Reflection for EDTC 6992:  Technology Specialists as Teacher Leaders in K12 School Systems

Instructor:  Dr. Carol A. Brown

State the competency, or standard that is appropriate for your degree and licensure area.

ISTE Standards for Coaches

2.  Teaching, learning, and assessments:  Technology Coaches assist teachers in using technology effectively for assessing student learning, differentiating instruction, and providing rigorous, relevant, and engaging learning experiences for all students.

            a.  Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences addressing content standards and student technology standards.

            c.   Coach teachers in and model engagement of students in local and global interdisciplinary units in which technology helps students assume professional roles, research real-world problems, collaborate with others, and produce products that are meaningful and useful to a wide audience.

4.  Professional development and program evaluation:  Technology coaches conduct needs assessments, develop technology-related professional learning programs, and evaluate the impact on instructional practice and student learning.

            a.  Conduct needs assessments to inform the content and delivery of technology-related professional learning programs that result in a positive impact on student learning.

            b.  Design, develop, and implement technology-rich professional learning programs that model principles of adult learning and promote digital age best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment.

            c.  Evaluate results of professional learning programs to determine the effectiveness on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or increasing student learning.

Describe the requirements for the artifact.

            Technology Specialists as Teacher Leaders in K12 School Systems was taught by Dr. Carol Brown in the fall 2014 and focused on demonstrating leadership in the school and community, as well as, demonstrating and modeling technology use for instruction and professional development.  Maxwell (1993) states that the key to being successful, in anything that you do, is having the ability to, successfully, lead others.  The artifact for this class reflects on the different opportunities I took to develop leadership, as a technology specialist, within my school.  These opportunities included assisting teachers with technology needs, modeling and co-teaching with teachers, providing professional development, and creating an infomercial for an outreach ministry in the community. The artifact required that we describe the activities completed and provided a narrative reflection of the experience.

Explain how your artifact is a good example of the objective, competency, or standard.

            This artifact provides a plethora of examples of my ability to assist teachers in using technology effectively (ISTE Standard 2).  Throughout the semester I worked with various 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade teachers to plan, model, and co-teach technology integrated lessons.  I modeled the design and implementation of technology (ISTE Standard 2a) through 3^rd grade science lessons on forces and motion.  Students participated in station rotations that utilized Promethean activities, laptops, and interactive websites.  With 4^th grade teachers we worked on creating technology integrated lessons that addressed content standards and student technology standards (ISTE Standard 2a).  I showed fourth grade teachers how to create ABCD objectives for their lessons because this method allows objectives to be clear for the students and teachers.  Clear objectives are important because not only do they describe what the students will do, but they also provide a direct link between the standards, the expectations of the teacher, the classroom instruction, and the grading of student performance (Penn State University, 2014).  With 5^th grade teachers, I modeled engaging students in a global unit in which they research problems in third-world countries.  After students finish their research, they will then produce technology solutions for these third-world countries (ISTE Standard 2c). 

            There were also many times throughout this project that I had the opportunity to create or assist in creating professional development for teachers (ISTE Standard 4).  I created the needs assessment for a professional development, delivered by our Technology Facilitator, on SchoolinSites (ISTE Standard 4a).  This needs assessment helped me to assist the Technology Facilitator in creating a professional development session that would benefit the learners more directly because it focused on areas of need (Baltimore County Public Schools, 2013).  Later in the semester, I also worked with two other interns, Melinda Moody and Beth Elliote, to create an Edmodo professional development session for teachers at our school and our sister school.  We started with a needs assessment to evaluate the needs of the learners (ISTE Standard 4a).  Next we designed, developed, and implemented this technology-rich learning program (ISTE Standard 4b).  We used several strategies that support learning style theory and brain research so that our presentation would be meaningful and memorable and we could get buy-in from the adult learners (Tate, 2012).  Some examples are technology, visuals, and cooperative learning activities.  We also provided time for job-embedded practice and follow-up with continued support for the learners.  This helped to create improvements in professional practice for many of the professional development participants.  Finally, we evaluated the professional development (ISTE Standard 4c).   Our evaluation included a survey that questioned the participants’ reactions, learning, and use of knowledge and skills, as well as, the organization, support, change, and learning outcomes of the professional development (Guskey, 2002). These areas allowed us to determine where teachers were successful and where they need more assistance.  It also helped to create a starting point for future professional development. 

Discuss how you might change the content, strategy, or design of the artifact.

            This artifact is merely a description and reflection of all the activities done throughout this internship.  This artifact only required us to briefly describe the activities completed and to include a reflective overall summary.  It does not by any means represent the depth of learning that has taken place over the last few months.  I would change the design of the artifact to include the actual reports we wrote on the different tasks we completed throughout the semester. I would also include reflections on the different tasks because I think an important part of learning takes place through the self-reflection.  I feel these reports, combined with the descriptions and reflections provide a more in-depth representation of the overall learning.    

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

            EDTC 6992 has given me the opportunity to experience the job of a technology facilitator.  It has allowed me to gain experience in working with teachers and providing professional development.  Before taking this class, I did not realize how much was involved in the technology facilitator position.  Now I not only know what is involved, but I am also confident in knowing that I have the ability to perform the duties of this position.  As an AIG Specialist at my school it will be important to have the skills necessary to not only guide teachers in creating technology-integrated lessons, but also to provide professional development to assist in the meeting the differentiated needs of the students in my school.

References

Baltimore County Public Schools. (2013). Guide to high-quality professional development. Towson, MD:  Baltimore County Public Schools.

Guskey, T. R. (2002, March). Does it make a difference? Evaluating professional development. Redesigning Professional Development, 59(6), 45-51.

Maxwell, J. C. (1993). Developing the leader within you. Nashville, TN:  Maxwell Motivation, Inc.

Penn State University. (2014). Writing objectives. Retrieved from http://archive.tlt.psu.edu/learningdesign/objectives/writing.html.

Tate, M. L. (2012). “Sit & get” won’t grow dendrites: 20 professional learning strategies that engage the adult brain (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Corwin.