5364+Embedded+Assignment+Reflection

 || == Course Name:  ==  || == Course-based Embedded Hours  ==
 * == Course Number: ==

(see Appendix I)
||    ||  **  12  **  ||
 * ** EDLD 5364  **  ||  **  Teaching with Technology:  **
 * == Description of the ==

(see Appendix I)
 ||   As campus professional development activity, create a wiki-based study group with 8 teachers leading and support teachers who analyze data related to student learning, create a lesson using Universal Design for Learning at the CAST Lesson Building at  []  , create a sample electronic book to share with your learning team members. Lastly, add a team reflection to your Google site about the process of creating an electronic book.  || · The knowledge you gained from the assignment. (2 points) · The relation of new information to Technology Facilitator Standards and Performance Indicators (2 points). · The relation of information gained to personal experience. (2 points) · Discussion at a critical level, not just recitation of facts. Discussion at a critical level means discussing things such as your opinion of the reading or experience, why you hold that onion, what you see wrong with the reading or experience, how you see the reading or experience is consistent or inconsistent with what you have learned so far, implications for the future, (4 ) · Insights into the patterns of interactions of colleagues.(2 points) · Group processes including: who had power, authority, or influence; who was participating and who was not, who was not included, how did you or another leader draw the silent participants out; was there confrontation, conflict, consensus, agreement, hurt feelings? (2 points) · Notations addressing the affective or feeling tone evident, concerns you noticed. (2 points) · Questions you have that you should research or about which you can seek expert advice from your campus-based supervisor or your professor. (2 points) · Issues that puzzle you. (2 points)  || The assignment structure and timeline for the class Teaching with Technology flowed very well. Starting with a realistic scenario, the activities followed a natural progression of analyzing, brainstorming, evaluating, facilitating, creating, and then reflecting. I learned throughout this team project, that integrating technology into curriculum is a process. Working online, using Web 2.0 tools, makes learning and collaborating easy and fun takes work. During our weeks together, we have worked as if we were sitting in a classroom together, sharing ideas, conducting research, exploring technologies, and creating content. This project has further verified my belief that: most people really do "learn by doing." We have been immersed in the world of wikis, blogs, Google docs, YouTube, etc. and have gathered data separately and together to focus on our goal. We have also used every skill that we have learned in our other educational technology classes including those of the current course. It is important go back and review the tremendous amount of work that went in the success of this course. By understanding and reflecting on the various types of knowledge gained, the interactions with colleagues and possible paths for further research a deeper learning can take place that will help me to use these assignments in the future. During the entire process many new tools were learned and used. Beginning with the formation of our group using the Wiki-space, we selected a group leader, traded contact information and start our brainstorming into the second week of the class. A Google Doc was used to post and edit our project ideas while others created the Google site for the final draft to be posted. The group developed an action plan for the scenario-based project focused on the incorporating of technology into a classroom of 30 diverse learners and a teacher with minimal technology experience. Finally, we created a lesson plan, activities, and assessments for the class along with professional development for the teacher to study before his/her lesson. The use of the Google Document worked very well to allow each team member the ability to incorporate input for each week's assignment. The Google Site allowed us to organize the information in a user friendly format. It was amazing to see that Google had so many different capabilities and that it was so user friendly. It was enlightening to see a group project work with different ideas for ways to incorporate technology, accommodate diverse learners and develop the different components. “Integrating Technology into classroom practice requires teachers to engage in sophisticated planning and design processes” (Williamson & Reddish 2009). Combined with the hectic daily demands of classroom teaching, support is important. Having the team creating the lesson that can be used by all is great thinking. The old way of individual teachers creating lessons just for their class is not the direction technology will take us. Embracing, appreciating, and depending on teamwork and collaboration needs to be the norm. I believe Web 2.0 tools can get us there. In this particular assignment and in the entire program the theme of working with groups of diverse people has been well practiced. ISTE’s TF/TL Standard V centers on improved practice with the use of telecommunication and productivity tools. The UDL software used to develop e-books and other great projects is a useful tool. My concerns continue to revolve around priority. “Although most schools usually purchase and install many types of these tools, educators complain that they do not have time to learn to apply them to educational purposes” (Williamson & Reddish). I feel his is as good as any time to speak to this common problem. Having been a classroom teacher for six years, I feel I can speak with some credibility when I say; I do not receive enough support from administration. I also can say that this is not going to change anytime soon. There will be ever increasing bureaucracy not less for public schools. This is why we need to spend more time understanding and implementing learning communities with technology tools. The course Teaching with Technology ran very well. Starting with a realistic scenario, the activities followed a natural progression of analyzing, brainstorming, evaluating, facilitating, creating, and then reflecting. I learned throughout this team project, that integrating technology into curriculum is a process. Working online, using Web 2.0 tools, makes learning and collaborating easy and fun takes work. By understanding and reflecting on the various types of knowledge gained, the interactions with colleagues and possible paths for further research a deeper learning can take place that will help me to use these assignments in the future Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education ||