Web Conference: Oct. 19

This was a great web conference because it addressed many questions and concerns regarding the internship and the site mentor. I was able to ask questions and get clarification on some of these requirements. It is also a time for us to meet face to face and become more familiar with our classmates. We often laugh and joke around with each other during this time.

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National Educational Technology Plan

    The National Educational Technology Plan is a set of goals designed to redefine education and prepare our students to face the obstacles of the 21st century. In the area of learning the plan calls for educators to "engage and empower" (National Educational Technology Plan). As educators we need to broaden the borders of learning beyond the classroom and access the technology and multimedia that the students of today have constant and instantaneous entry to at all times. In this way we will prepare students to be lifelong learners and meet real world challenges by providing experiences and opportunities to use the tools of the digital age.  Learning must be relevant and engaging for our students and the use of digital tools will ensure that our students are invested.

    The plan call for teachers to "prepare and connect"(National Educational Technology Plan) which means that teachers have the tools necessary to conduct, analyze and utilize the data that drives instruction. Educators are in partnership with students and other educators through the use of technology. "Episodic and ineffective professional development is replaced by professional learning that is collaborative, coherent, and continuous and that blends more effective in-person courses and workshops with the expanded opportunities, immediacy, and convenience enabled by online environments full of resources and opportunities for collaboration." (National Educational Technology Plan, Executive Summary pg. 12) Professional learning communities in which teachers collaborate across schools, districts and even states have began to replace traditional methods of staff development. The gains in technology have only served to enhance the ability for educators to form collaborative groups or partnerships.

    The challenges we face is realizing these goals is the lack of infrastructure and resources. Establishing the infrastructure, resources and continual evaluation needed to meet the standard set will require an investment from students, parents, community and businesses for years to come.

  

U.S. Department of Education, (2010). National education technology plan 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

Web Conference: Oct. 11

This semester I have attended two web conferences for Concepts of Educational Technology. The web conference has been a useful tool in communicating with the professor as well as my classmates. The web conference itself helped me to create that community feel that you get in a typical classroom. I feel that I know some of my classmates although I have never met them. Web conferences gives you the face time that I sometimes feel that I need when learning a new concept or idea.

I am typically a vocal person and I like to speak about my thoughts and ideas because it helps me to process information so I questioned whether an online degree would be a good fit for me. After weighing the pros and cons I decided to give it try and I am delighted that I can work at my own pace but still get that face time through the web conferences.

The web conferences also provide an additional outlet to ask questions and clarify information. I am not the type of person to email with questions and concerns and I usually can't make calls within normal business hours so again the web conferences are another way for me to communicate.

Galena Park ISD Technology Plan

    The mission of Galena Park ISD is to prepare students to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.  (galenaparkisd.com) As a part of this mission, Galena Park prepares its students to be competent in the use of technology.

    The district convened an advisory team made up of technology specialists from elementary and secondary, campus administrators, Security and Technology directors and Curriculum directors under the supervision of the Director of Technology to establish a technology plan for the district.

    The technology plan for Galena Park ISD consists of two central technology goals. (1) All administrators, teachers and staff will have increased access to technological tools and will use a variety of these tools to address the individual needs of students. and (2) Increase skills, knowledge and abilities of all GPISD employees by incorporating technology as an integral part of instruction through meaningful staff development. (GPISD Technology Plan)

    The district's technology focus was on building their technology infrastructure by adding fiber connection and backup systems and ensuring that all personnel had working computers, tech support and that there was a model in place to guarantee continuous technology assessment to better evaluate current practices and techniques. 

    The district invested a significant amount of district funds and e-rate funds to purchase video-conferencing equipment to be used for instruction, staff development and Region IV conferences. A major focus was placed on eliminating out of date practices and techniques and increasing the amount of professional development for all staff members in critical areas as identified by the STaR chart. 

    The technology plan will be in effect for three year increments but will continually be evaluated and updated on a yearly basis.

Technology Assessments

    The use of technology provides new ways of working and learning for teachers and students. The use of technology assessments help to identify potential areas of strength and weakness so that as a campus and as an educator you can define your define your needs, establish your goals and target your professional development. These assessments are key tools in helping to identify level of  proficiency as well as depth of knowledge for educators as well as your student base.

    As with any type of assessment, technology assessments are subject to validity and reliability. Educators and students may be unclear as to what a specific question is asking because of word choice so there is potentially a level ambiguity when answering the questions and therefore a skew in the interpretation of the results.

    Technology assessments do not always account for the lack of available technology on a campus. The Texas Start Chart is one such technology assessment tool that the state of Texas uses to rate campuses in four key areas including; Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support, and Infrastructure for Technology. (http://starchart.epsilen.com/docs/TxCSC.pdf) As a campus we participate in this survey each year and several of the questions on the assessment query distance learning opportunities. We currently don't have the resources needed to make this a viable option on our campus as I am sure is true of many of schools in districts in our state so naturally it may show as an area of weakness.

    Overall technology assessments are useful tools in becoming a more technological society. Educators and students alike benefit from the many uses of technology in education. These assessments help to keep us continually learning, monitoring and improving our technology infrastructure.