Learning Outcome 8

Demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of learning and leadership.

Reflect on the required resources for Week Five, especially the articles from Edge (2012) and Wagner and Ice (2012) and your personal and professional experiences in relation to the points conveyed in the resources. Discuss how instructional design principles and theory influence the ability to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of learning and, especially, leadership. Use additional resources in addition to those provided with Week 5 to support your evaluation.  Providing specific examples or a scenario to illustrate your understanding of the question and incorporating opposing views to demonstrate critical thought is encouraged.

 

I have heard my son make the comment, “It’s in the cloud Mama,” so many times it is not funny.  He tells me that nothing can be lost once it is in the cloud.  Well if I can’t be lost once it is in the cloud, we know that the information can be collected and “tracked”.  According to the Wagner and Ice article, (2012) “Data warehouses and ‘he cloud’ make it possible to collect, manage, and maintain massive numbers of records.” 

This is great in the since that it can also allow teachers to track the grades and progress of the students.  Technology being introduced has helped both the students and the teacher.  Edutopia video (2012) states that teachers need to “meet them where they are”.  The meaning of this is that a majority of younger children are technologically advanced and we need to teach them with what they know. 

In the past all classes have been geared more towards teacher centered.  They are moving more now towards the students having some control of the learning process.  The teachers are still needed to lead the classroom but students are able to use technology and learn at their own pace.  This is HUGE because in the past if a student learns faster than others, he or she is not help back, they are allowed to move ahead.  This is where instructional design comes into place.  Instructional design is set according to skill levels and cannot be completed until that skill level is mastered.  The teacher is needed for this area because she or he is the one that decides whether or not the students are learning the material. 

 References

 Edutopia (2012). An introduction to technology integration. Retrived from http://www.youtube.com/user/edutopia?v=d59eG1_Tt-Q.

Wagner, E., & Ice, P. (2012, July/August). Data changes everything: Delivering on the promise of learning analytics in higher education. Educause Review, 33-42. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM1243P.pdf

 

Supporting Learning and Leadership With Technology

Jamie Cavender

EDU 697: Capstone:  A Project Approach

Dr. Keith Pressey

January 24, 2016

 

Supporting Learning and Leadership With Technology

             Technology is taking over the world!!!  Since the introduction of technology the world and how we operate is ever changing.  As leaders and teachers, we need to get on board or get left behind.  As a leader or educator, getting left behind is not an option.  Teachers need to lead their classrooms.  Leading by example is a great way to start. 

            Byrom and Bingham stated…”leadership is probably the single most important factor affecting the successful integration of technology into schools” (2012).  I signed onto my computer to do some school work .  When I was finished I closed my computer, but first, I saved all of the information I was working on by sending it to the cloud.  I closed out all of the information I was working on and felt like it had all but been erased.  This is not true.  We leave behind “bread crumbs” (Edgar, 2012).  These bread crumbs can lead a person to where they started. 

            Educators welcome this digital breadcrumb we leave behind.  It is useful in letting others know what worked and what did not work.  We can look at the past for future indicators.  For this lesson I used constructivism as my instructional design principle.  We are taking what the student learned in the world and apply that to the work to be completed.  During this time, the teacher is still in charge as the leader. 

            The teacher being in charge is very important because she can teach the students by:

1.     Vision

2.     Lead by example

3.     Support the faculty

4.     Focus

5.     Share leadership role (Byram &Bingham, 2001).

I had a difficult time finding a previous lesson that could accurately express the

instructional design theory through leadership.  I had in my mind what I wanted to express and was not able to do this.   Therefore, I had to think awhile before I came up with a lesson to rework.

            Leadership is hard to determine and maintain in the 21^st century with the use of technology, if seems that teachers are not needed as much.  This is not the case, someone has to be able to teach the students how to use this new technology.  The leaders must be able to communicate with their students as well as other teachers. 

 

References

Byrom, E and Bingham, M. (2001).  Factors influencing the effective use of technology

            For teaching and learning:  Lesson learned from the SEIR-TEC Intensive site

            Schools.  Retrieved from files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED471140.pdf.

Edge (2012, September 9). Reinventing society in the wake of big data. Retrieved from Edge: http://www.edge.org/conversation/reinventing-society-in-the-wake-of-big-data

• Exploration of the sociocultural changes occurring with the rise of “Big Data”, which informs any discussion of how large-scale data on learner and educator activities in and out of the classroom affect design for teaching and learning with technology. Video or text version available.

Wagner, E., & Ice, P. (2012, July/August). Data changes everything: Delivering on the promise of learning analytics in higher education. Educause Review, 33-42. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM1243P.pdf 

Exploration of the promises, peril, and realities of use of data in educational contexts.

 

 

 

Learning Outcomes 6 and 7

Technology resources to facilitate effective assessment and evaluation as well as utilize technology to collect and analyze data, interpret results and communicate findings.

 

A teachers’ role is very important to the learning process.  Teachers have so many titles that they have to carry and not just fulfill the teacher role.  According to Reiser and Dempsey (2012), “Teachers are designers of student work, facilitators of the learning process, as well as caring mentors.”  Teachers need to perform regular assessments to endure that students are learning properly.  I do not feel that assessments such as standardized teaching should be performed once a year and determine whether or not a child passes or fails a grade.  Yes, students need to be assessed but not with one main test per year.  This puts too much pressure on the students.  When my daughter was attending public school, she had to take a “big” test once a year and the teachers started teaching the test rather than the material.  If the material is taught then the students will more than likely pass the test because they know the material.

Teachers need to have a plan to make sure that the students are learning the required material.  In order to assess this, the ADDIE model should be followed.  According to the ADDIE model, instructional design principles that need to be meet are analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluate.  The attachment below will show how this idea works in the classroom.    

https://bubbl.us/?h=305e6a/60fd06/31vUeepnAz/7Q&r=1045764028

The important concept to remember is that teachers need to use assessments and technology to help better the classroom and the students.  This model shows that this is an ongoing process.  It does not end, it just runs full circle again.  This will make sure the students do not become bored with the material.   

Reiser, R. & Dempsey, J. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3^rd

            ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. 

 

 

Assessment and Evaluation Using Technology

Jamie Cavender

EDU 697:  Capstone: A Project Approach

Dr. Keith Pressey

January 18, 2016

 

Assesement and Evaluation Using Technology

            Standardized testing needs to become a form of assessment that is no longer used in the educational system.  It is very stressful for students to handle the pressure of having one test determine their future.  We are in the 21^st century.  Educators need to make sure that we are taking advantage of all of the technological tools we have at our hands that will assess the knowledge of students.  

            The way that most students are assessed and evaluated today are through standardized testing.  When my son attended school, I do not know how many times he would go to school a nervous wreck because they had an important test that day, week, etc.  These tests would determine if he would be able to move to the next grade level.  One day of testing determined his future.  It did not matter that he was a straight A student, he could still be held back if he did not pass the test.  This does not determine a true evaluation of the students’ knowledge.  The student could be having an off day and bomb the test. 

            This is when technology can really come in handy.  There are so many ways to assess if the students are retaining the material.  According to the United States Government Accountability Office (2005), there are several was to use technology to assess the students such as:

Blogs, journals, private discussions, test and survey tools, virtual worlds, E-portfolios, and gaming just to name a few.

By using these tools, the teacher can get a better understanding of what the students have learned and where work needs to be placed.

            Below is a link to a wikispace assignment I created in a previous class that I have made changes to showing that I have a better understanding of assessing and evaluating students’ knowledge.  After the readings this week, I have a better understanding of what students’ need in the classroom.  It is not more tests, it is an overall assessment of their knowledge.  By using technology to assess students, we are also opening up the door to creativity in the students.  Bringing creativity back in the classroom is very important.  According to Ken Robinson, “Creativity is as important in education as literacy…” (2006).  Educators need to embrace the new technology that is available so easily. It can make teaching much easier for the teachers and learning will be embraced by the students.

 https://wikispaces.com/join/4FQHFPH

References

TED. (2006). Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity [Video]. Retrieved from TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

United States Government Accountability Office. (2005). Performance measurement and evaluation: Definitions and relationships. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05739sp.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning Outcome 5

Exemplify ethical practices of technology usage.

Ethical Practices

Jamie Cavender

EDU 697 Capstone: A Project Approach

Dr. Keith Pressely

January 10, 2016

Ethical Practices

            It is very important when doing research to provide the information and give credit to the correct person, book, article, etc.  If this is not the case, then the information that is copied is plagiarized.  Teachers should teach children at an early age that they need to give credit where credit is due.  If a student or employee take someone else’s information and use as their own, they are being unethical.  In a world that has the internet at the click of a button, it is hard to take the information and not give proper credit. 

            The original lesson that I did was a Power Point presentation on how to use Jing.  I used the objectivism/Behaviorism  methods to make changes to this concept.  I take the knowledge that I already know about the internet and gather information that I need to know to help me better understand how to work Jing.  Jing shows us ways to help teach lessons to students.  Because Jing is essentially taking a concept and making a picture of the concept.  Since capturing a lesson is very important, it is imperative that credit is given correctly.  Although, information (audio) can be added to the Jing, it is still important to give the credit for Snipshots of  information that was screenshot and given to you.  By learning how to use this, you will feel rewarded and in return build upon what you learned today.  I have attached my revised version of my presentation.  Hope everyone enjoys.

Learning Outcomes 3-4

Design learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the needs of all leaners and apply research to learning in a technology-enhanced environment.

Supporting the Needs of All Learners

Jamie Cavender

EDU 697:  Capstone: A Project Approach

Dr. Keith Pressey

December 21, 2015

Supporting the Needs of All Learners

            It seems as though the need for a “cookie cutter” teacher is a concept of the past.  Teachers, like students, teach in different ways.  This is very helpful for the students because the students are diverse in their ability to learn.  Educators are taking this into account more when they are teaching a classroom.  It is important as an educator to reach all of the students in the classroom.   Reaching all of the students in a classroom can be achieved by using a universal design of learning. 

            Teachers need to learn to embrace the creativity in each and every child.  According to Ken Robinson’s lecture, “Creativity is as important in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status” (2006).  Through the use of technology we are able to teach in a diverse set of manners.  For example, if my daughter is given a reading assignment with questions on a piece of paper, she struggles with the answers and focusing on the assignment.  If she is given the same exact assignment with the same questions on an IPad, she can stay focused and answer the questions.  Some learners are better with this than others.  This is why it is important to teach a classroom using many different technological devices. 

            In the Power Point presentation I have attached, I change many things about this presentation.  The first item that I changed was the background.  The original background was very busy and distracting which could become a problem for students with problems focusing in the classroom.  I also added pictures to demonstrate what was being discussed in the presentation.  Giving the reader something to look at as well as read can help them visualize what is being discussed.  Power Point will allow the students to use many different learning skills and practice these while viewing the presentation.  Technology has opened the door for so many learners including myself.

Reference

TED. (2006). Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity [Video]. Retrieved from TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

TED video talk about the evolution of education systems and the vested interest of educators to support the needs of all learners (Length -19:29

Learning Outcomes 1-2

Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to learning using technology and demonstrate knowledge and skills in current and emerging instructional technologies.


This is demonstrated within the following link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nQG00A6vmnO-ThMRoEjze7F8foHNTy-bf33_vSL2UVo/edit?usp=sharing

EDU 697 Final Project

Wow, the past five weeks have gone by so fast.  In those weeks, we have been working on previous learning outcome projects.  We have taken what we have learned during this program and improved upon the initial project. 
I  have learned so much in the past year and a half that it took me to complete this program.  This biggest challenge that I faced when I first started was I was my worst enemy.  I was overwhelmed by all the technology available.  I am not an expert now, but I do have a better understanding of the vast amounts of technology available and how it can enhance a person's learning experience.  It can also be very helpful in the business world as well.
I look forward to putting these learning outcomes into place in the future.
Outcomes from this program:
    1. Demonstrate the ability to read and think critically and creatively
    2. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in speech and in writing
    3. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through the use of technology
    4. Demonstrate an understanding of the various forms of diversity
    5. Demonstrate an understanding of the interdependence among living beings, the environment
          and humanly-created systems
    6. Demonstrate competence in their major fields of study
    7. Demonstrate an understanding of service directed at meeting the needs of others
    8. Demonstrate the ability to draw information from different fields of study to make informed
          decisions
    9. Develop skills and abilities that provide for lifelong learning