Techie in Primary

Pilot Experience This is the end of my EDU781 class and the completion of my pilot experience for this class. My proposal was a big one that would require systematic change for my entire district - using E-Learning days for snow days. This was an interesting project because the more I worked on it the more my idea changed. In the beginning I just thought about using E-Learning for snow days but then I realized that this protocol could be used for students that are at home for extended time due to illness and injury. It could also be used for when schools need to be closed down due to the spread of illness and they need to sanitize the entire building. Sadly, sometimes schools need to close due to a threat declared on social media. There are so many reasons school might be shut down and they all disturb the flow of learning in our students.  My first goal was developing an appealing slideshow to persuade my fellow staff members that this could be a a good choice for our distric...

I am currently in a new class, EDU 781, called Technology for Leaders. In this class I am learning about the different roles and responsibilities of being a technology leader in a school. Our main project in this class is to design and implement a technology related change for our building. My proposed change is to use E-Learning days in place of missed snow days. These E-Learning days would count towards the mandated attendance days in the school year. The E-Learning opportunity would also be used to bring lessons and materials to students who are stuck at home due to prolonged illnesses or injuries. The challenge to implementing this project is that for full implementation, this would realistically be a year long process. We have about 4 weeks left in my EDU 781 class. So, for the remainder of this class I am going to be focusing on educating staff on the benefits of E-Learning. Then, I will gain feedback and see what parts of my proposal need tweaking. This is a really important p...

I have come to the end of my EDU777 class and have finished my technology proposal project. I have spent the last 7 weeks of class working on each part of this technology proposal. Some aspects of the project were easier than others. Trying to understand the challenges to the proposal left me feeling doubtful that it would be successful. However, this was obviously a very important aspect of building the proposal, tweaking and adjusting the proposal as needing and thinking of all the pros and cons.  This project has helped me to better understand the role of a technology specialist in a school. Especially, the scope of the job as well as the many hats a technology specialist might wear. The research, planning, and organizational work that was necessary to create the technology plan showed me how complex the position can be. In addition to coaching teachers and planning technology instruction for students, the technology specialist is also a problem solver and may be relied on to...

In my EDU 777 class (Learning Theories and Instructional Design), I am working on a technology proposal project from the role of an instructional designer. Right now, I am at the mid-point of the proposal preparation and it's time to reflect on my journey so far. My proposal is for the adoption of a communication platform that would streamline the communication process between team members in a school and the family members of the students. The process of brainstorming a need for my school was a challenge for me. I am very lucky to work in a school district that is very privileged. We have a lot of technology and resources in our building. So I was looking at this project as a way to streamline and make more effective a communication process in our educational community. I have really enjoyed the problem solving aspect of the instructional designer role. I have enjoyed doing the research on the various communication apps and platforms that are available. I used Common Sense Med...

Looking Back This week I am finishing up my first class for my technology specialist degree at Dominican University. Before starting this class I was a little nervous. Do I know enough about technology? Will I be able to keep up? How much of it will go over my head? Am I flexible enough in my thinking and teaching to try new things? I thought back to last school year when my kindergarten team was piloting the 1:1 device initiative in our school district. I was terrified! My students didn't touch the iPads until October and every time they did I was filled with anxiety, expecting something to go wrong. I can say with confidence that I have come a very long way. Those devices really changed my teaching and my students learning. Creating, explaining their thinking, and sharing was really transformative for my students. That experience encouraged me to start my technology specialist classes at Dominican. This first tech class allowed me to try so many new things: my first blog, T...

Social Media This week in Edu 776, I learned about using social media in the classroom and reflected on my own use of social media. I read David Geurin's blog post 7 Reasons to Use Social Media in Your School . Here is his awesome infographic that summarizes his points. Infographic from DavidGeurin.com Social media is definitely not going away and to ignore it as an educator is to do a disservice to our students. Through my reading of various articles this week, one point was really hammered home: social media is generally safe for our students! Our students are more likely to be abused by someone they know in their real lives than they are to be attacked online. I think that teachers can feel comfortable using social media in our classrooms. Teachers can guide our students to make good choices, show them how to be responsible, but help them to see it as a great tool for learning and sharing. I think the opportunity to make connections outside of your building is one of ...

Gif found  via GIPHY Digital Tatoos This week in EDU 776, I learned all about digital tattoos. Digital tattoos are essentially the lasting impressions we have made in digital spaces. We live in an age where it's uncommon to not have an online presence in some way. Like body tattoos, digital tattoos (social media posts for example) last forever. Whether we want them to or not! Everyone, adults and children, need to think carefully about the personal information they are putting out in public digital spaces. For myself, I have personal and professional digital spaces. I interact with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram very differently. The social media space where I am visible and professional is Twitter. And now I can add Blogger to this list as well! Only in the last couple years has my viewpoint of my professional online presence changed. I used to think that I didn't want myself to be "seen" online at all. Now that I've been working for a few years for a...