Master of Arts in Educational Technology Showcase
Introduction
Integrating technology into educational settings is very important. As a teacher, I began the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program to further my understanding of the theories and practices involved in effective integration of technology into the classroom. Now, I am a principal, and I find myself working side by side with my staff in developing a technology-rich learning environment. I'd like to show how my understanding of technology, and its use, has deepened as I have moved through the MAET program. From implementing classroom integration, to becoming a strong advocate for its used in the classroom, please enjoy my journey into the use of technology. The assignments below represent a nice cross-section of what was expected from the MAET program. Feel free to explore each assignment by using the provided buttons.
Creative Solutions
Thinking Outside of the BoxQuite often in life, the solution to a problem will not easily present itself. Different approaches may allow one to see a solution that is quite often lurking out of sight. Thinking outside of the box is a skill educators often learn for many good reasons. In 55 Fiction, you will find a short story written in only 55 words. While it sounds simple, it forces one to examine the problem and re-process the information in order to find a solution. This is very similar to the problem solving that many educators face on a daily basis.
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Electronic PortfoliosPortfolios have been around for a very long times. However, by moving a portfolio to an electronic environment, the viewing audience becomes unlimited. While portfolios typically serve as a vehicle for promoting one's self, I have taken a slightly different approach. This portfolio provides information about myself, but also functions as a repository of resources for my staff. These resources are aimed at giving the staff strategies and techniques to enhance their implementation of technology to the classroom.
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For Use In The Classroom
In the Beginning...
Technology integration into the classroom often depends on what is available. In beginning to align technology's uses to what my classroom would need, I began by creating a webquest that utilized the internet to make a lesson more interactive. This lesson makes use of the internet's vast wealth of information and resources to allow for the lesson to be pushed out of the textbook and become more of a collaborative activity.
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Course Management SystemsMoving from a standard brick and mortar classroom to one that functions in an online environment can be a daunting task. Course management systems (CMS) serve as a vehicle from which the course can operate. As my staff works to develop an online presence, I created this math unit using the CMS, Haiku. In building this site, I worked closely with my 4th grades staff. Their input helped develop this math unit for a blended learning environment. The purpose of this unit was twofold: Provide resources in mathematics to the staff, and to create a model they could refer to as they build their online presence.
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Inquiry-Based LearningThrough inquiry-based learning, and collaboration, students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts they are studying. The Understanding, Understanding project, developed by myself and several of my peers, serves as an example of what classroom inquiry can become. Students will come to understand a concept better if they are allowed to investigate it. Through investigation, facts and misconceptions are discovered and examined. Inquiry-based units of study are being developed by the staff in my building. This project serves as a model for what can be developed when an inquiry-based approach to learning is applied to the classroom.
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Clear Communication
Communication and StakeholdersYears ago, communication between school and the community was limited to phone calls and snail mail. Now, communication can be instantaneous through a multitude of means. In adapting a new approach to instruction within our district, communication became paramount. The Big Kahuna Project served as a springboard to inform the community and the teaching staff of the fundamental behind the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB). This site combined with a fellow teacher's IB site served as the basis for creating understanding and acceptance for this exciting endeavor.
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Professional Development
Benefits of ScreencastingThroughout the different courses in the MAET program, screen casting has become a stable in communication. This screencast, depicting how to use the math unit create within Haiku, demonstrates how this tool can be used to issue instructions. I would later use screencasting , such as this, to help the switch to gmail within our district. This allowed for short, informative lessons to help the district staff learn how to effectively utilize the features found in gmail.
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WebinarPart of being an administrator is providing relevant professional development (PD) to the staff. Quite often this involves researching current topics and finding a way to present this to the staff in a meaningful format. However, bringing a person or group on site can be very costly to a school district. Webinars allow districts to bring current, innovative topics to the viewers without having to pay the big dollars to host a guest speaker. Specialized tools like TitanPad can be used to make the webinars interactive, allowing participants to provide feedback and questions to the presenters in real-time. In doing this, staff members become a part of the webinar, making it more useful.
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Improving Technology
Dreaming BigPart of being an leader in technology is the ability to find new uses for technology in the classroom. The DreamIT project served as a springboard to implement new technology in the rooms at Cherry Street Intermediate. This project is an example of where I would like to see the classrooms in my building head. However, each journey begins with a single step. This project serves as the beginnings of a grant opportunity to implement chromebooks into the classrooms of my staff.
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