As I reflect on my role as a technology specialist, my biggest take-aways include effective utilization of media and networking through a PLN. I was able to see the impact of technology media that can individualize learning for teachers and support them through their professional development.
For example, before I used to create screen casts on my own time and share with teachers. Now, when teachers are participating in a one-on-one training with me, I screen-cast the meeting right then and there to make the tutorial unique and individualized for their own needs. As for the networking area, the continued knowledge I receive from networking through Twitter and sharing new knowledge through my website, is impacting my professional development and my team's professional development as well. Challenges will arise as I continue my journey as a technology instruction coordinator. But I am excited because I believe that all challenges bring new solutions, new knowledge and new reflections. I feel that one challenge I have faced and will continue to face is being sure that the tools we are using are primary-friendly and continue to make major impact on student learning. In addition to that challenge, which connects to it, is being able to measure that impact through data/evidence. Student learning is impacted through many ways, learning environment, strategies, teacher, home-school connection, parental support, interventions, etc. I continue to reflect on more ways to measure technology integration's impact on learning and hope to learn other ways technology instruction coordinators are doing this.
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Please click on the button above to view a tutorial on Nearpod, an interactive lesson that all students can engage in! I've use Nearpod in an Kindergarten-4th grade class, and it is definitely a tool that can be used in all grade levels and on any device. Teachers love the real-time feedback feature and students love being engaged. Learn more about how it works in my tutorial above.
The goal of my Professional Learning Network (PLN) is to connect me we other educators and colleagues who are using technology as a professional and as an educator with their students. The PLN aims to provide this community with integration ideas and resources. Not only does the PLN help educators, it also helps me. As a reflective educator and ongoing learners, I like to learn from other educators and professionals who are integrating technology into their classrooms.
I feel the biggest impact on my professional development is my Professional Learning Network. I am able to connect with others around the world, who share their same goals and interests with me. I am able to develop my skills at my own time, in a flexible manner. Through Twitter chats, I am able to participate in discussions with others on the same interests, passions and goals. The most important part of a PLN is CHOICE. Choice to focus on who you want to connect with, what you want to learn and how you want to engage. Click on the button below to view a great video on PLNs: Collaborating with technology made my project experience flexible, efficient and cooperative. My group decided on collaborating through Google Apps for Education. We used Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Draw. We also collaborated through email. Collaborating through Google Docs allowed each team members to post time-line like ideas and then comment on the side. I was able to reply to comments and color code my own ideas and thoughts. My group members were able to comment back and leave their ideas and thoughts. What I liked about this was that it was flexible and collaborative. Since I have a full-time job that requires a lot of my time, my schedule may not be like everyone else’s, vise versa. This is why collaborating through these means really made working on this project flexible.Collaborating through Google Slides was excellent. Each group member took on a responsibility and added to the slide. This created a balanced effort, with each members being able to provide their insight and be a part of the team. Currently, I use GAFE on a day to day basis in my position. For example, last week I held a workshop on iPads and I posted the agenda through our Google folder using Google docs. I linked each item on the agenda to a previous Google Slide presentation, videos and documents I wanted the team to collaborate on. It was a great way to keep the workshop organized and allow each participant to add their expertise, insight or anything they’d like to agenda items. I create spreadsheets for teachers using Google Sheets. This allows me to send the data pieces that need to be completed to all teachers and they are allowed to complete it at their own time, with multiple users in. As opposed to Excel, each teacher would have to complete his/her part and then attach it to an email to the next person. This process would take a long time and would not be efficient. Technology allows for efficiency and flexibility. |
About this BlogThis blog is connected to the course EDU 776-98. Archives
December 2017
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