page, M. S. (2002). Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4), 389–409. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from the International Society of Education at http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Number_4_Summer_20021&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=830

Edutopia.org (nd). Digital Youth Portrait -- Luis. Retrieved on Oct. 5, 2009 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-luis-video

Solomon, G. & Schrum, L. (2007) web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Reflections on Technology Facilitator Standard I: Technology Operations and Concepts

Self –Assessment

· Critically reflect upon the knowledge you gained from the reading. (3 Points)

From reading the Williamson textbook, it became readily apparent the difference between Technology Facilitator Standards versus Tech Leadership Standards. Where Tech Facilitator Standards are the "doer" guidelines for integrating technology into the classroom, Tech Leadership Standards are the guidelines for ensuring teachers and Tech Leaders have the tools and resources necessary to do the integrating. (2009)

These two categories are also comparable to the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) and National Education Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). NETS-T are compared to the Tech Facilitator Standards and NETS-A to Leadership standards. As classroom teachers are expected to meet NETS-T, (2007) technology facilitators are expected to meet their respective standards.

· Critically reflect upon the relationship between any new information you gained from the reading with old information you previously held to be true. (2 Points)

I understood the fact that teachers who had been in the profession longer had a lower proficiency level with the use of technology. However as was pointed out, in 2005, the percentage of teachers rating their colleagues as beginners dropped 20 percent in six years. This suggests that the more experienced teachers are gaining a higher proficiency level, and that new teachers are entering the profession with a higher degree of technology proficiency.

· How did the relationship between the old and new information you learned affect your personal experience with implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities? (2 Points)

Knowing that my peers, and my supervisors, were developing a higher proficiency through the continued use of technology in their daily work, I was able to introduce concepts that were more relevant to actual activities the office was conducting. For example, through small-group coaching as Williamson pointed out, I was able to instruct my co-workers on the operation and application of a new scanner the department had purchased. (2006) Rather than starting at square one and having to teach the how-tos of plugging the peripheral in, connecting it to the computer and installing software, we were able to begin with actually scanning documents and editing them with Adobe Acrobat. Likewise, since my co-workers had used Acrobat in the past, accessing and using the advanced editing functions of the software was a simple lesson.

Learn as a Learner

· Critically reflect upon your approach and strategies used in implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities.
(3 Points)

I have used the Standards and Indicators as a guideline to ensure that my presentations are structured, concise and relevant. By using the Tech Facilitator Standards, I have been able to create products and training that my peers can understand and process into their daily work.

As Pitler, et. al., points out the primary instructional strategy identified when planning instruction is setting objectives. (2007) This text points out that as the techer, your task is to think about how you will...activate your students' prior knowledge. Training peers and coworkers should follow the same theme, and using Tech Facilitator Standards and Indicators as a guideline helps the trainer develop those tasks.

· Critically reflect upon how you learn as a learner and how you assess your own performance in implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities.
(2 Points)

I have found that I am a self-directed, hands-on learner. When a problem is presented to me, I read as much documentation related to that problem as I can, then test what I've read on myself. By building my own skills in repetition, I feel that I am more prepared to present findings to my peers.

· How did your learning and interaction with colleagues (such as discussion forum, web conferences, wiki and blog participation, etc.) affect the results of your performance with respect to implementing the Standard and Indicators in your field-based internship activities?
(2 Points)

I find that interaction with peers has further refined my performance, increasing relevance and decreasing the complexity with which I try to introduce concepts to my peers. Through this course, so much material has been made available that it would be too difficult to forward it all on to my peers for them to digest. I have made every effort to in implementing Tech Facilitator Standards that are relevant to my department's daily work, while maintaining a sense of what my peers can digest at the time.

Lifelong Learning Skills

· Critically reflect upon what you gained about learning and how you learn that will impact your future learning regarding the implementation of the Standard and Indicators. (3 Points)

Relevance is the cornerstone of lifelong learning. As Williamson and Reddish pointed out, "critics have expressed concern that technology skills training has been overemphasized...while support for integrating technology into academic content areas has been neglected. (2009) If a person doesn't see the purpose of learning a skill or piece of knowledge, they won't apply themselves in learning it, and won't apply what they've learned to their classrooms or duties.

· How will your past interactions and collaborations with colleagues impact your future learning experiences with regard to the implementation of the Standard and Indicators?
(2 Points)

As noted above, I will always prepare lessons and presentations with relevancy for my audience in mind. It is easy to present a topic according to a set of bullet points or in order for the audience to grasp the basics. However if I only present according to my needs, their needs for relevant learning will be left out. Likewise, as I learn new skills with the intent that I will forward that knowledge to others, I will gather my learning while always looking toward how I can make it relevant to others.

Solomon and Schrum point out that teachers and trainers can take advantage of the features that new tools offer and tap into students' natural affinity for these tools in order to create learning experiences that expand their worldview and enhance what they learn. (2007) Later in the same work, the authors note that students expect to use technology and are strong believers in the power of technology to enrich their learning. As a trainer, I must be aware of my audiences needs and expectations, and should not assume their expectations would be the same as mine.

· As a lifelong learner, what questions or issues challenge you and are worthy of future research or investigation with regard to the implementation of the Standard and Indicators? (2 Points)

With regard to this particular indicator, the only challenge will be to modify my training methods to model the types of instruction expected of teachers in the classroom. As Bransford and Cocking pointed out, educators are more likely to understand, retain, and transfer [knowledge] when it is embedded in meaningful, authentic contexts. (1999)

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.

Solomon, G. & Schrum, L. (2007) web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Bransford, J. and Cocking, P. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.

Pitler, H. et. al. (2007) Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria: ASCD.

Reflections of EDLD 5333 Leadership for Accountability

In the first week of EDLD 5333, part of our assignment was to create a personal vision for leadership. My vision was: through an ongoing process of listening to those more experienced, collaborating with peers and contemporaries, learning from those with different interests, and empathizing with the less fortunate, I will become the leader who others seek out for advice, for companionship, and for a trusted voice who is not afraid to make a difficult decision and see it through to completion.

In order to prepare this vision, another part of the assignment involved determining steps for a shared vision. Paterson's steps - collaborate, determine keywords and mutual understanding (2005) - provided me with guiding tools to help me concretely define what my vision is for leadership. This process can easily become bogged down, and it is easy to lose focus on the ultimate statement. By using these sites, it makes the process of creating a viable, relevant and concise vision statement much easier. I've had to write goals and visions in the past for previous careers and classes, and it was always painful. Refering to how Paterson's steps kept the process on track...I would have greatly benefitted from having these steps in past experiences.

Week two of this class dealt with analyzing data such as TAKS scores and AEIS reports. I would encourage all staff to delve into the data for their appropriate grade level. Teachers need to understand which segments of their students are grasping the material to allow for additional instruction time or differentiated instruction for those groups (Heritage, 2005). I would also encourage teachers to become familiar with similar campus results from around Texas to help students understand that there are other students in their similar situations who either are, or are not, performing the tasks to the standards that they themselves are being asked to do. Finally I would encourage teachers to familiarize themselves with the data so they could then authoritatively present it to the parents in their respective grade levels. Teachers, more often than administrators, have one-on-one opportunities with parents and would be the district's best resource for presenting school AEIS data to parents.

Week 3 was particularly in-depth for this course. Part of the assignment was to choose three strategies or activities, particularly one that addresses professional development. Using the strategy outlined in Developing Successful Thinkers, I would have teachers take the grade 8 science TAKS released test. Using the district’s curriculum system and benchmark tests, administrators and teachers will then disaggregate data and meet to collectively discuss areas of strength and weakness for individual teachers, and what they perceive as strengths and weaknesses among their students. A two-week science review will be conducted prior to TAKS. Grade 8 teachers will rotate through each other’s classrooms teaching their strongest TEKS concept (2005). Often we hear teachers and administrators remark at how difficult the state standardized tests are, and they often challenge those outside education to take a TAKS sample test. I would challenge teachers to do the same thing in order to develop a more efficient process for teaching. By taking the test, I believe that teachers could develop a way to integrate more than just "teaching to the test" topics into class.

In week 4, we discussed professional learning communities. Professional learning communities contribute to on-going professional development. Teachers and administrators who find it difficult to pull teachers from the classroom for organized professional development sessions can implement peer-lead learning communities in order to supplement organized professional development. Teachers in similar assignments can provide each other with the most focused and relevant discussions. Likewise, teachers linked either through assignment or geography can more easily share relevant best-practices for improving situations in their classrooms.

Formative assessments, and the sharing of the subsequent data among peer-lead learning communities, will provide a structure for the community to support the on-going professional development that the assessment data provides. Also, formative assessments can provide benchmarks for the classroom teacher to chart the progress of implementing practices learned through their campus- or assignment-based learning communities.

In week 5, I had the opportunity to conduct an interview of the principal of the middle school I had studied in the previous four weeks, as well as a teacher at that school.
Principal Angie Gaylord and Social Studies Department Chair Scott Shelby regarding Crockett’s Campus Improvement Committee (CIC).

Shelby offered a very important insight into how the CIC evaluates the extent to which their recommendations are implemented in the classroom. He said recommendations of the CIC are monitored by Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) evaluators (vice principals, district coordinators, etc) and by department chairs. Teachers have the opportunity to submit items forward to the CIC by bringing recommendations to Gaylord, and Shelby said that teachers are given ample opportunity to voice concerns to the campus leadership team, administration, or CIC.

Gaylord said that as principal she chairs the meetings, which are one-hour long and conducted five times per year. I was surprised at how few meetings where scheduled, however Gaylord and Shelby both agreed that the CIC tends to operate very well as a team, with the overriding goal of improving the campus for its students. When conflict does arise, Gaylord said the group tends to talk through the issue to create win-win scenarios. She said members of the group use common sense and ultimately “everything goes back to students and their success.” Both Gaylord and Shelby agreed that though there are time-frames to the meetings, members will remain at a topic as long as is necessary to reach a conclusion or solution.

As Martha Richardson described in Consensus Leadership, Gaylord outlined that though the CIC process is more time-consuming and complex, consensus building is the optimal method for resolving educational policies and issues because it allows for the incorporation of the varied knowledge and experience of all committee members (Richardson, 2005).

The concepts of consensus buidling for decision making challenges my sense of "mission accomplishment". I always feel as though the person in charge should be the person in charge. Those who support that person are definitely welcome to provide input; as a matter of fact, it should be part of their job. However once the leader has received all of that input, I have always felt they are then charged with making a decision. As Richardson describes above, the principal would be best served by operating by consensus. Yes, this leadership option allows for incorporation of varied experience. However how often does a principal really have time to lead by consensus? In the future I would like to investigate how many school principals truly operate by consensus, and how effective that style is, versus how many operate in some adaptation of consensus leadership, and that method's effectiveness.

Peterson, K. (1995). Critical Issue:Building a Collective Vision, North Central Regional Educational Library. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le100.htm

Heritage, M., & Chen, M. H. (2005). Why data skills matter in school improvement. Phi
Delta Kappan, 86(9), 707-710.

Developing Successful Thinkers. (2005-2006) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/bestprac/bpc_instruction.html

Richardson, M. (2005). Consensus leadership, Principal Leadership, 6(4), 32-35

Reflections on assignments in EDLD 5306 Concepts of Educational Technology

As with any introduction course, I expected this class to pique my interest in many areas of educational technology without becoming bogged down in any one area. I feel that this class performed exactly to my expectations, a complement to the designers. Often it seems as though an introductory course will delve too deeply into certain areas that will be covered in an entire class later in the program. Detail is good, but when presenting too much detail to an audience that is just beginning to understand new concepts, the presenter can dishearten or overwhelm the audience. This class moved quickly, efficiently, and delivered just the right amount of content to give me solid perspective on how instructional technology at the classroom and campus level relates to what is happening on a national and global level. I especially enjoyed learning about campus STAR charts and how they can be used to evaluate trends in schools’ technology use over time.

The outcomes I’ve achieved are very relevant to the work I perform for Irving ISD. Though not currently an information technology professional in my school district, my current position requires that I report on the news events happening in our classrooms. Not only did this class give me a perspective of current technology events unfolding in education, it also helped me to understand more clearly how technology is being integrated into Irving ISD classrooms. Equipped with the increased knowledge and vocabulary that I’ve acquired over the past several weeks, I am able to more effectively present my district’s technology success to the community. Since I hope to become an education technology administrator following completion of the degree program, I can use the next year and a half to become an informed observer of educational technology. Armed with the tools learned in this course plus the information to be learned through the next 17 months, I will be an excellent candidate for a position in the field of educational technology administration.

I am still a bit unclear as to the exact nature of the dynamic and spiraling construction of TEKS. I read the required readings and completed the exercises, but the way TEKS are constructed eludes me. I cannot honestly say what prevented me from achieving understanding of TEKS construction, it just did. Hopefully when I prepare to take my teacher certification course, there will be more time spent there explaining how and why TEKS are constructed the way they are. I do understand how the requirements apply to the various grade levels, but I neither understand what makes it dynamic, nor do I understand how it is spiraling. I also don’t believe I achieved a thorough understanding of the process a school principal takes in translating all teacher STAR charts into the school STAR charts? Does the principal merely average the Key Area ratings from the teacher charts to come up with the school ratings for the Key Areas, or is there a more advanced formula (TEA, 2006)? I thought the STAR chart lessons were very informative and that is a very useful tool, but I would have appreciated more time spent on the process of using it to evaluate technology integration and use at all levels.

I feel as though I was very successful in carrying out all course assignments. The assignment instructions were clearly outlined. I am also very appreciative of the complete and detailed grading rubric provided with each assignment. Though I didn’t always earn the maximum amount of points possible for each assignment, I felt as though being able to use the rubric as a checklist for the standards required was a very welcome element. I also think that the way assignments were presented – specifically the requirements to create a blog and wiki – was very productive. Having to figure out the “nuts and bolts” of those websites without detailed instruction and instead just broad guidelines was a good example of how to present this type of lesson in classes to students and in professional development. Furtheremore, Richardson's explanation of blogs as a tool for collaboration and using RSS feeds to keep students and parents updated on assignments was illuminating (2004). These simple concepts are easily understood by teachers and will appeal to their sense of value for blogs and wikis.

Because I have not been a public school teacher before in Texas, it became very clear to me that before becoming a technology leader, I will need to learn everything I can regarding STAR charts, Technology Application TEKS, and how Acceptable Use Policies are applied in an ever-changing educational technology environment. Though I didn’t grow up using technology as a student to the extent our kids do today, my technology skills are quite advanced compared to a lot of my peers. Also my ability to assimilate to and understand changing environments will allow me to excel in the educational technology realm. I also found that because of what I do in my current job, I had a hard time accepting the suggested practice of letting students discover the web without filters. As public information specialist for my school district, a large part of my job is protecting students FERPA rights and making sure the media does not use their names or images if parents haven’t agreed. Along those same lines, my first inclination is also to protect students from dangers that lurk on the Internet. But a funny thing happened in last week’s discussion. The topic of Facebook was brought up and how many districts have told teachers that they will not include students as “friends”. Many were in agreement that there is no place for Facebook in education. It was at this point that I began to understand that only with education will we be able to truly create an open educational environment. We had to create wikis for this class, which I define as a social networking tool. Since Facebook is so attractive to young users, we must educate our students as thoroughly and early as possible regarding the proper and professional use of social networking so that we can all get the most benefit out of developing a global social network. Perhaps by allowing student-centered learning and exploration of Web 2.0 tools such as social networking, blogs, wikis, etc, students will better learn to be responsible and enlightened content providers (Mills, 2007).

Texas STaR chart: School technology and readiness: The campus chart. (2006). Austin, TX: Texas Education Agency.

Richardson, W. (2004). Blogging and RSS – The what’s it? And how to of powerful new web tools for educators. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, 11(1), 10-13.

Mills, L. B. (2007). The next wave now: Web 2.0. The Education Digest, 73(4), 4-5.

Instructional Technology Leadership Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination for my Master of Education Degree in Instructional Technology Leadership is a self-reflection of my learning throughout the program.

This Comprehensive Examination includes my goals after having completed this program and my vision of educational technology. The examination also includes a reflection of what I've learned about myself, learned about my technology and leadership skills, and what I've learned about my attitudes. Finally I describe the six courses that have contributed most to my learning through this course, and the rationale for each.

The comprehensive examination is located in Google Docs and can by accessed at
http://bit.ly/cGdWRt.

Week-1 Web Conference - EDLD 5370

Yesterday evening I participated in the week-1 web conference for EDLD 5370-Educational Technology Leadership Internship. Normally this would be my final course, however I still have one more after this class.

I always feel good after the web conference, though I never like to attend them. I always feel that if a person is going to take an online course, that there shouldn't be any mandatory attendance-type events. However, without fail, each time I attend a web conference, I come away feeling as though I've accomplished something or learned a key piece of information.

Aside from having another opportunity to hear from my professor and classmates firsthand - which makes this feel like more of a "real" class - I learned valuable information about the Technology Standards that we are to cite in our field-based internship reflections. I've been using both Technology Facilitator and Leadership standards. However based on last night's conference, I will be able to revise my internship log to just reflect the facilitator standards. This will make it much easier to have activities that relate to all 33 standards.