I knew that this course would involve a focus on technology, but I did not anticipate the direction that the course took. I didn’t really have a good idea of the direction this course would take simply because “technology” involves many different aspects of what we do in a school. Technology involves everything from campus email to online gradebooks to mimios and smartboards to online communities. Many of the objectives covered, including in depth discussion posts and blogging, are tools that I already incorporate into the AP course that I teach but I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the use of these tools with my colleagues and peers.
Technology must be a part of our daily lives on a school campus because it is a part of the majority of our students’ lives outside of school. They are regularly exposed to so much interaction and instant feedback that we lose them in class if we cannot provide them these things on the same level. The more we integrate tools that they already use like Yahoo or Google groups, Facebook and Myspace, Twitter, and Blogspot, the more likely we are to get our students to interact with us. If students are already spending time online, take the work to where they are as opposed to trying to get the students to learn from a traditional teaching style.
After talking so much with people from schools with different amounts of technology available to them, I wish we had discussed more strategies for incorporating technology into schools that can’t afford it. In this program, educators work at schools that range from having 60 computers for 1200 students to schools that have a laptop for every child and every teacher. This disparity means that we all have different access to technology and our students also have very different access to technology. This is a difficult problem to solve, though. Unfortunately, it takes money to buy computers and someone has to be willing to pay for it whether that is the district or a district benefactor.
I was successful in completing most of the course assignments. I had difficulties with time management during week 3. I turned my assignment in late and did not get my discussions completed that week. This is the same type of problem many of our students have with online assignments because we have to create the time to complete the assignments. The big thing to understand when something like that happens, though, is to keep moving forward and get back on track. During week four and week five, I have stayed on top of my assignments and discussions. One of the helpful things is that my husband and I are both taking this course so we are able to study together and help each other figure out the meaning of each assignment.
This course has taught me several things. One thing I have learned is that I am ahead of many teachers in terms of using technology in my classes, but there is always more to aim for. I have explored new websites that I learned about through this course and am trying to use the concepts learned in my own school. For instance, we had a recent training on the Mimios sitting in our closets. Prior to the training, our principal asked PLC leads and Freshman Team leads for suggestions on what to focus on during that training. I used concepts brought up in this course to recommend using the training to create a specific lesson with each PLC as opposed to just giving general use instruction.
Online community and communication tools are also a huge aspect of learning today. Many of our students have Myspace accounts, use email, or some other kind of communication that involves being online. As educators, we need to take advantage of their comfort level with technology and utilize in our classrooms. Blogs are one of the tools that we can use. They provide an opportunity for learners to extend their learning past the classroom. In my AP Environmental Science class, we use blogs to tie current events into the concepts they are learning about in class. By asking students to think about content outside of class, I am helping them reinforce and validate the information they learn.
While they are a valuable tool, the use of blogs in an educational environment require that we make sure that students understand appropriate use of online communities. There are dangers to the anonymity provided by being online. Students need to be well aware that there are people out there that might try to find out personal information about them and use it hurt them. They also need to understand their own responsibility in terms of online etiquette. Some students feel like they can carry conflict from school to the internet simply because they are not in the same room as the person they are talking about. Students can learn a lot using online communities, but they need to be monitored and taught appropriate behavior online just as they are taught appropriate behavior in the classroom.
Blogs are great not only for classroom assignments, but also as a communication tool with parents and the community. Teachers can use blogs to keep parents informed of what their children are doing in class. Districts can use blogs to talk to community members about the ways that they can contribute to the learning process happening in schools. Blogs can also be used by administration to share information with staff or to carry out staff professional development. The blog format allow a form of back and forth that ensures that everyone can voice their thoughts and see the thoughts of others regardless of the time and location they choose to look at the blog.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Action Plan to Improve Campus Technology Use
In my analysis of technology needs at Del Valle High School, I came to the conclusion that we need to work on several things to improve the technology use on our campus. For one, we need to strive for a 1:1 student to computer ratio. We also need to ensure that all teachers on our campus are familiar with the technology available to them for use on our campus. We have a lot of available tools such as Eduphoria software, websites, mimios, document cameras, student response systems, Computers on Wheels, and projectors. Very few teachers on campus utilize this equipment in their classrooms every day and we should work to change that. In the above professional development plan, I address the use of Eduphoria for data collection and the use of student response systems in the classroom.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
STaR Chart Infrastructure Analysis
Infrastructure for Technology is one of the four areas that is addressed by the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 and by the Texas STaR Chart. I chose to talk about Infrastructure because none of the other areas can be improved unless schools have a strong foundation in hardware and software. Infrastructure is the category that covers student and educator access to technology and availability of broadband in all classrooms. Infrastructure also evaluates a district’s ability to secure and protect data that is collected and helps districts to utilize data to make informed decisions about curriculum.
The numbers of schools at the Early Tech and Developing Tech stages of development are decreasing while the numbers of schools at Advanced Tech and Target Tech ratings are increasing. This indicates that schools are putting more money and effort into increasing their technological foundation. More schools each year are included in the Advanced Tech and Target Tech categories.
In order to improve Infrastructure ratings, schools need to continue to provide more access to technology and increase the amount of broadband available. Schools also need to work towards achieving a 1:1 student to laptop ratio. Most districts obviously cannot do this in one or even five years, but they can add a few computers every year until they have reached this ideal status.
The numbers of schools at the Early Tech and Developing Tech stages of development are decreasing while the numbers of schools at Advanced Tech and Target Tech ratings are increasing. This indicates that schools are putting more money and effort into increasing their technological foundation. More schools each year are included in the Advanced Tech and Target Tech categories.
In order to improve Infrastructure ratings, schools need to continue to provide more access to technology and increase the amount of broadband available. Schools also need to work towards achieving a 1:1 student to laptop ratio. Most districts obviously cannot do this in one or even five years, but they can add a few computers every year until they have reached this ideal status.
PreK Technology Application TEKS and Spiraling Curriculum
The prekindergarten TEKS are an introduction into the world of computers and the internet. Students are expected to learn how to use a mouse, keyboard, touchscreens, CD-roms, and voice software. Students are also expected to be exposed to drawing programs. Teachers are expected to show students how the equipment and software is to be used both through example and through discussion. It is expected that students will be given exposure to technology both in structured class settings and in individual play time. By the time students leave pre-k, they should have some ideas about the possibilities that exist when using computers and the internet. These TEKS set young children up with the basics they need to explore technology with more proficiency as they develop physically and mentally.
The technology applications TEKS are set up so that many skills will be reinforced at multiple ages. If a student is only expected to use a skill in one year, it is likely that they will forget how to use that skill later. If a skill is an expected part of the curriculum at several points during a child's education, then it will become ingrained in the child.
One example of this is in "Information Acquisition". In Kindergarten through 2nd grade, students are expected to be able to "apply keyword searches to acquire information". In 3rd through 5th grade, students are expected to "apply appropriate electronic search strategies in the acquisition of information including keyword and Boolean search strategies". These two TEKS apply to the same skill, its just that students are using more sophisticated search methods as they develop mentally. The TEK in 6th through 8th grade that addresses the skill of searching for information reads the same as it does in 3rd through 5th grade. The fact that this TEK keeps appearing means that it is very important to continue to develop the skill of researching effectively throughout a child's school years. In the Computer Science II course in High School, the TEK is even more sophisticated. TEK 4.B reads "compare and contrast search and sort algorithms including linear and binary searches for different purposes and search time". It still addresses the skill of researching, but it requires higher level thinking to "compare and contrast" search methods than it does to "apply" search strategies.
The technology applications TEKS are set up so that many skills will be reinforced at multiple ages. If a student is only expected to use a skill in one year, it is likely that they will forget how to use that skill later. If a skill is an expected part of the curriculum at several points during a child's education, then it will become ingrained in the child.
One example of this is in "Information Acquisition". In Kindergarten through 2nd grade, students are expected to be able to "apply keyword searches to acquire information". In 3rd through 5th grade, students are expected to "apply appropriate electronic search strategies in the acquisition of information including keyword and Boolean search strategies". These two TEKS apply to the same skill, its just that students are using more sophisticated search methods as they develop mentally. The TEK in 6th through 8th grade that addresses the skill of searching for information reads the same as it does in 3rd through 5th grade. The fact that this TEK keeps appearing means that it is very important to continue to develop the skill of researching effectively throughout a child's school years. In the Computer Science II course in High School, the TEK is even more sophisticated. TEK 4.B reads "compare and contrast search and sort algorithms including linear and binary searches for different purposes and search time". It still addresses the skill of researching, but it requires higher level thinking to "compare and contrast" search methods than it does to "apply" search strategies.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Re: The Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020
The Long Range Plan is a series of recommendations presented by the State Board of Education to the 80th Legislature. It discusses the steps that need to be taken by TEA, Regional Service Centers, school districts, and the private sector in order to help support bringing our students into the 21st century and teaching them to use all of the technology that is available to them. The full plan can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/lrpt/lrpt_lrpt.html.
If I had access to the funds, I think being able to provide a 1:1 ratio of students to computers would be an invaluable step forward in incorporating technology into every classroom. As a teacher, I love days where I can give every pair of students or every student a computer and have them research or practice a concept with the support of instant feedback. Many teachers have great ideas on how to incorporate computers into their lesson plans and would do so quickly if they had regular access to computers. We are lucky in our district to have laptops that we can check out for our students, but we do not have enough for every classroom to be using them every period. It would be a very smart investment to work further toward this goal every year.
I would also like to focus on providing professional development not only for using computers, but also using other technologies like Mimios and CPS clickers. These are things that are available to us at our school, but many teachers do not use them because they don’t know how. If teachers do not have the time they need to feel comfortable integrating technology, it will not be used in the classroom. Teachers already feel short on time. Asking them to incorporate technology without carving out adequate time and support to learn it will not produce good results. Yet, this is what many school districts do. They spend money on good technology and provide a day or two (sometimes not even that) to teachers and then tell them, “OK! Go have fun!!” Teachers want to use the new materials in hopes of engaging more students but never do because they can’t find the time to plan for it. We need intensive time where experts on the technology are available to PLCs for a couple of weeks in the summer to work specifically on incorporating new technologies into the curriculum.
If I had access to the funds, I think being able to provide a 1:1 ratio of students to computers would be an invaluable step forward in incorporating technology into every classroom. As a teacher, I love days where I can give every pair of students or every student a computer and have them research or practice a concept with the support of instant feedback. Many teachers have great ideas on how to incorporate computers into their lesson plans and would do so quickly if they had regular access to computers. We are lucky in our district to have laptops that we can check out for our students, but we do not have enough for every classroom to be using them every period. It would be a very smart investment to work further toward this goal every year.
I would also like to focus on providing professional development not only for using computers, but also using other technologies like Mimios and CPS clickers. These are things that are available to us at our school, but many teachers do not use them because they don’t know how. If teachers do not have the time they need to feel comfortable integrating technology, it will not be used in the classroom. Teachers already feel short on time. Asking them to incorporate technology without carving out adequate time and support to learn it will not produce good results. Yet, this is what many school districts do. They spend money on good technology and provide a day or two (sometimes not even that) to teachers and then tell them, “OK! Go have fun!!” Teachers want to use the new materials in hopes of engaging more students but never do because they can’t find the time to plan for it. We need intensive time where experts on the technology are available to PLCs for a couple of weeks in the summer to work specifically on incorporating new technologies into the curriculum.
Technology Assessment Surveys
In our first assignment for Instructional Leadership - The Technology Link, we were asked to develop a blog and respond to two different surveys. The first survey was a "Technology Applications Inventory" which can be accessed at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/techapp/assess/teksurv.pdf. This survey focused primarily on the familiarity of the instructor with technology and its uses. Out of 58 total yes or no questions, I only answered no to two questions. I am pretty confident in my own personal use of technology and feel that I can learn whatever I don’t currently know. The second survey was a SETDA survey for teachers which can be found at http://www.setda-peti.org/tools.html. This survey had some questions asking about teacher comfort with technology and access to things like online gradebooks, but much of it focused on research based use of technology in the classroom. My answers were less confident on this survey than on the first one. For instance, I know that students have access to technology at school, but I know that many of our students do not have access to the internet or an updated computer at home. Also, we have the use of things like laptops for students, mimios, science probes, and interwrite boards, but teachers are not required to use them and many teachers are intimidated by the technology because they have not been given enough time and training to feel comfortable using the equipment with their students. I enjoy trying out new “toys” and use the fact that I teach AP level seniors first and second period as an opportunity to try new things even if I am not 100% comfortable with the technology yet. My seniors help me troubleshoot when something is not working correctly. I feel very comfortable using things like the laptops for students and the interwrite board. I know how to use the mimio as a way to control my desktop from the whiteboard, but I would like to learn more of the interactive tricks available using that tool. I think the surveys are a great tool for assessing a teacher’s individual use of technology as well as a district’s use of technology. The important thing is to make sure that teachers and districts that take these surveys act upon the results that they find.
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