ITSE5 EDTC6433 Resolution Reflection Module 5

ITSE5 EDTC6433 Resolution Reflection Module 5

ISTE Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

The following standards are most relevant to my triggering question:

Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.

Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

Triggering Event Question:

As the PLC leader of my grade level, it is important for me to model how to creatively effectively use technology in my instruction. How can I use PLC time to best support the use of technology in our third grade instruction and content and inspire my colleagues to use technology as well?  

Through this course, my experience infusing technology into my daily lessons has grown immensely. Through my own research, and the research of my colleagues I have found so many incredible ways to use technology to supplement student learning and to increase engagement. My confidence using technology as an educational tool has grown, and it is time that I use this background to model how to effectively use technology to our grade level team. Above all, I sought to research more ways to inspire my colleagues to use technology in their classroom. The ISTE standard is most relevant to my triggering event question covers demonstrating technology use, and “developing the leadership and technology skills of others.” I lead the third grade PLC team and believe that we need to allow our students more opportunities to use technology to supplement and enrich their learning experiences. Through this program, the frequency in which I use technology with my students has increased significantly, and I would like to inspire my teammates to provide these experiences for their students as well. I believe that my teammates will be happy to provide these experiences once they are comfortable using technology effectively.

My first step was researching to find a resource that helps my team understand how to effectively integrate technology in the classroom. I found an article entitled What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge? This article explains a framework for teacher understanding of technology integration called technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK). This paper explains that the effective development of TPACK is necessary for technology integration (Koeler & Mishra 2009). This framework focuses largely on three types of knowledge and the interaction of them. They are content, pedagogy and technology. This article explains how the interaction of content, pedagogy and technology produce the background required to effectively integrate technology. This article answers my triggering question in that it elucidates how to most effectively integrate technology in the classroom. The TPACK framework is a good resource to bring to PLC to spark a discussion on how best to integrate technology in our classrooms effectively. The article also touches on some of the challenges of technology implementation in the classroom. The one that resonated with me the most is that often teachers to not have adequate training and background experience “with using digital technologies for teaching and learning.” ( Koeler & Mishra 2009) I would like to be the teammate who advocates for more training opportunities for primary teachers to gain confidence when using technology in our classroom, and also take baby steps with my team and dedicate fifteen minutes of PLC time weekly to exploring an approved tablet resource with my teammates. The TPACK framework is a great resource when considering how to integrate technology effectively.

Next, I sought to research specific professional development opportunities regarding technology and resources that would help support this skillset for my colleagues. A member of my learning circle, Sarah Watkins led me straight to an answer.  She provided me with a source from the Northwest Council for Computer education. This organization has a multitude of professional development opportunities. NCCE leads regional conferences and even provides opportunities to work specifically with schools to support the needs of their staff. I am particularly interested in the peer coaching training that is offered to provide me with the skill necessary to support teachers. I have also just joined the technology committee in my district and the main objective of this committee is to pilot new applications and resources and eventually train my grade level on how to utilize the applications we decide upon. I am looking forward to using this opportunity to grow as a leader and develop my technology skillset. I believe that the most important component of being a tech leader is having a strong explorative, growth mindset. As technology is an ever-changing field, it is incredibly important to change with it as an educator, and constantly striving to be as effective as possible when integrating technology in the classroom.

ITSE 5 reveals the importance of teachers reflecting on technology practice regularly and exploring and utilizing technological tools that support student learning. Through my research I have found how to exhibit leadership on my team to inspire my colleagues to infuse technology in their classroom. 

References

Koeler, M., Mishra, P., (2009)  What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge?     

        Retrieved from https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/10314/files/271967?module_item_id=101834.

NCCE (2016) NCCE: Leadership, Innovation, Learning. Northwest Council for Computer Education. retrieved from http://www.ncce.org

Artifacts:

Video- Integrating Technology in the Classroom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgLNRKQR3AI

NCCE Link:

http://www.ncce.org/

Edutopia Community:

https://www.edutopia.org/community

ITSE4 EDTC6433 Resolution Reflection Module

ISTE Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship

The following standards are most relevant to my triggering question:

Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources 

Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information 

Triggering Event Question:

How can I instill ethical, safe and responsible technology practices in my third grade students that they will carry with them throughout their education, and ultimately, their lives?

Technology is becoming more pervasive in the everyday lives of students, and in the classroom setting. Part of educating the whole child is ensuring that students have the skills and explicit instruction necessary to make positive, responsible and ethical decisions when using technology. ISTE standard four addresses that teachers must “advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology,” and I believe that is an extremely important lesson to teach my third grade students (ISTE Standards, 2016).  Even though in the classroom, my students use of technology is very teacher directed and students do not have the freedom to explore without restriction, I still find that it is extremely important to educate them regarding digital responsibility to ensure that they are safe and making positive choices when they have future, unrestricted access.

Initially, I assumed that while digital responsibility would be an important skill to model, it may not be directly applicable to my third grade students at this point in time. After conversations with my students regarding their access to the digital world, I learned quickly that this was not the case. I am shocked by how many of my eight-year-old students have personal cell phones, iPads, tablets or unrestricted access to the Internet at home. This further illustrated the importance of teaching internet responsibly and ethics to my students. The importance of teaching safe and ethical technology use is illuminated in EducationLeadership in an Onlineworld: Connecting students to Technology Responsibly,Safely, and Ethically. While ethical technology use is not a curricular component, students are exposed to the Internet and social media at much younger ages. To educate our children comprehensively, we must also focus on Internet etiquette during this digital age. The article addresses a “lack of leadership preparation” related to digital literacy, and how this can lead to problems (Ribble, 2011). This led me to understand how important it is to prepare students. This article provides strategies for educators to prepare our students for a responsible digital future. It also provides ideas to reduce technology misuse or abuse. The most important take away that I will undoubtedly teach in my classroom is that teachers “need to begin to make parallels for students between being good to teach other both in the classroom and in the digital world” (Ribble, 2011). It further explains that students must be provided with specific examples of responsible behavior in both worlds. It is so important to teach students that rules that apply to real life also must be applied online.

This research led me to further explore the importance of teaching digital responsibility and safety at a young age. The majority of my third graders do not have access to social media accounts, however it is extremely important to teach them the importance of digital ethics at a young age.  I teach my students often how to appropriately interact with one another, and how to resolve conflicts and navigate bullying but I now realize the importance of teaching these lessons to protect my students from cyber bullying as well.  When I researched further into cyber bullying I found that in the cast of cyberbullying “there is a greater ease of anonymity for aggressors” (Gualdo et al., 2014). Another factor that makes cyberbullying dangerous is that the victim’s reactions are largely invisible. Typically this type of bullying takes play away from the schools and supervision, so it is incredibly important to educate our students on the importance of digital responsibility and the adverse effects of cyber bullying.

This information led me to my area of research I fully understand the importance of teaching digital citizenship and responsibility, and the adverse effects of failing to do so, but how do I teach digital citizenship in the most effective manner? How do I fit this instruction into my already packed curricular schedule? A member of my learning circle, Megan Leonard, led me directly to that answer through her research.  The article that she found explained that digital citizenship should not be taught through explicit and direct instruction (Marrs, 2016). The answer to my question is found through embedding the instruction into authentic digital learning experiences that are already occurring. This means that I will not need to devise a separate unit to teach digital citizenship, I can simply teach it through our exploration and authentic conversations (Marrs, 2016).

ITSE 4 reveals the importance of teachers teaching ethical and safe use of technology. This lead me to research the importance of teaching digital responsibility and the most effective way to approach this instruction to ensure that my students are prepared to ethically use digital information.

References

Ribble, R., Miller, T. (2011). Education Leadership in an Onlineworld: Connecting students to          Technology Responsibly, Safely, and Ethically. Retrieved from    https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/10314/files/271981?module_item_id=101807.

Marrs, H. (2016) Don’t Teach Digital Citizenship- Embed It! Retrieved from   https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=809&category=In-the-  classroom&article=Don%E2%80%99t+teach+digital+citizenship+%E2%80%94+embed+it.

Gulado, A., Hunter, S., Durkin, K., Arnaiz, P., Maqilon, J. (2012). The Emotional Impact of  Cyberbullying: Differences in perceptions and Experiences as a Function of Role. Retrieved from  https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/10314/files/271964?module_item_id=101805.

Artifacts:

Seesaw Link:

http://web.seesaw.me/

Cyberbullying Educational Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XktuYaCqj5k

ISTE3 EDTC6433 Resolution Reflection Module 3

ISTE Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work andLearning

The following standards are most relevant to my triggering question

1. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations. 

2. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation. 

3. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

Triggering Event Question: How can I use contemporary digital tools and technology to innovatively meet my students individualized needs, and to differentiate instruction to ensure that all students feel success and are able to become global and digital citizens?

            As a 21^st century educator, I need to be fluent with technology systems in order to be as effective as possible in educating my students, specifically students requiring support and differentiation. An element of ensuring student success is to think of methods and tools to use in ensuring that all of my students have access to technological resources that support their specific learning styles. Through my research, I have found that differentiation is entirely possible through the use of technology. ITSE 3 elucidates the importance of teachers being able to model, and utilize technology fluently and to be able to transfer this knowledge to their respective population of students. It refers to using these skills in new situations, which allowed me to consider particularly how to use technology to support students who require extra assistance or support.

I am very intentional in my daily differentiation of instruction to meet my students individualized needs. In the past, I have steered away from using certain technological resources in my classroom, as I feared that they would not meet the specific needs of all of my students. In each lesson that I design, I modify each task to support my most impacted students, or students with disabilities to ensure that every student feels successful. I was weary that I would not be as effective at this task when using technology. Through my research, and the research of my colleagues this concern was addressed.  The first article I found elucidated that specific technological platforms can achieve quite the opposite. Sarah McPherson, Ed.D. and Elfreda Blue, Ph.D wrote an article that directly relates to, and answers my triggering event question. The title of this article is, Literacy Goes Digital: Web. 2.0 applications for UDL instruction. In Web 2.0, tools differentiate to provide all students an opportunity to develop digital literacy abilities. This article also mentions digital tools that will serve to “provide all students opportunities to read and write, communicate, and collaborate.” (McPherson, 2012) This article was extremely helpful as it takes into account that all of our learners have unique and differing strengths and needs, and provides examples of interactive technologies to make each student successful using Web 2.0 applications. The framework of UDL is set up to support varying levels of participation and progress. After reading this article, I have been informed that it is entirely possible to differentiate to meet specific student needs when using technology, it is simply important to choose the right tool, and do so with intentionality. It is also very specific in mentioning the Web 2.0 was formatted to accommodate the rigors for the common core standards, and differentiating is crucial to meeting these standards.

Through further research regarding accommodating and differentiating for classroom instruction for students with special needs. I located an article speaking to the importance of classroom-based assessments and opportunities for students with special needs. This article discussed the importance of allowing students with special needs authentic, opportunities to participate in classroom based assessment and that these opportunities are vital to the educational growth of each student (Shapiro & Ager, 1992). I believe that these classroom-based assessments can be attained using technology to differentiate scaffolding and support for students requiring support. There have been times in which I give entirely different assessments or assignments to special needs students to ensure that they feel successful, but I recognize now that it would be much more powerful, and beneficial to my students if I instead differentiate the lesson to meet the needs of every student.

Sarah Watkins, a teacher in my learning circle spoke to my potential concerns relating to my triggering question. How can I ensuring that I am differentiating and meeting each of my student’s unique needs using technology, when I do not yet feel entirely fluent with the various resources that I am employing. In an article that she located, it discussed the “social practice approach” of teaching a new concept (Kalman, Guerrero 2014). This is, essentially, to model your learning process with you students as a natural vehicle to get comfortable with new technological mediums in an natural, gradual manner. This has shown me that I do not need to become an expert with new technology overnight, and that I can illustrate my journey with my students. This will be helpful in my acquisition of new knowledge that will especially help in differentiating in that it will show all of my students that I am learning alongside them.

            ITSE 3 reveals the significance of teachers fluently modeling, and using technology in their classrooms and being able to transfer those skills in new situations. This lead me to research, and becoming significantly more comfortable using web 2.0 and other platforms to differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of all of my students.

References

Kalman, J., Guerrero, E. (2014) A Social Practice Approach to Understanding Teacher’s   Learning          to Use Technology and Digital Literacies in the Classroom. E-Learning and Digital Media. 10(3).       260-275. 

McPherson, S., Blue, E. (2012) .Literacy Goes Digital: Web. 2.0 applications for UDL    instruction.       Retrieved from https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/10314/files/271994?module_item_id=101782.

Shapiro, E. S., & Ager, C. (1992). Assessment of Special Education Students in Regular Education           Programs: Linking Assessment to Instruction. The Elementary School Journal, 92(3), 283-296.

Artifact:

Web 2.0 Applications- Tutorial of the Presentation component