Reflection for EDTC 6035:  Integrating Computers into the English/Language Arts, Social Studies, and Information Skills Curriculum

Instructor:  Dr. Carol A. Brown

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

AECT Standards, 2012 version

AECT Standard 4 (Professional Knowledge and Skills):  Candidates design, develop, implement, and evaluate technology-rich learning environments within a supportive community of practice.

Indicators: 

• Collaborative Practice:  Candidates collaborate with their peers and subject matter experts to analyze learners, develop and design instruction, and evaluate its impact on learners.
• Leadership:  Candidates lead their peers in designing and implementing technology-supported learning.
• Reflection on Practice:  Candidates analyze and interpret data and artifacts and reflect on the effectiveness of the design, development and implementation of technology-supported instruction and learning to enhance their professional growth.
• Assessing/Evaluating:  Candidates design and implement assessment and evaluation plans that align with learning goals and instructional activities.
• Ethics:  Candidates demonstrate ethical behavior within the applicable cultural context during all aspects of their work and with respect for the diversity of learners in each setting.

Describe the requirements for the artifact.

            During EDTC 6035, taught by Dr. Carol A. Brown in the fall 2013, we learned to create units that integrate the computer skills curriculum using a 21^st century perspective and to create staff development to help teachers integrate technology into their lessons.    Morrison and Lowther (2010) stressed the importance of creating inquiry lessons that promote greater engagement, higher-order thinking, and provide a foundation for using technology skills, now and in the future.  Using this as a guide, we were required to write a proposal for staff development that matched the school curriculum, the needs of the students, and was relevant to what the teachers were doing in the classroom.  We included all of the pieces of instructional design, as well as, a time-line and handouts needed for the professional development.  I completed this project with my colleague and classmate, Melinda Moody. 

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

            AECT Standard 4 states that collaborative practice should be shown by collaborating with peers and subject matter experts to analyze learners, develop and design instruction, and evaluate its impact on learners.  My peer, Melinda Moody, and I created this professional development for teachers at our school as an extension of prior professional development provided by the Literacy Team.  We worked collaboratively with each other and our school’s literacy coach (the subject matter expert) because when educators work together, the learners benefit from the expertise of all the educators involved (Hirsh & Killion, 2009).  Together we created a survey and conducted interviews to analyze the needs of our learners.  This allowed us to develop and design effective instruction that would build on to the professional development teachers had already been participating in, as well as meet the needs of the diverse group of learners involved (AECT Standard 4, Ethics). 

            Through the presentation of the professional development we designed in this project, we were able to lead our peers in designing and implementing technology-supported learning (AECT Standard 4, Leadership).  During this workshop, teachers created mini-lessons to use within their classrooms under the guidance of myself and Melinda Moody.  We provided assistance and feedback, as necessary, so that the learners were successful in creating effective lessons.  Ethical behavior was shown throughout this process through the respect of the diversity of the individual learners and their learning needs (AECT Standard 4, Ethics).

            When planning the follow-up activities, we planned for evaluation.  This gave us the opportunity to collect evidence throughout and to assess the effectiveness and the results upon completion of the professional development.  Planning for evaluation provides evidence on the impact the learning had on leading and teaching, as well as, the strengths and weaknesses of the workshop itself (Hirsh & Killion, 2009).  With the evaluation methods we planned for, we were able reflect on the evidence collected and use this information in the improvement of professional development designs in the future (AECT Standard 4, Reflection on Practice).

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

            There are two things I would change in this artifact.  The first thing would be to create some sort of rubric to use when observing teachers in the classroom.  Cooper and Gargan (2009) state that rubrics provide opportunities for feedback and discussion, teacher and learner reflection, and continued learning.  I feel that we are going in to observe teachers using what they have learned about mini-lessons, but we have not included a way to record their success.  I think that through the use of a rubric, teachers will better be able to see what they are doing and what they need to be doing. 

            Although technology resources are used throughout this professional development, I don’t feel it is used much within the actual mini-lesson portion.  Therefore, the second thing I would change about this artifact is the use of technology within the mini-lessons.  It is not always easy, especially when teaching mini-lessons, to incorporate technology.  I feel that because the time frame is very short, technology is often left off in an attempt to include everything that needs to be included in the time frame.  I think that showing teachers effective ways to incorporate technology into the delivery of the mini-lessons would make the mini-lessons more productive and more meaningful to the students.

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

            Working in the field of AIG, it is imperative that am able to develop units that not only incorporate the K-12 Computer Skills Curriculum and the NC standards, but I must also be able to do this based on inquiry and generative learning strategies.  What I have learned in this class and through the creation of this artifact will guide me as I continue to create integrated units for my students.

            Also, as a specialist in education, I am required to provide staff development to the teachers and other educators I work with.  The creation of this artifact has helped me to see what is important when creating staff development.  It has allowed me the opportunity to reflect on the professional development created in order to make more effective professional development in the future.  This artifact will provide a foundation to use throughout my career as I continue to teach teachers in my area of specialty.

References

Cooper, B. S., & Gargan, A. (2009). Rubrics in education: Old term, new meanings. The Phi Delta Kappan, 91(1), 54-55.

Hirsh, S., & Killion, J. (March 2009). When educators learn, students learn:  Eight principles of professional learning, Phi Delta Kappan, 90(7), 464-469.

Morrison, G. R., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom:  Skills for the 21^st century. Boston, MA:  Pearson Education, Inc.