Saturday, December 14, 2013

My Web2.0 Tools Wiki and Poster (Edu641)

edu641 mod 11-2 and 11-3

This week we created a wiki page with Web 2.0 resources and a QR code poster to advertise the wiki.  I created a Glog poster that can be printed, with a QR code to get to the online Glog as well as the wiki.



Click to play




Here is the link to my wiki page
                                           or snap this code: 







Here is the link to my Glogster QR poster

Unfortunately I haven't figured out how to embed the code for my Voki on Glogster. I also added 4 more posters to my wiki. 


                                           


Thursday, December 12, 2013

Keeping up with Technology

edu641 mod 11-1

Keeping up with technology is important for everyone, but especially for the technology integrators, because they are the knowledge base for the school. Technology is constantly changing and if you do not have the latest operating system, you may miss out on using new apps that may not be compatible with previous versions of the OS.  


Case in point:when Apple released version 7 of its iOS, there were already many new apps being released that require iOS7.  On the Internet as well, Web2.0 apps are being developed every day and in order to prepare our students for the future, they need to know how to use the latest technology, so that they are able to transition to the latest products and applications once they are out in the world. 


AbleNet Blue2 Switch
Another reason is, in the area of alternative technology, there are always new products that can help our students, who are all struggling to keep up with their learning objectives.  But over the last few years there have been so many new products that have been released that have really made a difference, from iPads to Bluetooth switches for the iPads, and text to speech applications like Kurzweil and Clicker6 or Dragon Naturally Speaking that help students who have difficulties with reading and writing and help to level the playing field for those kids.  In addition, the newer versions of these and other applications make life easier for the teachers, with the improved functionality that the newer versions offer. For example, in Clicker5, word banks had to be built one word at a time, but in the latest version, a teacher can enter a passage of text into a form and the software now builds the word banks automatically.


If we do not keep up with the technology we will be left behind.  Every new release or product or tool is a step up and it is easier to move one step at a time, versus trying to jump from the bottom step to a step halfway up the ladder. We also have to keep up with the students who are already immersed in the technology. Although we do not have to know everything, we need to be able to speak intelligently about technology, if we want the digital natives to take us seriously.


Saturday, December 7, 2013

NETS Proficiencies

edu641 mod 10-2

Here is my wiki on the NETS-T and NETS-A mastery.  I took the information I learned from my observations and interviews and put the artifacts into a matrix for each area showing how they meet the standards.  

I thought I could embed it here, but I could not figure out how to do it, so here is a link to my wiki.



Thursday, December 5, 2013

Measuring NETS Competence

Mod 10-1

Describe how we will know if teachers and administrators are meeting these competencies. At the end of your post, pose one hypothetical situation in which one or more of these groups may be working toward one of the NETS. Be sure to provide enough context so that your classmates can respond to the hypothetical with potential methods for measuring the competency or competencies


ISTE's NETS-S lists criteria to measure students' competence with technology.  In the same vein, the NETS-T and NETS-A measures teachers' and administrators' technology competence.  Using the following list of competencies, we can assess the level of integration of technology into their practices. Basically the NETS for teachers requires that educators use technology to:
  1. facilitate learning experiences that promote active learning, collaboration, innovation and reflection in face to face and virtual environments
  2. design authentic instruction and assessment that incorporate digital tools to differentiate learning
  3. engage students in collaborative learning locally and globally
  4. model appropriate Internet activity and promote digital citizenship and safety, and
  5. model lifelong learning and collaboration with other educators to improve their instruction.

Similarily, the NETS for administrators tasks school leaders to use technology to:
  1. model and promote the effective use of technology for learning, provide learner-centered environments equipped with technology that meet the needs of all learning styles
  2. ensure effective use of technology across the curriculum, including providing opportunities for professional development in the use and integration of technology for educators.
  3. communicate a shared vision of technology integration to promote learning and collaboration locally and globally, by participating in local and global committees to lead the development of effective digital learning experiences
  4. model digital age communication and digital citizenship and ensure ubiquitous access to appropriate digital tools to promote learning, and
  5. facilitate a robust infrastructure to meet the needs of digital aged learners and improve staff performance.
Observation of the teachers' and administrators' practices and samples of work that the students produce, shows us whether the educators are meeting these competencies. Also observation of the students, are they engaged in the work? Are they working and collaborating with others? Are they actively solving problems, seeking out new solutions and creating artifacts of learning?

As an example, one of our teachers is interested in promoting global collaboration by participating in activities with another class from another state via Skype.  Our first step in this process is to participate in a Mystery Skype with a class to guess where each of the classes lives.  We are hoping to do this within the next two weeks, barring any more scheduling glitches.   We hope to continue this interaction with the other class on other projects, as well as with other classes in the future.  How do we measure our progress?