Fundamentals+of+Educational+Technology


 * Monday, August 03, 2009**

The course covered more broadly than I had envisioned. Prior to starting the course, I envisioned learning about the policies, needs, and roles of an educational technologist. What is the definition of an educational technologist? The technologist was my focus, but the course provided a big picture perspective and widened my view to see educational technology as a concept that applies to administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Everyone has a part in educating our 21st Century learners and preparing them for this information-rich society. Furthermore, the course also introduced me to the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology. I have experienced the change at my school as a result of the Plan, but I was unaware of the Plan’s existence. Reading and understanding the state-wide shared vision for integrating technology into the classrooms was an unexpected, positive outcome from the course. Also, I had envisioned learning about various technology tools to implement into the classroom. Many of the weekly readings provided websites and other resources for teacher and student use. I visited the websites listed in each article and found many useful sites. The blogging and wiki assignments were also enriching and applicable as student projects. The range of resources gained were more than what I had envisioned.

Learning and discussing about the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, the Technology Applications TEKS, and the Technology Applications Inventory were very relevant and applicable to my classroom experience. The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology provided a shared vision for integrating technology. Our effort to thread technology into learning was not only a local district effort, but it is across our state and country. The Plan also explains why our school does the yearly evaluation from the STaR charts. Our teachers know that the STaR charts are mandatory for state funding, but the vision from the Plan builds genuine desire and direction to improve and integrate technology for our students. The Technology Applications TEKS provides a dynamic framework for instruction guiding our students in becoming technologically literate. Our students learn through modeling. Therefore, educators must stay current and technologically proficient through professional development and self-learning. The Technology Applications Inventory along with the completed individualize Technology Plan provide a guide for personal and professional learning allowing the educator to identify, monitor, and achieve consistent technology growth.

The course emphasized on the need to implement and integrate technology, but the curricula and instructional aspects are not quite clear and lack depth in our discussion. How can technology be seamlessly incorporated into teaching and learning? We read about Mary Burns’s two-year professional development project on technology in six schools and the effect on the students and teachers involved in the learner-center approach. However, what were the specific technology applications they used in the project? What kind of student activities were involved? In this course, we also discussed the benefits of project-based learning, but we did not discuss implementation into the classroom. How can project-based learning prepare our students to meet state standardized curricula? We also did not discuss effective assessment and evaluation strategies. Educators need to equip our students with technology skills, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and ethical responsibilities, but how? The scope of the course remains broad, and the spectrum of topics lack specific details. Many tools and sites were presented as a generalized list throughout the course, but more time is needed to examine the resources for an in-depth understanding.

Almost all of the course assignments were carried out successfully. The Wiki course assignment proved to be the biggest struggle for me. I enjoy creating and publishing information on the wiki, but collaborating with teachers at my school on the assignment was difficult during the summer. I encountered several obstacles. Our district firewall blocks the wiki invitations, so I had to send a personal email invitation to each member. Also, some teachers I work with consistently need technological assistance for email and electronic grade book functions, and they prefer face-to-face communications. Until I meet with them again when school starts in a couple of weeks, I have no response on the online agenda. I don’t know if other teachers have trouble signing up or navigating through the site. I don’t know if they have reservations or simply reject the online notion. I found it frustrating that in order to begin something online, we must first meet face-to-face.

Within the past few years, I have seen the change and increase in technologies for our schools. It was not until this course that I learn the magnitude of the shared vision for our state-wide technology plan. The focus for me has been within the walls of my own classroom, with my own students, and at my own school. The course provided a big picture perspective and widened my horizon. I have always been comfortable using technologies for personal use, but to collaborate with other educators and even students in a learning setting intimated me. Online planning and project-based learning seemed to be a far-fetched notion. Teaching the curriculum has always been a priority followed by technology as a supplement. I have used the interactive whiteboard that sits in my room but do wish to use it more often. My next-door teacher keeps his SMART board in the storage room. My attitude has been “to each his own.” However, in order to truly thread technology into teaching and learning, it will take the entire community to actively and genuinely pursue a shared vision.