Blog Posting #3

The National Educational Technology Plan has goals set in place.  This is great because every plan needs a goal.  The goal in mind is to raise the number of people in the U.S. who have a two or four year college degree, and make sure that all high school students who graduate are prepared for college and careers. There five strategies to get there.  The first strategy is learning. This strategy talks about how we must personalize their learning.  We can do that by figuring our what kind of learners they are, what they need to learn, how will they learn best (in large groups, small groups, etc.), and technology resources should be available for them to utilize.  The community and outside leaders should be involved in their learning as well. The second strategy is assessment. In summary, technology based assessments that use higher-level thinking skills as well as improve student performance.  The third strategy stated is teaching.  It talks about using a “connected teaching model”, where classrooms and teachers are connected to technology learning tools that will enable students to be self-directed learners. Online learning communities are used.  Professional development is no longer necessary because teachers will be collaborating with other teachers and sharing information. Strategy four is infrastructure.  We should provide teachers and students with the resources they require; everything from software to people. In the fifth strategy, productivity, the goal is to repurpose and rethink our system for educating students.  It suggests that students not be grouped by age but by learning pace and content.  Also, online learning is suggested as a way to increase the school year or amount of time devoted to learning. We should redesign the way we think about school and individualize learning to fit the student.  Following these strategies would certainly put the U.S. on the right path to reaching the goal that was previously stated.

Jana Dugas EDLD 5306 Section 8038 August 31, 2011

Blog Posting #2

Our district has a technology plan, but each campus also has one.  I reviewed the district technology plan, which is imbedded in our campus improvement plan.  The most recent plan available online was from 2008-2009.  That is the document I used for this assignment.  Under Goal 6: Vidor ISD will maintain a safe and disciplined environment conductive to student learning, Strategy 2 is Technology- Acceptable Use Policies.  This lines up with having a realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology.  Goal 8: Technology will be implemented to increase the effectiveness of student learning, instructional management, staff development and administration at Vidor ISD.  Strategy 1 is Technology and student learning.  It talks about expanding technology into classrooms, expanding the technological infrastructure, increasing the number of teachers using internet and software systems to integrate technology, and students extending their education through electronic resources. This strategy covers the element of an assessment of telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services needed. It also addresses professional development strategies. Strategy 2: Technology instructional management; addresses instructional management software tools have been introduced into the classroom. This also goes with the element of an assessment of telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services needed. Strategy 3: Technology- staff development; it states that professionals have access to Region V ESC Professional Development programs, as well as that faculty and staff that is comfortable with and proficient in electronic environments.  This supports the professional development strategy element. I did not find any elements of budget resources; there was a part of the plan that stated source of funds, but all strategies listed “none”. All of the strategies had ongoing evaluation process.  Campuses throughout the school year, by a committee, evaluate this plan. The administrators are responsible for making sure that the telecommunication services; hardware, software, and other services are being assessed. The evaluation process occurs when the committee meets every quarter.  They collect data and report on activity, therefore making corrections.

Jana Dugas EDLD 5308 Section 8038 August 31, 2011

Blog Posting #1

It is valuable to assess educators’ technology leadership knowledge and skills.  As an educator, you constantly assess students.  You want to know if they are learning and if there needs to be an intervention.  In the same way that we assess our students, I believe teachers should be assessed as well.  Otherwise, how will we know where we are going or if we are getting there. As the technology leaders in our classroom, we play a vital role in supporting student use of technology.

At the same time, we need to be assessing our student’s technology knowledge and skills.  It is an important part of their education.  If we fail to do this, we are putting our students at a great disadvantage in the job market.  Our students must compete with students around the world.

There are pros to assessing such as finding out where your students are.  It is vital that you not only assess, but that you use that data to drive your instruction.  If you fail to do the later, then you are wasting your time as well as doing a great injustice to your learners. 

On the other hand, the cons of assessment can be in the grading.  You might be grading on a rubric, which can be opinionated.  From experience, I have learned that when you grade using a rubric that you grade all assignments fairly. When grading open-ended responses you must have strict guidelines on what is acceptable and what isn’t.  You always want to make sure everyone is graded on the same scale.

I am all for assessing knowledge and skills.  It is ESSENTIAL to learning!

Jana Dugas EDLD 5306 Section 8038 August 30, 2011

EDLD 5306 Section 8038 Blog Assignment

1. The educational value of blogs and blogging is that it lets students write and be authors about news in their life or things they like.  They can create a community of learning by finding other bloggers that like the same things they do.  Students can comment on each others postings.  This creates a great communication device that they can globally connect with students.
2. I would be concerned about gossip and cyber-bullying.  You would need to teach students etiquette and acceptable use.
3. Blogging would be a great way to communicate with school stakeholders because you could get messages out quickly and accurately.  It would be easily accessible.