Artifact 2: Technology and the 21st Century Learning Space Design

This was by far the most fun project that I worked on.  Thinking about and then designing a 21st century classroom lead me to think about how I use the classroom, but also on how I'd like to be able to use my classroom.  With 1:1 devices in my students' hands, the need to have access to chargers was a priority for my design.  After that I wanted to have a space for a green screen so that students weren't trying to record in the hallway or unsupervised in the MRC.  I also, wanted furniture that was flexible and could be moved as needed for group work, projects, or presentations.  Finally, I wanted my room to be cozy and able to meet the various movement needs of my students.  Some other great features are a printer, a pet, and couch!  Check it out:

Artifact 1: Educational Technology Leadership Slideshow

This first artifact was a report on the state of teacher needs in my district.  It points out the fact that even though we are an advantaged district with funds for technology, the need to provide teacher training in this area still exists.  Fancy tools alone don't increase student learning.  Teachers need to know how to implement tech tools within their lesson plans to engage learners and teach the standards in ways that develop critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration.  This isn't a one and done staff development day.  It needs to be ongoing and differentiated to help teachers meet their goals and close the skills gap.  Below I've attached my slideshow pointing out this need in my school district.

Managing Educational Technology Services Reflection

This was by far my most challenging class for two reasons.  First off, hubs, firewalls, and data speed are not something that I deal with on a day to day basis.  These are the items that make me dial 9-1-1 to our tech department.  Secondly, working with a group of six busy adults, all who work at different buildings in our district, made completing a group project seem overwhelming at first.  However, as with each of these classes, the take-away has been tremendous and I felt like I really learned a lot.  I may not ever put to use the hardware side of this class, but by going through the process of developing a district-wide technology plan, I know have an even greater respect for what the coaches, technicians, and IT department do.  I had no idea what was truly involved in a technology plan.  From the teacher's perspective it seems simple; give us iPads, load them up with apps, have a parent consent form.  However, I discovered that budgeting, repairing, disposing, and providing for professional development all play key parts of a well run technology plan that prepares 21st century learners.  I was happy to discover some of the good things that our District has in place like a help desk, coaches, and hardware replacement cycle.  Moreover, I was also able to see some of the areas in need of improvement, such as: professional development, more technology coaches, the need to address the digital divide, and a better way to be sure that we are educating our students on digital citizenship as well as plagiarism and copyright laws.