Reflection: EDTC 6149 Administration of School Technology Programs

1. State the competency, or standard that is appropriate for your degree and licensure area. This could be standards for 077 licensure or ISTE Advanced Standards for Technology Facilitators. When appropriate you may use standards from the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT). Choose one or two standards that most representative of your artifact. The reflection should include discussion for each of the standards you’ve identified for the artifact.

From 077 licensure Standards

Standard 8: The instructional technology coordinator/director will provide leadership and vision for technology.

The instructional technology coordinator/director:

Indicator 1      Identifies and applies educational and technology related research, the psychology of learning, and instructional design principles in guiding the use of computers and technology in education.

Indicator 2      Applies strategies for and knowledge of issues related to managing the change process in schools.

Indicator 3      Applies effective group process skills.

Indicator 4      Leads in the development and evaluation of district technology planning and implementation.

Standard 6:  The instructional technology coordinator/director will model and promote social, ethical, legal, and human issues that relate to technology use.

Indicator 1      Models and teaches legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

Indicator 2      Applies technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

Indicator 3      Identifies and uses technology resources that affirm diversity with a global perspective.

Indicator 4      Promotes safe and healthy use of technology resources.

Indicator 5      Facilitates equitable access to technology resources for all students.

2. Describe requirements for your artifact. What was assigned and how did you complete the project. Only 100 to 150 words are needed for this section. Include theoretical base for what you did in the project. Include references to textbook authors, readings, and online resources discussed in your course.

            EDTC 6149 was taught in the Spring Semester 2014 by Dr. Stryker.  The course centered on examining school technology leadership and policies. The artifact for this course was created over the course of the semester and was a technology manual for a fictitious school. Through this process I learned about the important components of a technology plan and the characteristics of a leader in school technology.  The resulting manual included a mission statement, IMTAC committee member listing and responsibilities, acceptable use policies for teachers and students, a software selection policy and website evaluation criteria.  In addition it described how the technology program would be evaluated, how change would be managed over time and how access to technology would be handled at the school.  An Appendix of forms was included with the manual. 

            The two text used in this course were Security vs. Access, Balancing Safety and Productivity in the Digital School written by Robinson, Brown, and Green and Leading 21^st Century Schools, Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement by Schrum and Levin.  These books were used as a guide for writing my school technology manual.

3. Explain how your artifact is a good example of the objective, competency, or standard. Defend your evidence as if you were a lawyer defending the validity of evidence submitted for the trial. Include references to theory in Instructional Design and Technology.

            One of the first parts of this artifact was to write a mission statement for the Media and Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) for the school.  The MTAC committee was also described in detail with a justification narrative for each member on the committee.  This was developed using the IMPACT model described by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (2005). This supports Standard 8: The instructional technology coordinator/director will provide leadership and vision for technology. A MTAC committee is responsible for making decisions about the acquisition and use of software and hardware for the school building.

            One of the exercises assigned to prepare me for writing this policy manual was to examine different aspects of manuals from other schools inside North Carolina and in other states.  I also took recommendations from Robinson, Brown and Green (2010).  These authors suggested that technology policies for schools should strike a balance between access and security.  Six areas were identified in which this balance was needed.  For example, Robinson, Brown, and Green (2010) suggest the development of acceptable use policies (AUPs) for teachers and students alike.  My manual had AUP’s for teachers and students that listed what was and was not acceptable use of school computers and network.  I also listed consequences for abuse of network and devices.

            Schrum and Levin (2009) describe the web 2.0 tools and Internet resources now available to schools most free of charge that help schools meet goals for 21^st century teaching and learning.  In order for that to happen, schools need access to wireless Internet and devices for teachers and students.  My policy manual also addresses how software will be acquired and how the school will evaluate and manage change in order to keep up with the rapidly changing world of technology. This directly addresses Standard 8: The instructional technology coordinator/director will provide leadership and vision for technology.

4. Discuss how you might change the content, strategy, or design of the artifact. If you see no need for change, elaborate on the artifact is a good exemplar for the competency or standard.

            I feel that my artifact was well thought out and each section was reviewed by Dr. Stryker.  Any feedback Dr. Stryker provided was applied to the final product.  This resulted in a document that could be actually used at any school.  Indicator 2 of Standard 8 states that the instructional coordinator applies technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities and Indicator 4 states the technology coordinator promotes safe and healthy use of technology resources.  This manual provides the balance between security and access for students and teacher referred to by Robinson, Brown, and Green (2010). Therefore teachers and students are supported instructionally with the technology tools needed to achieve 21^st Century teaching and learning and students and networks are protected by the procedures and policies laid out in this policy manual.

5. Discuss how the artifact is representative of future career goals and plans.

            As a technology facilitator in a public school I will be called upon to lead the school with regard to technology policy and purchases.  This artifact is a something that I can actually use in the school setting.  Through the process of creating this manual I investigated policies form other schools and systems in and out of North Carolina.  I also learned about the leadership skills needed to successfully implement a technology policy in the school setting. 

References

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (August 2005). IMPACT: Guidelines for North Carolina media and technology programs. Retrieved on January 25, 2014 from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/dtl/resources/impact/7impact-revision.pdf.

Robinson, L. K., Brown, A. H., & Green, T. D. (2010). Security vs. assess, balancing safety and productivity in the digital school. Washington, D.C.: International Society for Technology in Education.

Schrum, L., & Levin, B. B. (2009). Leading 21st dentury schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.