The International Technology Society in Education has created a set of standards for teachers to follow when incorporating technology into their classroom. Throughout the Masters in Education in Instructional Technology program, we have aligned our lesson plans, projects and presentations to these standards. Throughout the program I have found my strengths and weaknesses in these standards aligned with my teaching.
Strengths
1.a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
I find that this standard falls under my strengths because, I believe as an instructional technologist it is important to allow students to use their own innovative thinking and inventiveness. As I have been writing lesson plans throughout this program, I find myself leaving leeway for students to use their own creativity and "innovative thinking."
2.c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
As a teacher, it is important to remember that each student learns different. As we begin to add more technology into the classroom, we need to be more aware of each individual’s needs. I think that this is a strength of mine because I take the time to think about how each student can use the technology provided. For example when creating the material for the professional development, I found myself wondering the ability of each adult when it comes to using technology. As a group, we made sure that we would be available to support those who may not be as familiar as others may.
3. a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
During the M.Ed. program and in my position as a graduate assistant I have had to chance to learn and become fluent in all current technologies. Going forward as an instructional technologist and a teacher, I think this is a valuable skill to have. As new systems are created it is important to know how to transfer your current knowledge to them. This allows you to easily become familiar with using them.
3. b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
When students start using technology more, they begin to losing social skills. I think it is important to find ways to have students collaborate using digital tools. I think that this is a strength of mine because throughout the M.Ed. program I have successfully found ways to create lesson plans and projects for students to collaborate via the web. Programs like Google Docs or Weebly make it easy to do so. In addition, after using the Evernote Application, I have come to find that there are many ways to use this app to work with parents, other teachers, students and the community. By working and communicating with parents through technology, they help to promote to their child the correct way to use it.
4. c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
Throughout this program, I have learned many ways to model and promote digital etiquette to students. I think this has become a strength of mine because I have learned how important it is. When working the professional development day, we discussed with our adult learners how to enforce digital etiquette with their students. We also talked about when teachers are having a conversation with students on Evernote or something similar that they must make sure they keep it professional and are modeling what they want from their students.
Weaknesses
2.d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Since I do not currently have a classroom, this is definitely a standard that falls under my weaknesses. I am not quite sure yet how I would be able to use these formative and summative assessments to help improve my use of technology in the classroom. My plan for improvement is when I eventually have my own classroom to try to assessments, look over different data, and find ways to improve.
5.a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
Although, this is something that I would be interested in it would for now fall under my weaknesses. To be honest I am not quite sure how to get involved in these learning communities. I am sure that if I was working in a school it is something that could be created and we could discuss ways to use technology to improve students learning. My plan for improvement on this is to find out about local and global communities and seeing if I could be involved without being a classroom teacher by bringing my knowledge of different programs.
Career Plans and Educational Goals
After finishing my Master in Education, my short-term goal is to find a position teaching at the elementary level. I think after this program and my position as a graduate assistant I have a lot of new knowledge to bring to the classroom and to make students experience more exciting! In the future, I hope to pursue either a Doctorate in Education or a Doctorate in Philosophy in the field of instructional technology. Once that is completed, I would like to work as a digital integration specialist or teacher at the collegiate level. The skills and tools that I have learned in this program will help me to achieve these goals in the future!
1.a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
I find that this standard falls under my strengths because, I believe as an instructional technologist it is important to allow students to use their own innovative thinking and inventiveness. As I have been writing lesson plans throughout this program, I find myself leaving leeway for students to use their own creativity and "innovative thinking."
2.c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
As a teacher, it is important to remember that each student learns different. As we begin to add more technology into the classroom, we need to be more aware of each individual’s needs. I think that this is a strength of mine because I take the time to think about how each student can use the technology provided. For example when creating the material for the professional development, I found myself wondering the ability of each adult when it comes to using technology. As a group, we made sure that we would be available to support those who may not be as familiar as others may.
3. a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
During the M.Ed. program and in my position as a graduate assistant I have had to chance to learn and become fluent in all current technologies. Going forward as an instructional technologist and a teacher, I think this is a valuable skill to have. As new systems are created it is important to know how to transfer your current knowledge to them. This allows you to easily become familiar with using them.
3. b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation
When students start using technology more, they begin to losing social skills. I think it is important to find ways to have students collaborate using digital tools. I think that this is a strength of mine because throughout the M.Ed. program I have successfully found ways to create lesson plans and projects for students to collaborate via the web. Programs like Google Docs or Weebly make it easy to do so. In addition, after using the Evernote Application, I have come to find that there are many ways to use this app to work with parents, other teachers, students and the community. By working and communicating with parents through technology, they help to promote to their child the correct way to use it.
4. c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
Throughout this program, I have learned many ways to model and promote digital etiquette to students. I think this has become a strength of mine because I have learned how important it is. When working the professional development day, we discussed with our adult learners how to enforce digital etiquette with their students. We also talked about when teachers are having a conversation with students on Evernote or something similar that they must make sure they keep it professional and are modeling what they want from their students.
Weaknesses
2.d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Since I do not currently have a classroom, this is definitely a standard that falls under my weaknesses. I am not quite sure yet how I would be able to use these formative and summative assessments to help improve my use of technology in the classroom. My plan for improvement is when I eventually have my own classroom to try to assessments, look over different data, and find ways to improve.
5.a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
Although, this is something that I would be interested in it would for now fall under my weaknesses. To be honest I am not quite sure how to get involved in these learning communities. I am sure that if I was working in a school it is something that could be created and we could discuss ways to use technology to improve students learning. My plan for improvement on this is to find out about local and global communities and seeing if I could be involved without being a classroom teacher by bringing my knowledge of different programs.
Career Plans and Educational Goals
After finishing my Master in Education, my short-term goal is to find a position teaching at the elementary level. I think after this program and my position as a graduate assistant I have a lot of new knowledge to bring to the classroom and to make students experience more exciting! In the future, I hope to pursue either a Doctorate in Education or a Doctorate in Philosophy in the field of instructional technology. Once that is completed, I would like to work as a digital integration specialist or teacher at the collegiate level. The skills and tools that I have learned in this program will help me to achieve these goals in the future!