Conducting the Technology Maturity Survey was a very interesting process for me. As an online teacher, I expected my school to meet most of the criteria to quality as an Intelligent organization. And while my assumptions were correct, this survey made me more aware of where we need to focus our attention in order to continue to positively develop and grow.
One such area requiring attention is establishing a concrete policy for technology use. Recently, I had a learning coach ask me if our school could re-image her student's laptop and install a filter to block various websites. After much discussion and deliberation with our administration, the decision was made to not install the filter for liability reasons but to leave that as a parental responsibility. While we have agreed on that policy as a result of the issue arising, incorporating it into a formal document which could be made available to students and parents would help us to become more intelligent in our policy maturity.
Link to Evaluation Survey
Link to Evaluation Summary
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Technology Use Planning Overview
Regardless of the technology that is trending at any given moment, effective use in education results from sound technology use planning. Rather than a district-wide awareness campaign, technology use planning is a collaborative effort to map out a viable system of leveraging technology to support and improve learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity.
As an indesputable part of our daily and work lives, effective technology awareness, application, integration, and refinement have come to define the global economy that we and our students now live and work in. As educators, the National Educational Technology Plan 2010 lays out the vision for technology use in teaching and learning along with goals and recommendations for how to successfully get there.
The NETP 2010 is as important of a resource for effective technology use planning as the Common Core State Standards are to effective curriculum design. Integral to any technology use plan is a comprehensive understanding of the five core aspects of the NETP 2010, which are 1) Learning, 2) Assessment, 3) Teaching, 4) Infrastructure, and 5) Productivity. These, along with their recommendations, enhance our focus as educational technologists on application instead of technology for technology's sake. In essence, the NETP 2010 provides a sort of clairvoyance to the process of designing a technology use plan.
In "Developing Effective Technology Plans", the idea is suggested that technology use plans be short term, perhaps one year, as opposed to a longer period due to the rate with which technology continues to advance. As long as such a goal is focused on application and scalability rather than technology, I believe that such a focus is desirable. The key for me is that any such plan would need to be supported by research for future research and development of the proposed technology so that a given organization will be able to build on their technology and staff development rather than start anew three years into the future. This sentiment is not an aversion to change, but rather, an effort to increase productivity as one aspect of a sustainable technology use plan.
See referred to a progression of technology mastery that begins with awareness, and proceeds through application and integration, all the way to refinement. A developmental process such as this one is imperative to any effective technology use plan as a core characteristic of the plan's infrastructure. Regardless of the hardware, software, or features that any given technology may purport, if no one is excited enough or willing to use it in a way that would enhance their teaching, learning, assessment, infrastructure, or productivity, then the relative quality of such a technology is irrelevant and for naught.
This consequence was seen in the recent attempt by the Los Angeles Unified School District to roll out 1:1 iPads throughout their district. While the chosen device has a lot to offer to educational organizations, the LAUSD's initiative initially failed due to the absence of proper training and adequate infrastructure.
Conversely, the Blaine County School District, a geographically isolated district in Sun Valley, Idaho is currently in their second year of their a successful technology use plan, the foundation of which is built on staff buy-in and technology support. While visiting BCSD as an inservice presenter, I was able to learn about and participate in their technology use plan as I facilitated three sessions dealing with Google Apps for Education, a cloud-based suite of tools that the district had recently adopted to increase productivity among administrators, teachers, students, and their community.
While no two technology use plans will or should look the same, we are at a point where we now have the resources available to leverage technology to enhance the learning experiences and opportunities for content-creation, communication, and collaboration like never before. Though we do have the option of ignoring such calls to action as the NETP 2010, our students are counting on us to prepare them for the ever-changing world that they are living in and will graduate into, a world that depends on awareness, application, integration, and refinement of technology in our daily lives and at work.
References:
As an indesputable part of our daily and work lives, effective technology awareness, application, integration, and refinement have come to define the global economy that we and our students now live and work in. As educators, the National Educational Technology Plan 2010 lays out the vision for technology use in teaching and learning along with goals and recommendations for how to successfully get there.
The NETP 2010 is as important of a resource for effective technology use planning as the Common Core State Standards are to effective curriculum design. Integral to any technology use plan is a comprehensive understanding of the five core aspects of the NETP 2010, which are 1) Learning, 2) Assessment, 3) Teaching, 4) Infrastructure, and 5) Productivity. These, along with their recommendations, enhance our focus as educational technologists on application instead of technology for technology's sake. In essence, the NETP 2010 provides a sort of clairvoyance to the process of designing a technology use plan.
In "Developing Effective Technology Plans", the idea is suggested that technology use plans be short term, perhaps one year, as opposed to a longer period due to the rate with which technology continues to advance. As long as such a goal is focused on application and scalability rather than technology, I believe that such a focus is desirable. The key for me is that any such plan would need to be supported by research for future research and development of the proposed technology so that a given organization will be able to build on their technology and staff development rather than start anew three years into the future. This sentiment is not an aversion to change, but rather, an effort to increase productivity as one aspect of a sustainable technology use plan.
See referred to a progression of technology mastery that begins with awareness, and proceeds through application and integration, all the way to refinement. A developmental process such as this one is imperative to any effective technology use plan as a core characteristic of the plan's infrastructure. Regardless of the hardware, software, or features that any given technology may purport, if no one is excited enough or willing to use it in a way that would enhance their teaching, learning, assessment, infrastructure, or productivity, then the relative quality of such a technology is irrelevant and for naught.
This consequence was seen in the recent attempt by the Los Angeles Unified School District to roll out 1:1 iPads throughout their district. While the chosen device has a lot to offer to educational organizations, the LAUSD's initiative initially failed due to the absence of proper training and adequate infrastructure.
Conversely, the Blaine County School District, a geographically isolated district in Sun Valley, Idaho is currently in their second year of their a successful technology use plan, the foundation of which is built on staff buy-in and technology support. While visiting BCSD as an inservice presenter, I was able to learn about and participate in their technology use plan as I facilitated three sessions dealing with Google Apps for Education, a cloud-based suite of tools that the district had recently adopted to increase productivity among administrators, teachers, students, and their community.
While no two technology use plans will or should look the same, we are at a point where we now have the resources available to leverage technology to enhance the learning experiences and opportunities for content-creation, communication, and collaboration like never before. Though we do have the option of ignoring such calls to action as the NETP 2010, our students are counting on us to prepare them for the ever-changing world that they are living in and will graduate into, a world that depends on awareness, application, integration, and refinement of technology in our daily lives and at work.
References:
See, J. (1992, May). Developing effective technology plans. The Computing Teacher, 19(8). Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm
U.S. Department of Education. (2010) National Education Technology Plan 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Digital Inequality
As a connected educator, digital inequality is something that I have heard about but easily take for granted. I was fascinated learning about the differences in personal computer-acquisition and broadband availability. The positive trend in providing Internet connectivity, along with the continued efforts such as E-Rate, are very promising.
As a staff member of an emergent public online school, I, myself, am witnessing the educational transformation that the Internet and online technologies have to offer teachers and learners. Though there are still unique challenges of digital inequality that my online school faces with students, continued efforts to supply adequate hardware along with frequent software updates, increased opportunities to blend learning, and diligent efforts to educate learning coaches about successfully leveraging the technology provided will continue to support the goal of Bonneville Online School to provide the best of both worlds to students and their families. As a result of this assignment, I am now keenly aware of my role in ensuring such progress continues to take place.
As a staff member of an emergent public online school, I, myself, am witnessing the educational transformation that the Internet and online technologies have to offer teachers and learners. Though there are still unique challenges of digital inequality that my online school faces with students, continued efforts to supply adequate hardware along with frequent software updates, increased opportunities to blend learning, and diligent efforts to educate learning coaches about successfully leveraging the technology provided will continue to support the goal of Bonneville Online School to provide the best of both worlds to students and their families. As a result of this assignment, I am now keenly aware of my role in ensuring such progress continues to take place.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Tech Trends
Included here is a link to the Google Doc in which I discuss my analysis of open content with an emphasis on massive open online courses (MOOCs) as an emerging trend.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fr-3NYlEW9UzNC58RF0ALEF_ybIa9nkca8Jt_am7pgY/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fr-3NYlEW9UzNC58RF0ALEF_ybIa9nkca8Jt_am7pgY/edit?usp=sharing
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
EDTECH Research
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Eo6TNSnBznbqcQ74ZHN2QhoFpQ3t6op6zLtycmgbjI/edit?usp=sharing
In retrospect, I enjoyed this activity more than I initially thought I would. The sound of scouring peer-reviewed academic journals seemed drab to me before I actually participate in doing it. After the fact, I found that many of the articles that I read and reviewed were quite informative and effective in challenging the preconceived ideas that I had built about the topic that I researched. I also came to appreciate the use of APA citations as a common language for researchers to identify various documents by. I found myself referring to the characteristics of different citations to correctly identify them as a journal article or not. I feel that my experience with this assignment will transfer to my own writing and future research as well.
In retrospect, I enjoyed this activity more than I initially thought I would. The sound of scouring peer-reviewed academic journals seemed drab to me before I actually participate in doing it. After the fact, I found that many of the articles that I read and reviewed were quite informative and effective in challenging the preconceived ideas that I had built about the topic that I researched. I also came to appreciate the use of APA citations as a common language for researchers to identify various documents by. I found myself referring to the characteristics of different citations to correctly identify them as a journal article or not. I feel that my experience with this assignment will transfer to my own writing and future research as well.
Friday, September 6, 2013
RSS in Education
RSS is not a new digital tool, but it is one that has not been optimally utilized and incorporated into the K-12 classroom. However, there are various ways by which RSS and feed readers can enhance instruction and support 21st century learning for teachers and students. Now, with the popular practice of flipping instruction, RSS also serves as a content aggregator for student work that is posted online. Perhaps it is the ambiguity of its utility that has stifled RSS from proliferating into mainstream K-12 classrooms, or perhaps it is because many educators fall into the laggard quadrant of the innovation adoption curve.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Elements of Educational Technology
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aXnkIfpIi_VJRKQfHVMF6IN5I4M9AC4FtztTbX1xz9Q/edit?usp=sharing
This article caused me to consider what I know about educational technology and expand that concept to include a much more comprehensive view of the field. While it is easy to associate educational technology with the more visible and public aspect of the definition, I learned that such areas as ethical practice and appropriate technological processes are equally important in understanding the extent of educational technology as a whole.
As a result of this reading I will certainly begin viewing educational technology from all different angles as I continue to study, create, use, and manage processes and tools myself. Though upon reflection of what I learned throughout the reading many of the elements of the definition begin to seem as though they were always a part of my conceptualization of educational technology, it is important to note that this article built a framework around seemingly related, yet undefined notions related to my experiences with educational technology.
This article caused me to consider what I know about educational technology and expand that concept to include a much more comprehensive view of the field. While it is easy to associate educational technology with the more visible and public aspect of the definition, I learned that such areas as ethical practice and appropriate technological processes are equally important in understanding the extent of educational technology as a whole.
As a result of this reading I will certainly begin viewing educational technology from all different angles as I continue to study, create, use, and manage processes and tools myself. Though upon reflection of what I learned throughout the reading many of the elements of the definition begin to seem as though they were always a part of my conceptualization of educational technology, it is important to note that this article built a framework around seemingly related, yet undefined notions related to my experiences with educational technology.
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