Course Reflections

In all honesty I did not have any particular outcome in mind for this class. As a matter of fact I did not even try to get a clue from the course title (Instructional Leadership) either. I was just waiting for the starting date to get the ball rolling. What a pleasant surprise I got once we started the class! This course lead me to a much better understanding of the following: our state has a clear and well thought plan for technology (LRPT 2006-2020.) I can now see the purpose of the STaR Chart that I had filled out before a few times only because I was told to do so. Identifying social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology and teaching and learning was news to me. I am still almost in disbelief with my ignorance about copyright legalities. The topic of digital divide made me rethink about how our schools are providing equal access to technology to all student populations. I learned the benefits of analyzing different data sources that can be used to make informed decisions about technology. I did not know anything about Project Tomorrow and the other educational organizations that provide updated, relevant information that can be reviewed to integrate technology, teaching and learning.
I am glad to admit that although I did not have expectations for this course I did learn a great deal about technology being integrated with learning and teaching. The knowledge that I have gained in this course can be immediately applied in the classroom with short term tangible results. I would like to mention that the emphasis given to the learned-centered classroom approach has opened my eyes to endless possibilities to engage the students in meaningful lessons with the aid of technology. I have used my blog and the online discussion board as well with my class to show my students a couple of practical applications of technology. Another important outcome of taking this course is the better understanding that I have for the role of the principal in the school community. I agree with many of the authors when they suggest that the principal must use technology on a daily basis to lead by example. Besides, the best way the principal can effectively show faculty and staff the benefits of technology is by being a digital native himself.
I have to admit that this course was the most challenging of all. We were required to read a lot and discussions online were a common occurance. The discussion board was very enlightening this time because we replied to every single posting of at least two other students. I very much enjoyed that exchange of ideas and experiences with my colleagues. I learned a great deal from both the readings content and the opinions of others. In regard to the weekly assignments, they were challenging because they were time consuming, which meant a lot of hours in front of the computer screen. This was intriguing to me, because we are talking technology integration here. I am proud of my first blog ever which I created in the first week, and like one of the authors mentioned it is here to stay. I show my blog to my students almost on a daily basis because it is a meaningful creation of mine that I hope will spark their interest for technology applications. I also created a technology action plan for my campus which represented a very interesting experience because I had a really hard time getting it started, but once I drew the first lines there was no stopping. This task gave me a very good opportunity to appreciate what it really means to be the leader of the campus.
I would like to highlight the fact that I never saw technology like I do now after working countless hours on my assignments. I use technology every day in my life; however I had missed how it could be applied to education. It is kind of ironic because I have been a teacher for the last eight years. The bright side of the story is that I am now aware of the power of these tools and how they can be effectively integrated into instruction. I think that one of the remarkable benefits of the course is that we got our hands dirty and learned by engaging which is what we want for our children. I think that one of the main objectives of this course and the program is that we the teachers become learners so we can better teach the students. I am applying technology in my class with a different vision thanks to what I have seen in this class. I want my students to be proactive and work collaboratively with peers across the global world.
Speaking of using technology in the classroom I cannot overlook a wonderful tool. The blog is a very interesting creation. We can find blogs everywhere from newspapers to families sharing their vacation pictures. Despite the fact that I have known blogs for a long while I never realized the educational potential of them. Anybody can post content online these days without needing any technical background, which means that administrators, teachers, students, and parents can work together online. The school could definitely serve a great purpose allowing the students to work in order to create meaningful content and share their final product with a global audience. Administrators could use blogs to communicate with all stakeholders, specially parents and teachers, saving a significant amount of paper, time, money, etc. Teachers can post homework assignements, lessons, projects and keep parents informed about what is going on in the classroom. Teachers can share information with others within the campus and outside the campus. Blogs are definitely a great tool for the school community members to engage in reflective high order thinking activities 24/7.
We know that anything good or positive comes at a cost and blogs are not any exception to the rule. Safety concern is always a top priority for school districts. School officials believe that students may disclose personal information giving predators a chance to prey on them with terrible consequences. I totally agree with enforcing policies to keep our students safe, however the students must learn the skills that will allow them to become digital citizens. I do not mean to minimize the impact of students publishing personal information, but we can definitely keep our students safe while working with blogs. We can teach our children safety rules that they must follow while working online. Teachers must model by example and incorporate blogging into their instructional program to allow children to deal with blogs before going live to the real world. Parents should also be kept in the loop so they can supervise students at home while they work with blogs.
After reading the articles, watching the videos, and exchanging ideas with fellow teachers I believe that the principal should be blogger number one in the school. By leading by example he would encourage the rest of the community to get on board and democratize the exchange of information. The announcements, district news, events, etc, should be posted in the school blog for everyone to see them. With taking advantage of Real Simple Syndication (RSS) the administration can literally redefine how the school communicates with both outside the school and within the school. Blogs can be very easily updated, you only need Internet connection, and the possibility of posting information in such a wide variety of formats makes the site very appealing to all audiences. Teachers can share their work instantaneously with peers and students. Lesson plans, strategies, and professional development content can be posted for the benefit of the staff without the need of mobilizing the entire group at the same time. Students can also benefit from a two-way communication system that fosters an interactive reflective practice that can be documented. Finally, parents can also have a say on what is happening on campus.

Rockin around the Christmas tree!!!!

Hello fellow teachers and friends,

I hope this little token of Christmas-related technology bring you some fun and entertainment at this final stage of our class. It's another sample of how ordinary people can make the most of available tools and produce a fantastic product. These folks did a great job.
Have a wonderful and merry Christmas everybody!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=AUtPKbMwnRo&pop_ads=0#t=32

Texas Star CharT

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Infrastructure for Technology

Without a doubt, Texas has made tremendous strides during the last decade in connecting schools to each other, to external resources, and to the Internet. However, the state must plan for a 21st Century educational environment. Texas will need a truly high-performance infrastructure to take advantage of new technologies that can significantly reduce costs, increase student access, and improve communication and collaboration among all stakeholders.
A 21st Century infrastructure will offer high-speed connectivity among schools, colleges, medical facilities, libraries, businesses, and homes and will be equipped with ample digital tools and resources for learners. This robust state-wide infrastructure is critical to provide equitable access to all learners. Districts must have an infrastructure that is safe and secure, flexible, scalable, and reliable. The campus infrastructure will integrate voice, video, and data and will have the capacity to host large volumes of digital content and powerful applications.
Our District Superintendent is totally technology oriented. He is striving for home schooling, distance learning, and virtual learning communities. Despite being on the job only for two months, he has made clear to all members of the community that changes are coming soon and we have to get ready. Nationwide, we are going in the right direction in order to integrate technology with instruction. Finally, I believe that the school community leaders, starting with principals, must create alliances with third parties to ensure the procurement of technology either for free or with significant savings. Open Source should be considered in the schools whenever possible to free students of dependency on expensive commercially developed software.

Before PreK It Is Just Wonderful You have to See It!

I had to share with you this amazing video. This is just to remind us that great things can be accomplished anytime, anywhere, by anybody. The kid displays amazing skills and when you find out her age you will not believe it, even though you are watching it with your own eyes.

Please click on the link http://www.dukejones.com/UploadFiles/video.mp4 and be transported to the land of achievement.

Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS

Prekindergarten guidelines for Technology Applications were made available to schools in December 1999. They articulate what three- and four- year old students should know and be able to do using technology. The learning experiences of the preschool years provide a foundation that guides children academically, socially, and emotionally. These experiences can influence the rest of a child’s life. Children’s learning and intellectual growth are affected by the specific experiences (e.g., instruction, guidance) they have in a preschool classroom. Curricula, educators, and early care settings all contribute significantly to children’s learning and development.

Teachers should always consider five key interactive behaviors that support a child’s emotional and cognitive growth.
• Respond promptly and appropriately to a child’s needs.
• Respond with warm sensitivity.
• Maintain rather than redirect children’s focus.
• Provide rich language input and explanations.
• Avoid restricting children’s behavior too frequently.

The Technology Applications TEKS are designed as a dynamic, spiraling curriculum. Effective learning activities are purposeful, planned, and playful. Misbehavior is not reprimanded; teacher always displays a positive attitude. Students receive attention and appreciation. Their sense of success is promoted by giving students a chance of learning the same concept in different ways.

Finally, shared writing activities are a perfect example of how to extend the lesson and address outcomes from multiple domains. It is a great hook to keep children engaged, when the teacher writes down kids’ quotes she is promoting ownership. It also promotes phonics when the teacher makes the sounds out while reading aloud, can be used also for clapping the words.

Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020

This part of the assignment was a “good news bad news” kind of announcement or may be a “bitter sweet” situation. The bad news would be that I was not aware of the existence of the Texas Long-Range Plan at all and when I went around asking my colleagues about it, they were clueless as well. This definitely can’t be good and we should do something to get the word out and get everybody on board. The good news is that I am now aware of the plan and I can start working hard to serve my students’ technology needs following state standards.
I agree with the vision statement, in that we must expand the learning beyond the classroom boundaries into the home and into the broader community. We need to get creative with those families that do not have access to technology at home and make them aware of the availability of resources in places like public libraries. We could even offer the resources available on campus. Another key element is distance learning, without a doubt a powerful tool, providing students across the state with equitable access to quality education and instruction. Distance learning enables schools to overcome the potential limitations of their local resources.
Students require skills that allow them to communicate in a technology-enriched society. They need technical as well as traditional reading and writing skills, and they need analytical skills for accessing and applying information. The educators must do whatever it takes to make this a reality for our students. Continuous professional learning is essential, teachers need to learn to incorporate technology appropriately to support the curriculum and bring about learning opportunities that would not be possible without the technology.

Technology assessments in Week 1

This class started with a very interesting assignment, we were asked to take a couple of technology assessments. The very first one is called “Technology applications Inventory.” It is a 58 statement survey divided into four domains: Foundations, Solving Problems with Technology Tools, Information Acquisition, and Communication. After carefully reading the statements I had an opportunity to reflect on how powerful and useful the technology can be. I consider myself technology literate; as a matter of fact I have been using it since the late 70’s. I feel confident using the technology both in my personal life and in the classroom. I can surf the net to find information, I know how to operate the hardware and the software installed in my computer including the peripheral devices. However, I am aware that I have some room for improvement in some areas. For instance, publishing tools, virtual reality, simulation, online collaboration. The second assessment is called State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) which is a lengthy survey about technology use at the school. It covers three aspects, your own technology use, the availability of technology at your school, and some school/district policies or resources related to technology. In regards to this survey outcome I would have to say that I have a good knowledge of technology and how to use it. The school/district provides a very reliable Internet service and good educational software is available. The problem is that the training or staff development does not teach teachers how to integrate technology with instruction. On the other hand, there are not enough computers to effectively serve the students; we should have one computer per student. Finally, the state and all other stakeholders must work harder in making technology a part of the daily routine in the classroom, some think that the public school system resists integrating technology with the curriculum when in reality a lot of resources have been invested in technology, but we have failed in making technology available 24/7 for every single student.