Reflection

2011

 

Development of My Educational Technological Literacy

Effective teachers model and apply the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S) as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students, colleagues, and the community. All teachers should meet the following standards and performance indicators. As a preservice teacher I have begun to: I. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers: a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments My Narrative: To facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity I am now able to create web quests, a digital learning tool that allows students to create their own understanding in a modern way, through the use of trustworthy internet sources. The design and content of the web-quest allowed for student exploration of real-world issues and reflection on personal learning. A number of the projects were creative collaborations amongst colleagues. Exhibit 1: web-quest Exhibit 2: podcast Exhibit 3: movie editing II. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers: a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching My Narrative: To design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments I created a number of projects including a podcast. My colleague and I mastered the use of the program garage band and its benefits in the promotion of student learning by creating this podcast. Google docs is a valuable and safe tool which can easily be implemented and differentiated in a classroom community to enrich the learning environment of all students. I was able to design and assess students’ learning authentically through the use of web-quest and Kidspiration, a program designed for concept mapping. Exhibit 1: podcast Exhibit 2: web-quest Exhibit 3: movie editing Exhibit 4: google docs Exhibit 5: concept mapping III. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers: a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning My Narrative: Throughout the semester I have become bilingual in both Mac and Windows formats. I have learned how to learn about new technologies, a very effective tool as the world is in a constant state of change. I have collaborated with colleagues, students, mentor teachers and professors in a variety of technology projects. I created a professional brochure to share with my colleagues as well as a DVD. Project TEAM (exhibit 4), was an especially enlightening experience. I taught my original expressive arts lesson to my first graders while my mentor teacher videotaped me. Through editing video and photos with i Movie and iPhoto I was able to reflect upon my own teaching techniques and create a valuable DVD to share with colleagues. Exhibit 1: professional brochure Exhibit 2: website Exhibit 3: podcast Exhibit 4: Project Technology Expressive Arts Methods DVD IV. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility. Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers: a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools My Narrative: In the age of technology, education of the whole child must include digital citizenship and responsibility. Included in the web-quest lesson plan is an emphasis on the importance of digital responsibility and safety. When creating my website (that you are now reading), I modeled digitally responsible behavior including the challenge of adding password protection. Personally, over the years I have had much experience with multi-cultural technological communication. Exhibit 1: web-quest Exhibit 2: website V. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers: a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning b. exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning d. contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community My Narrative: As a member of ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) I have had the opportunity to participate in a global learning community of educators. Many resources are available to me through my membership and have proved useful for keeping up with changes in the pedagogical effectiveness of different types of technology. At my practicum sites I have collaborated with my mentor teachers on various technology projects including project TEAM, web-quests and the use of google docs. Exhibit 1: Project TEAM Exhibit 2: website Exhibit 3: OTEN (Oregon Technology and Education Network) conference Final Reflections Throughout this semester’s coursework I have mastered many pedagogically powerful aspects of technology. In a constantly changing world it is important to remember the children we teach will be entering the workforce as many as twenty years after they have been in our classroom. We are preparing our students for a world still unknown, not only to them but to all of us. Though I am now confident in my ability to experiment with new technologies and bring them into the classroom to support learning, I still have more to learn.   http://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/john/Webquest/webquest.htmlPortfolio.htmlPortfolio.htmlPortfolio.htmlhttp://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/john/Webquest/webquest.htmlPortfolio.htmlPortfolio.htmlPortfolio.htmlhttp://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/john/Webquest/webquest.htmlPortfolio.htmlPortfolio.htmlResources.htmlhttp://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/john/Webquest/webquest.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3shapeimage_1_link_4shapeimage_1_link_5shapeimage_1_link_6shapeimage_1_link_7shapeimage_1_link_8shapeimage_1_link_9