QR Posters

Here is a link of some posters I made that contain a QR code that links to my wiki of resources.  Enjoy!

11.1- Reflection

   While reflecting on this course I thought of many reasons that we need to constantly update and perfect the craft of technology integration.  I have taken many ideas away from this class and have tried out new things that I will take with me as I continue to teach.  Below I have written what I have taken away from the last 10 weeks.

   First of all, teachers rely on us to help them understand how they need to be using technology in their classrooms, not only to engage students, but to prepare them for the future as well.  We have to know all the new tools that come out and are offered so that students will learn these.  Teachers are the ones who supply students with the knowledge they need to have in order to compete with others from around the world.  It's a technology integrator's job to make sure that teachers are armed with knowledge to make them  more confident and prepared to teach students what they need.  Wolfram's talk kind of ties into this by explaining that we spend too much time on teaching the tedious things.  If teachers know what kinds of technology to use in order to help students gain a deeper understanding of content, then we can spend less time worrying about things that take up more time than they should.  Technology can do that computing that takes years to teach so that we can go further than the surface with our students.  Teaching and education could drastically change if we were to allow this to take affect.  

   Something else that technology offers to students is all the different mediums in which a person can create or complete a project.  I remember thinking many times in school that I would love to create a short video or something using my computer, but I had no idea how to do that.  Today it's so easy for students to pull up a free app that will help them create some really neat and memorable projects that they can be proud of.  The thing that gets me is how many there will be in 5 or even 10 years down the road.  There is no telling how many more cool things will be invented to help students complete projects or understand content.  It's important for technology integrator's to know what is out there so that students of all different abilities have their needs met.  Teachers may have a gifted or special needs student in their class, but not know about any resources to help that student out and a technology integrator could make things much easier by showing them how to find that resource and how to use it effectively.  

   One idea that I thought of recently is how technology integrator's can actually help build relationships between teachers by connecting them.  The response time is quicker which leads to greater productivity and connections with others that might have never happened.  Along with this tech integrator's could help teachers understand why technology is important and should have a role in their classrooms.  Technology integrator's can help teachers find new tools for old lessons and with a network of teachers making connections they could eventually help each other out.  The spreadsheet activity we did is a great example of how teachers can help out their students and each other by organizing their data so that students who need help get it.  

   The last thing that I have taken away from this course is the role that technology integrator's play in making sure that others can make informed decisions about technology.  This could include administrators looking to add more types of technology into the school, or getting rid of a brick and mortar library, or even helping parents determine if virtual schooling is the best option for their child.  I think that we have a responsibility to others to make sure that they make good decisions based on what we know about technology.  This is, to me, one of the most important reasons that we need to be constantly updating and perfecting our craft.  We are depended upon to make decisions for the future of our students.  That's pretty important if you ask me.

10.2- Sharing NETS Portfolios

Below are the two pages I created in a Wiki for teachers and administrators to log their reflections about the NETS competencies.

Administrators

Below is a table designed for administrators to reflect on how well NETS competencies are being followed as well as provide evidence. In the boxes next to "Meeting Standards" type a number from 0-5, with zero being you don't do it at all, to 5 being you are implementing this very well. Below the table, reflect on each standard and add any evidence to support your claims.

Here is the link to help with the chart and the reflections. 
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-a-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

	Digital Age Learning	Systemic Improvement	Visionary Leadership	Digital Citizenship	Professional Practice
Administrators	Promote a digital-age learning culture that engages and educates all children	Provide leadership to improve organization through technology resources	Inspire and lead development and implementation of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology	Model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical and legal issues and responsibilities	Promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators
Meeting Standards

Digital Age Learning:

Systemic Improvement:

Visionary Leadership:

Digital Citizenship:

Professional Practice:

Evidence:

Teachers

This table below allows teachers to reflect upon different standards of technology and determine if they are meeting the needs of their students. In the box next to "Meeting the Standards" choose a number 0-5, with 0 being you don't do this standard at all and 5 being that you implement this standard well. Below the chart reflect on each individual standard and add any evidence to support your claim.

Here is the link to help with the chart and the reflections. 
http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

	Learning and Creativity	Experiences and Assessments	Work and Learning	Digital Citizenship	Growth and Leadership
Teachers	Use knowledge of subject matter, teaching, learning and technology to advance student learning and creativity	Design, develop and evaluate authentic learning experiences incorporating contemporary tools	Exhibit knowledge and skills of an innovative professional in a digital society	Understand global and local societal issues in an evolving digital culture	Continuously improve on professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership
Meeting the Standards

Learning and Creativity:

Experiences and Assessments:

Work and Learning:

Digital Citizenship

Growth and Leadership:

Evidence:

Here is a link to my wiki and critical task

http://netsportfolio.wikispaces.com/

10.1- Measuring NETS Competencies

   I think one of the best ways we can tell if teachers and administrators are meeting the NETS competencies is to use observation after becoming extremely familiar with the competencies themselves.  If I were going to do this, I would have a list of the competencies and focus on one area in particular while observing.  That way I could delve deep into each individual standard and get a really good idea whether or not the teacher or administrator understood what is expected of them.  I would also ask for specific evidence that would support each standard and again show that they understood what was being asked.  Another way to gain information would be to follow up on student assessments and actually ask them questions that would give a different perspective.  It can sometimes be difficult to get a true reading on someone though if they know they will be observed ahead of time.  From time to time our administrators will pop into our classrooms for a few minutes and give us some feedback without even telling us they will come by, which keeps us on our toes because we know we need to be prepared every day, not just the day they choose to come see us.  

   One example of this might be a group of teachers working on standard 2a., which is "design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity"(NETS-T. 2008).  It would be pretty easy for someone to tell if a teacher was trying to incorporate digital tools within their lessons and student work or projects would reflect that.  The types of evidence that could be collected might include projects that students complete and submit via the internet.  I think that another good idea would be to ask a few students how they feel about the teachers use of technology and if they felt like it was appropriate for the assignment.  I think there's a lot you can get from asking students simple questions because they are eager to give their opinions if they feel like you want their honesty.  

References:

2008. NETS-T. International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2

    

9.2- Sample Virtual Course

   I looked through the Virtual Learning Academy website to find out a few things about virtual schools and how they can affect different aspects of how we view education.  What I found was interesting as it pertains to New Hampshire.  I also looked at the Arkansas Virtual Academy to compare the two and now  have a different view of virtual schools.

   Anyone in New Hampshire, up to the age of 21, can attend VLACS without a tuition fee.  If you want to attend VLACS and you are not a resident of New Hampshire, you can attend on a tuition basis.  A student from Arkansas can attend the AVA for free also but do not allow anyone from another state to attend.  They must also meet an age requirement which wasn't listed, but am assuming is around 21 also.  When I looked at both websites I wasn't able to find anything that specifically talked about working with local schools.  I did see that both states have implemented the common core standards and work with schools to figure out what will count towards a diploma as well as college courses.  In New Hampshire students can be part time and either accelerate their high school progress, use the virtual learning as an enrichment experience, or finish any incomplete coursework.  Students can also gain college credits while they are attending VLACS.

   Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything like that on the Arkansas website.  However, you can ask to receive more information since what is listed is very limited.  I could see myself getting student involved in more enrichment activities through the virtual schools and maybe do more partnering with them.  There are some things that the virtual schools offer, like college credit hours and tours that can be hard to fit into a schedule during traditional school time.  I think this would give students a better idea of what all is out there and allow them to figure it out on their own time.  I think that the New Hampshire site would be easier to use though and I really love the idea of blended learning labs.  They describe them as "a space where students engage in a variety of online learning experiences before, during or after the school day"(Virtual Learning Academy. nd.).  I think this is a great example of how to use virtual learning schools to enhance students experiences.  

References:

Arkansas Virtual Academy. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.k12.com/arva/home#.UpEX3cQ3u9M

Virtual Learning Academy. n.d. Retrieved from http://vlacs.org/

9.1- Educational Value of Virtual Schools

   Quite honestly, when I think of virtual schools I go back and forth about whether I believe them to be of educational value.  It may be something that works well for a few and not for the majority of people out there.  I think that the reason I can't make up my mind is because there is not enough data yet to determine whether or not virtual schools are actually as effective or more so than regular brick and mortar schools.  I know that some data has been collected, but as far as data from K-8 students goes, there really isn't much out there.  That being said, I do believe that there are some great benefits to virtual schools that cannot be ignored.  One of the first things that comes to mind is how convenient virtual schools could be for those who may have a hard time in a regular school setting or have extremely busy schedules.  The virtual learning academy makes the statement that "Students need to work outside of the classroom because of extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and travel. The independent schedule of an online course provides a student with flexibility to learn at any time of the day. There are also students dealing with an illness or injury that prevents them from physically being in the classroom"(Virtual Learning Academy. n.d.).  The flexibility of the classes are nice and could help with specific situations where a student is hurt and can't go to class or may learn better at different times of the day.  

   While the flexibility of online learning is great, I think one huge thing to keep in mind is that it takes away from social experiences.  I realize that not all social experiences are good ones, but isn't that how we learn about others and ourselves?  There are times that I wish I could have missed out on some embarrassing or hard situations with other people at school, but I learned something from each one and it made me the strong person I am today.  I know that some social connections are made via internet, but I don't think it can replace actual human contact and close interaction.  One woman exclaimed "kindergarten kids learning in front of a monitor — that’s just wrong"(Brown & Layton. 2011).  I must say that I am inclined to agree because I think that kids need to be around other children their age and have time to explore outside and learn how to get along with others.  Since collaboration is such a vital skill that students need to have in order to really thrive in today's economy, I feel like sticking kids in front of a computer from the time their 5 until they graduate high school is setting them up for failure.  There's still not a lot of research in the K-8 area of virtual schools, but I don't see it doing much good for younger students, but I think older students would do alright if they chose it for the right reasons.  

References:

Brown, E., Layton, L. 2011. Virtual Schools are Multiplying, but Some Question Their Educational Value. Washington Post.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virtual-schools-are-multiplying-but-some-question-their-educational-value/2011/11/22/gIQANUzkzN_story.html

Virtual Learning Academy. n.d. retrieved from http://vlacs.org/

   

Discussion 8.1- Debriefing

Argument For Keeping Brick and Mortar Libraries:

Growing up I remember going to the library and feeling relaxed because it was a safe and quiet place where my mind could wander.  Most of the way I felt was because the atmosphere provided a safe haven of escape and it would be really sad to deprive kids of that today just because we can access books online.  Libraries provide certain needs for people and can become a social learning space, a presentation space, or a teaching space.  Doug Johnson came up with these different ways of helping libraries to adapt to a digital age without getting rid of them completely (Johnson. 2010).  Even though we can use technology for many things today, it still doesn’t give kids the social aspect that all human beings crave and need in their lives.  Libraries allow people to connect in ways that other places may not.  Another great thing about libraries is the presentation or teaching space that is provided.  Our library is used for both and since it is tucked away from other parts of the school, it’s a great place for students or faculty to just focus on what’s going on at the moment without distraction. 

   Another reason we need to keep libraries around is because there is actual staff around to help when you have questions.  One newspaper says it like this “Everything said and done, the library experience of sitting on those low wooden stools, perusing through the back covers of books to finally land upon something that has really interested you and the small-talk with librarians with whom you've grown up with is lost with online libraries”(Virtual. 2011).  I love the imagery this brings to mind and it really hits home with me because of how I feel when I walk into a library.  Safe and sound.

Resources:

Johnson, D. 2010. Changed but Still Critical: Brick and Mortar School Libraries in the Digital Age. Retrieved from http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/changed-but-still-critical-bricks-and-mortar-libraries-in-th.html#comments

2011. Virtual vs. Traditional Libraries Battle Heats Up. The New Indian Express. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/880986350

Argument for Only Using Virtual Libraries:

   Virtual libraries are extremely convenient and in this day and age it’s all about what can be accessed at the click of a button.  This can be really great for students who may be out of town or away from a library and can just access it online to complete an assignment.  I also like the fact that it’s a free and open access.  There may be some resources that aren’t available at the time, but the beauty of a virtual library is that you can request for something to be mailed or sent online to you later.  When I was thinking of the benefits to this type of library I thought about people who live in the smaller towns around Batesville and I can see this being very beneficial to them because they don’t have access to a great library. The New Indian Express newspaper states that “these days, with home work and numerous extra-curricular activities, kids seldom have the time to read books, let alone visit a library”(Virtual. 2011).  This statement rings very true of this younger and technologically plugged in generation because it seems that everyone is so rushed and it just saves time to be able to instantly pull up a resource instead of seeking it out. 

Resources:

2011. Virtual vs. Traditional Libraries Battle Heats Up. The New Indian Express. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/880986350

Keeping Our Libraries

7.1 Debriefing

   Looking at different generation and how each one uses technology was very interesting.  One thing that surprised me was how many in the silent generation actually use the internet and have devices that are connected to the internet as well.  I suppose the reason I was so surprised is because my grandparents never wanted anything to do with technology, even when I offered to help them with it.  My grandparents happen to have been in the range of people who just didn't want to bother with any type of new technology and preferred to have everything sent on paper or in writing.  One trend I saw within the research was that as the generations got younger, the more people preferred sending and receiving text messages over phone calls.  The research said that these individuals view text messages the same way they do phone calls, in that they feel that they are one in the same because it's still a conversation they are having with that person.

   Something else I found to be interesting was that residents in large cities are more likely to actively participate in local news and most of the time it's retrieved with technology.  I guess I had never really thought about it, but it does make sense considering what part of the country you live in.  I get all of my news via the internet, but do not actively seek it anywhere else.  If I were living in a big city, I would be more likely to seek out the news in other formats.  Another interesting tidbit of information is that when it comes to gender, women send/receive more texts per week than men.  This information could be useful to many different people including teachers and even marketers.  All of the data that I found on different generations was from pewinternet.org.  There is so much information about the uses of technology that it's mind boggling.  Here is a link to my data spreadsheet on what I found while researching about each generation.

Technology Configurations

I tried to come up with several different lesson ideas that would include technology and then explain what could hinder the integration.  There were several that I could not figure out a solution to or if they would even cause problems for the students.  I would love any feedback that could help me to figure out what I cannot and even give me some tips about the activities I chose for the lessons.  Here is a link if it's too hard to read on here.  Thanks!

	Activity #1	Activity #2	Activity #3	Activity #4	Activity #5
Technology Activity Explanation - Summary of Project(4-5 sentences), technology needed, what tool is used, anything else you want to add here...Add link to lesson plan if you find one online	Students will discover what the inside of a computer looks like.  They will first draw a picture and then use a computer to learn more about what computers are really like.  They will use a computer with internet to look for their answers and use two websites within the lesson plan itself.  Here is the link http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp285-01.shtml.	Students will create a virtual treasure hunt using Mission Map Quest. They will work either in groups or individually to complete the assignment.  They need to include at least 3 different continents and 5 different countries.  The treasure hunt needs to be math related.  They will need a computer with internet access.  http://www.classtools.net/mapgame/game.php	Students will have discussions about literature via Chatzy or Google Moderator.  They will discuss the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” using questions given to them by the teacher.  The teacher will monitor discussion and redirect students if necessary.  This activity will give students a chance to chat with others outside of their class about the book. http://www.chatzy.com/ http://www.google.com/moderator/	Students will work together to create a WebQuest on the scientific method.  They will need access to multiple computers that will allow access to the full WebQuest site.  Students must follow a rubric given by the teacher and apply creativity to the WebQuest.   http://webquest.org/	Students will use Skype to chat with students from around the world.  They will need access to a computer that has internet access and capabilities of using Skype.  They will need to be with a partner or in plain sight of the teacher while doing this.  They will discuss cultural differences with either questions given by the teacher or questions approved by the teacher. http://www.downloadinfo.co/review/skype/?kw=skype&subid=DISKUS_S&cust=skype&type=skype&gclid=CLeH0ui4yboCFVRk7AodOH4Aaw&utm_campaign=DISKUS_S&fwd=1&rnd=fe3ebc703e26c9e0475014d61c0c920635a3bfc5&ts=1383510229
Potential Issue/s
One computer classroom	This is a problem for this particular lesson because each child would benefit from having their own computer to work with.  However, I think a solution to this is to just project what’s on the computer to a screen so that everyone can see it and then you can discuss it as a class.	I don’t see how this could be worked into the lesson since each student would need time to work on their treasure hunt.	I don’t think it would be possible to do this assignment with just one classroom computer.	This lesson would pretty much be impossible to do with just one computer.  I cannot think of a way to get all students on to create their WebQuests.	Unless the class did this all together, I don’t see how it could be done.
Small cluster of computers in classroom (10)	This could be difficult for this lesson since it’s supposed to be individual work.  However, students could work in pairs and build up their cooperation skills.	This could be a problem since students have the choice between working alone or in groups.  One way to solve this is to not let them choose and just group them together, however I do think that giving them a choice is best.	This would be difficult because students would need time to chat about the book.  I suppose a rotation schedule could be given while others work on the questions before they chat.	This would be alright, but would make this project so much more time consuming unless the groups were pretty big.	Not sure about this one.
Portable computer cart COW (netbooks)	This could be a problem for this lesson because they are physically different from what they are actually studying.  You can actually open up a computer, but you can’t open a netbook if you wanted to actually show the inside of the computer.	This might prove to be a problem when working in groups and I can see one student kind of hogging the netbook.	Sometimes netbooks make it difficult to monitor what students are doing and if they are staying on task.  I can see students easily getting on or into something they shouldn’t while doing the chat.	The netbooks may not allow full access to WebQuest, which can make WebQuests look different on other devices.	This could lead to a lot of confusion if there are no ear buds or headphones provided since everyone will have their own and communicate at the same time.
Computer Lab 1:1 technology for all	Since this is a lesson for younger students, it might be hard to make sure they are all in the same place.  It may take some time, but you can easily monitor what each student is doing if you walk around.	I’m really not sure about this one.	It can be hard to monitor these efficiently if you don’t have the technology to do it, so kids sometimes get really sneaky and do things they shouldn’t.  It is easier, in my opinion to track this though rather than a netbook.	I’m not sure about this one.	I think the monitoring of this would be hard and students might try inappropriate things.
BYOD	Younger students probably don’t have their own devices or at least most don’t.  It would be easier to steer clear of this one for the young students.	It might be hard to match up devices with other students within their groups.	I’m not sure about this one.	Could potentially leave a student out of the work.  Would be hard to make sure that everyone was able to do their fair share.	Students might not be able to use Skype with their own devices if they aren’t recognized by the school’s wifi.

5.2 Activity- Organizing Data

   The data sheet I created is meant to show which students are struggling with particular problems under a particular math standard.  The way I color coded it was so that the questions the students got right or wrong would pop so that the teacher could easily tell which standards students were struggling with the most, plus the standards that individual students may be struggling with.  It's much easier for me to read tables and charts when they're color coded, so I thought that would help others as well.  The standards are across the top of the table in orange, the correct answers right below in yellow, the list of students down the left side of the spreadsheet in light blue, true answers in blue, and false answers in red.  The students answers are also colored the same blue as their names.

Click here to view my data sheet.

   I would advise the teacher to look through the data and make some notes on which standards or questions the majority of students had trouble with.  Then I would advise that he or she look at the individual students also to compare their wrong answers to the majority of what the class got wrong.  The teacher could easily find which questions need to be gone over again and then decide which standards need to be re-taught and which standards have been taught thoroughly. I would think that the teacher would have a better idea of where they need to take their lessons in the future and who may need a little extra attention along the way.  I think that providing teachers with tables like this on a consistent basis would be extremely beneficial to students because it would cater to their needs much better than just guessing from their grades.

4.2 Presentation

Here is the Prezi I created that is intended to help teachers understand why technology is important to incorporate into the curriculum.  I have also included several links to articles that explain the importance of technology in education today and some websites that list some great tech tools for teachers to use.  I had trouble embedding the actual video into my blog, so I created a link.  Enjoy!!

Discussion 4.1- Building Relationships

   One thing that I have always believed and will continue to believe is that you have to build some sort of a relationship with the people you work with, whether that be other teachers or students.  I would say that this is the key to get the ball rolling when it comes to collaboration.  I also think that attitude is another key factor in being able to accomplish great things with either another individual or a group.  With that being said, I think that a great strategy to use in order to build relationships with other teachers is to stay positive and make sure they know that they have support and they are able to call on you at any time.  If teachers feel that they can come to you whenever they need help, they are much more likely to cooperate and be patient when things don't work.  I can honestly say that I have a tendency to lean toward the negative side of things and I recognize that, so I try very hard to find the positives.  If I understand that about myself and I see that another teacher is struggling to see the positives in a new piece of technology they are using, I can easily relate and show them the positives and how to stay calm even when they are rattled.  I have tried this strategy within different groups of teachers I've worked with and it worked pretty well and allowed us to push forward and make progress.  I've also been in groups where I was the negative catalyst that caused the group to work sluggishly and quit before we even tried.  Attitude and can make or break the collaborative process.

   A strategy that I believe has not worked out well is putting teachers with only their grade levels and not allowing them to work with any other grade level or special class teacher.  I think that this strategy can be used for some things, but if the same group of people are always together, then when they collaborate, it's the same types of ideas being tossed around.  However, if teachers are all mixed up, then they can bounce new ideas off of each other and maybe see some neat things that others are doing.  It makes me sad when teachers stay within their cliques and never really share ideas with others.  We're all capable of incorporating new ideas into our classrooms, but until we actually sit down with others who aren't on our hall or teaching the same subject, we won't realize what all is out there.  This happens all to often during staff development and I hope to see it change in the future because there is so much we can learn from each other.  When I think about technology and how much needs to be done to help teachers embrace it, it scares me that these cliques may not be open to change and will continue to do what they've always done.      

3.1 Discussion- Collaboration Scenarios

Scenario 1:

Upon walking into the classroom of a new eighth grade English 

language arts (ELA) teacher, the teacher informs you that she will be teaching a 

lesson on fate versus free will the following week. She plans on using excerpts from 

Oedipus Rex and Dante’s Inferno. She has not put the lesson plan together yet but 

intends to have the students present examples from the readings to support their 

case through a persuasive essay.

I've always enjoyed English and I remember being frustrated when doing projects because I wanted to do more.  With all of the advances in technology, even since I was in high school, there are so many cool ways to create English projects.  My idea for this particular lesson was to allow students to present their examples either independently or as a group.  Students will make a video using either animoto, goanimate, or a flip camera and actually record themselves.  After they've finished their work they can use AirDrop to turn in their assignment using an iPad or other apple device.  The great thing about AirDrop is that is allows students to have the freedom to do this project anywhere and send it in whenever they're done (unless they need an iPad).  The cool thing about it is that is doesn't need WiFi and doesn't require apple devices to actually touch in order to send information.  This is a quick and easy way to keep up with things people send to you and it's great if a student has no WiFi at home or is out of range.  I think that giving the students different choices in how to approach this project would help them to be creative and enjoy the process more than if they were forced to do it one way.  

Scenario 2:

 A high school science teacher is presenting a unit on astronomy, 

specifically on how Polaris is no longer the central point of the northern sky. The 

teacher is confident that he can teach it out of a book but is anxious to give the 

students a better experience from the lesson. He is hoping that the technology 

integration specialist will be able to help make a more authentic study for the 

students. 

I had trouble with this scenario at first, but I think that the app called Star Walk would make this lesson really cool for students.  Star Walk allows you to look at constellations, planets, moons, etc. and I think the coolest thing about it is the fact that the graphics are 3D and can be manipulated easily.  The second website was through McGraw-Hill and I like the many links students can go to depending on what they'd like to do or what they're studying at the time.  There's a link that let's you play with equations for the evolution of the universe and let's you see how the universe can change along with all the stars and planets in it.  I think this would help students get a better grasp of why Polaris is not the central point anymore.   

Scenario 3:

In a fourth grade social studies class, the class is discussing the 

role of landscape and surroundings on early natives—what type of food they ate, the 

type of dwellings they built, and of course defensive systems or escape routes. Many 

of the students have never traveled out of their own state and are not familiar with 

alternate surroundings. The social studies teacher has requested that the technology 

integrator help her create a new lesson. 

This lesson really appeals to me and I enjoy watching kids get to see places they've never been introduced to before.  GoogleEarth is a great tool that allows anyone to zoom in to a particular place in the world and see exactly what it looks like right now.  Students could easily visualize what things would have been like for the Native Americans with this website.  Another tool I've used before in class is Arounder, which let's you view pictures from all over the world and while viewing them you can drag your mouse and get a complete view of what's around you in the picture.  My students absolutely love this website!  The last website I came across was from the History Channel and there are some great videos students could watch as well as physical descriptions of each part of the United States as it was before the Europeans came over.  I think each of these would greatly enrich student learning.    

Scenario 4:

According to the math teacher, math is everywhere. The teacher is 

concentrating on a geometry unit discussing area and volume. The teacher is hoping 

to have the students design a home consisting of 1500 square feet of living space 

with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a family room, and a kitchen. A playroom or 

dining room are nice to have but are not needed. In the past, the teacher has asked 

the students to draw it out with paper and pencil; however, this proved to be a poor 

choice for reasons he has not given. The teacher is currently thinking of using craft 

sticks and glue to have the students build models, but this does not fall within the 

budget. The teacher is turning to the technology integrator for help. 

One website I found that could be useful to students is called floor planner and it's free and allows students to draw their own floor plans and design the interiors too.  The second tool I found was sketchup and I think it's really cool because it's in 3D and looks like a lot of fun to use.  I think either of these tools would provide students with something that should make their ideas come to life.  Since the teacher is trying to save money, these are perfect because they're free and don't require any apple devices for use!  

Discussion 2.5- Motivational Strategies for Teachers

   It's hard to know what will get teachers motivated to collaborate with their peers in order to create rich lessons that include technology.  All I can do is look at different resources and think about things that would work well for me.  When I think about integrating technology into my classroom I get overwhelmed because there's so much to be done and I never know where to start.  I know many teachers get overwhelmed when asked to do something extra on top of everything they're already doing so I think a good place to start is by sitting down and sharing concerns and ideas.  A fellow classmate mentioned in a post this week that it's important to build trust in a collaborative group because it opens the pathways of communication and allows everyone to share ideas openly without worrying about being shut down.  I think another great idea is to give teachers a list of different ways to integrate technology so that they can refer to it quickly.  The website "50 Ways to Integrate Technology" is a tool that I've enjoyed looking through and could easily share with teachers (Branch. 2010).

   Another aspect of motivation that could easily be overlooked is how much the students will gain from using technology within the curriculum.  When talking about teacher motivation, Ibrahim Kocabas says it quite well by stating that "Motivation is an extremely complicated and multi-faceted subject.  However, meeting people's needs plays a very important role in their motivation" (Kocabas. 2009.).  I think this explains teachers quite well because I haven't met a teacher who doesn't want to try and meet the needs of their students.  If teachers know that students will make great gains by using technology, they are more likely to stay focused on learning how to incorporate it and be patient as they learn because they know the ultimate goal.  I am much more likely to actually complete a plan if I know where I need to go with it.
   
   The last thing that I think would be great motivation for teachers is having help planning out the lessons that will incorporate technology.  They can do this with the help of a technology integrator within their school or district or they can find resources online.  The website teAchnology shows a step-by-step process that makes it much easier to figure out how to get technology into the classroom.  I believe that starting out small is the key to starting the process because trying to integrate technology all at once will drive anybody crazy.  I can't imagine asking a teacher to take all their lessons and put technology in every single one of them before they teach them.  I think it takes some playing around with ideas, and if teachers will sit down together with a template to look at for incorporating technology, they will start to throw ideas around and tweak lessons to fit their teaching styles and personalities.  Trust has to be a big part of collaboration, but I think that reminding each other that we do want to meet the needs of students can help to break the ice and get everyone on the same page to work toward a mutual trust and respect for one another.

Resources:

Branch, J. 2010. 50 Ways to Integrate Technology. 50 Ways to Integrate Technology in Your Classroom Tomorrow. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/anchortechnologytomorrow/home/50-ways-to-anchor-technology

Kocabas, I. 2009. The Effects of Sources of Motivation of Teachers' Motivation Levels. Education 129.4. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/docview/196408121

Teachnology Inc. 2012. What to Consider When Writing a Lesson Plan. Retrieve from http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/lesson_plan/

Discussion 2.2- Conrad Wolfram

   I am not mathematically minded, so when I started watching Conrad Wolfram talk about math I wasn't very excited until I realized what he was suggesting.  This idea of using computers to help students get to a deeper level in a subject and grasp real world ideas while achieving higher level thinking is actually quite brilliant.  I believe that what Wolfram was suggesting is to let computers do more of the computation for math problems so that students can dig deeper into the meat of the subject and learn how to be practical when it comes to doing problems by hand.  Like Wolfram said, it's okay that students are learning how to compute by hand, but we're spending so much time on that, that we're missing out on some great stuff that comes after the tedious stuff that computers can knock out quickly.   Even though he talks about math, I can see how his message can apply to other subjects because what the computer is really doing is the work that is tedious so that students can begin to go much deeper into a subject.  I also think that computers are a great tool to help students get to where we want them to be and don't "dumb down" material if they are used to catapult us somewhere else.  

   If I were to take this idea and present it to teachers I would probably ask them why they teach the subject they do.  I would also want to know their personal thoughts about using computers as a tool to get students thinking in more complex ways. I would hope that they could see the value in letting computers do some of the work that we try to get kids to learn all year long.  One thing that Wolfram said that I really like is that this will get kids to "start asking real questions" (Wolfram. 2010).  That seems to be the point, right?  If we're not allowing kids to dig deeper because we're teaching them tedious things that computers can accomplish then are we really helping them?  In order to lay down a foundation of collaboration I might point out to teachers that using technology doesn't mean that kids aren't as smart or that it's cheating, but that technology has improved our way of life and can be used to advance our society.  That's how all technology begins quite honestly, and even if there are some opposed to it, they have to admit that computers aren't going anywhere.  Instead of resisting it, we need to try and find better ways to use it so that we can push past what we've been doing for years just because it's comfortable to us.  

References:

Wolfram, C. 2010. TED Talks. Conrad Wolfram: Teaching kids real math with computers. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/conrad_wolfram_teaching_kids_real_math_with_computers.html

Discussion 2.1- Motivation

   Motivation is different for everyone and I think that is important to keep in mind when trying to help others get motivated about something that may frustrate or confuse them.  Looking through our resources, I was pleasantly surprised to see an article about a teacher in my district who is pushing for a "21st century learning community" and wants there to be technology coaches to help teachers out (Bernard. 2013).  I think this is a fantastic idea that would benefit the entire school because it would give teachers a sense of community and support.  If teachers felt this way I believe they would be much more motivated to integrate technology because their peers are doing it too and sharing ideas constantly.  I also feel that with a technology coach there would be a sense of leadership that would make everyone more at ease because they could just go directly to the coach with any questions or problems they have.

   I think another great motivator is actually showing teachers what the results of working with technology will look like for students and in the classroom.  I'm the type of person who likes to see what I'm working toward so that I have a clear picture in my head of where I need to go with my instruction or research.  I think that if we can see what technology integration looks like, how it benefits student learning, and how it can minimize teacher's workloads, everyone would be more likely to get excited to integrate it into the curriculum.  The last tactic that might work for some is to have teachers pull from past experiences of their own and remember a time that they had to learn something new and overcame the challenges that were presented.  There are times that I have to remind myself that I've had to learn some tough skills, but with patience and perseverance, I eventually learned that skill and it became part of my tool box, so to speak.  Once you get through the hardest part, things get easier and it becomes almost second-nature to you.  I have to keep that in mind when we use new tools in our classes through SNHU, because I get nervous about things I've never used before.  :-)

References:

Bernard, S.  2013.  Collaborative Crusader:  Creating a Twenty-First-Century Learning Community for Teachers.  Edutopia.  Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/collaboration-age-technology-lisa-huff

Discussion 1.1

• How does working with the public, school board, administration, and teaching staff differ from working with students?

One of the differences of working with the public, school board, administration, and teaching staff compared to working with students is that most of the time students are extremely open to new technologies where as the others might not be.  Many times teachers feel pulled in 100 different directions because everyone seems to have their opinions about education and the implementation of technology.  The general public may believe that money is wasted on new technologies, where as some may think we don't have enough.  If the school board and administrators aren't on the same page it becomes very confusing to teachers who aren't sure what they should be doing in their classrooms and who to please.  About half the teaching staff may love using new technology while the other half wonders  why they need to use it if their lessons from 40 years ago still work well today.  Another difference is that while it's important to communicate effectively with the public, school board, administration, and other teachers, it's even more important that we keep in mind what is best for the student and not someone else.  It can be easy to get caught up in pleasing others when it's the students who need our help and attention.  So, while it's important to listen to the opinions of our superiors and the parents of our students, it's really the students who we need to cater our lessons to.  Learning how to use technology is now vital to the future of our students because of how competitive the workforce has become and also how globalized our society is now.  I feel like it's much easier to get students on board with the use of new technologies simple because they've never known a world without them and are much more comfortable trying out new programs to create meaningful projects.

• What are the potential challenges a technology integrator faces from school communities?

I think a technology integrator needs to be prepared to deal with people within a school community who do not want anything to do with technology and fight you all the way.  Unfortunately, I've heard many veteran teachers close to retirement say they'd rather just retire than have to learn anything about technology.  I also think that a technology integrator might be taken advantage of by teachers who will not actually try to learn about the technology their using and apply it to their teaching but instead always ask a technology integrator to do it for them.  Another potential problem I could foresee happening is a technology integrator being stretched too thin throughout a district.  We don't have a technology integrator in our district and the people who fix our computers already have too much on their plates and cannot get to schools quickly anyway.  I'm afraid there would only be one integrator for a whole district, which might eventually burn that person out resulting in exhaustion, frustration, and disdain for the job.  These are not impossible challenges to overcome, but it would make it much harder to do a good job of actually integrating the technology and making sure that teachers get all the help they need to provide opportunities for students.

• What do you believe are the best strategies for tackling these challenges?

To tackle these challenges, I think you would have to be extremely straight forward with what you intended to accomplish as a technology integrator to both the teachers and administration and possibly the school board as well.  If the administrators aren't sure what a technology integrator would do for their teachers they might have very unreasonable standards or not be very supportive which could create a hostile environment.  If the school board has never dealt with a technology integrator they may think that one per district is plenty and if that integrator is very blunt to explain their job they may decide that they need to look into finding more people who could help integrate technology in each school within the district.  As far as teachers go, I think that explaining what you do and not allowing a teacher to take advantage of you so that they actually become independent is the best way to deal with that issue.  There will always be those who will want you to just take care of it for them, but if you explain that once they understand how a program works, it will go much faster for them and really simplify their lives.  Many times teachers and administrators feel overwhelmed because they feel that they have to learn all this new technology and forget to replace some of their old practices with the new so that things become easier, not harder.  It reminds me of the phrase "work smarter, not harder," which is really what technology helps everyone to do.