Instructional Technology 2012-2015
A Review of My Activities Supporting ISTE Standards
A Reflection...
While it has only taken us two and a half years to complete the Instructional Technology Program, it seems as if I have learned a lifetime’s worth of skills and strategies that I have been able to immediately implement in my classroom, school and even throughout our district. Using technology in the classroom was once very daunting task that I felt unprepared to undertake. I became overwhelmed with the details and specifics, and when it was used, it was in isolation, which prevented my students from seeing how it could help them master our curriculum. With the help of our professors and my classmates, I now feel as if I have the skills to use technology as a tool to enhance my lessons, and integration happens naturally in my lessons and class activities. I sometimes wonder what I did before I began using all these tools and strategies that have been introduced to us throughout the course of our program.
How did our work align with the ISTE Standards?
What this document includes...
- Activities and readings from our ITC classes
- Examples of my work as I progressed through this process
- Examples of student work that supports and demonstrates what I have learned throughout this experience
ISTE Standard 1: Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
- Numerous collaborative projects leading to original products created by students using a variety if Web 2.0 digital tools...Popplets in math explaining integer operations; ecosystems investigations using Smore, Padlet, Prezi, and eMaze; animoto timelines with space explorations
- https://animoto.com/play/LYRUGvcOfeB1KXIz0m3h4g
- Internet drawing tools to support capstone project with hydroponics...Google Sketch-Up and floorplanner.com
- Variety of research tools used to find information and graphic organizing tools (Popplet. Inspiration Lite, and Educreations) to synthesize information
- Many of these tools were used in the implementation of our capstone project, which can be found at: http://padlet.com/hopemcclure/txom3jd7m9xh
ISTE Standard 2: Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments
- Project/problem based learning experiences enhanced by technology...graded on rubrics
- Student work example: https://animoto.com/play/Jvq4JLX2izIIw3ZiAM4gDw
- Schoolnet formative assessments
- Student maintained websites and blogs. An example can be found at: http://www.eastonjohnson.weebly.com
- Readings and projects centered around virtual worlds, augmented reality, and using gaming to support learning
- My project on Civilization IV and lesson ideas I created using this and similar games: https://www.smore.com/e776
- We also read: How Computer Games Help Children Learn and Teaching Digital Natives. Both books discuss the importance of designing learning experiences that will appeal to all learners and that these learning activities should leverage the power of technology.
ISTE Standard 3: Model digital age work and learning
- Our team has developed and maintained a middle school website to share pertinent information with parents and community.
- https://sites.google.com/a/alleghany.k12.nc.us/glade-creek-school/Home
- http://gcsmiddleschool.weebly.com/contact.html
- We each consistently share digital products that I have created with my students.
- We also use Facebook to communicate with parents and our community
ISTE Standard 4: Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility
- By analyzing case-studies in our Promoting 21st Century Literacies and Cyber Law courses, we learned about the responsible use of technology (for students and teachers)
- Participated in re-writing a technology policy placing a great deal of emphasis in digital citizenship
- Melissa and I had our students design an animoto presentation about bullying, particularly cyberbullying, to share with the board of education. This animoto was later aired on our community access channel. Please view :) https://animoto.com/play/OW26ugFm98mcqOTWgdgCrg
- Exploring commonsensemedia.org as the basis for a digital citizenship curriculum to implement in the county
- Joined a variety of professional learning networks to connect with other educators-https://www.smore.com/keh2h. I am still a member of NSTA, and have found it to be very beneficial!
ISTE Standard 5: Engage in professional growth and leadership
- As we learned about our new leadership roles, we all read Change Leadership, Developing Teacher Leaders, and Leadership Capacity.
- I have been able to lead professional development sessions on many digital tools: General Web 2.0 tools, Google Sheets and Vernier Science Probes.
- I have contributed technology infused lesson plans to our county and to LearnNC.
- Melissa, Bobby and I serve on our School Improvement team...we completed our current School Improvement plan and incorporated the mission statement that our group created for our courses "Creating and cultivating the world's next generation of innovators."
As we come to the end of our journey...
The lessons I have learned in this program have been wonderful. I am a more confident educator, and I have become more excited about teaching and learning. I feel comfortable sharing my experiences with my colleagues and stepping into leadership roles in my school and county. The six teachers at our school who have worked through these courses together have developed lasting friendships. These past few years have helped me to grow as a teacher and as a person. It has been a great experience!