Teaching+with+Technology+Course+Reflection

EDLD 5364 - Teaching with Technology Course Reflection

 * 1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?**

Based on the title of the course, I had hoped to acquire specific strategies for integrating technology into teaching and learning. As the Instructional Technology Coordinator for our school district, I am responsible for creating and delivering technology professional development to classroom teachers throughout the district. The focus of much of our professional development has been on skills-based instruction; that is, teaching teachers to use software and hardware with students in their classroom or in a computer lab. While we include ideas for integrating the technology into the teacher’s curriculum, the primary focus is on learning to use the technology, and the secondary focus is on how it can be used instructionally. Many teachers immediately see the instructional uses and impact, but some teachers need a more specific focus on instructional uses to effectively integrate the technology into their instruction. I hoped that this course would cover specific ways to teach teachers how technology tools can make the good pedagogy they are already using in their classroom become even more effective for student learning.

I feel that the content of this course aligned exactly with my hopes for the course. As a result, I feel that I achieved the outcomes I listed. Specifically, I feel that __Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works__ (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007) and “Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning” (Rose and Meyer, 2002) equipped me with specific strategies I can share with teachers to help them focus on the instructional uses of technology, rather than primarily focusing on the skills required to use technology.


 * 2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?**

The strategies I acquired are very relevant to the work I do every day. As we plan our district spring and summer technology professional development sessions, I have already begun to think about how we can revise our sessions to focus on the instructional uses of technology, rather than just on the skills required to use technology. I plan to use some of the strategies outlined in __Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works__ (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007) as a model for revising our sessions. The book outlines teaching and learning strategies that can be accomplished using traditional teaching methods, but the authors describe how using a specific technology can make the teaching or learning strategy more effective for student learning. This makes technology integration more palatable for teachers and more concrete than simply presenting technology skills. I feel that professional development sessions based on this model will help bridge the gap we find when we present sessions that focus on technology skills. I also plan to introduce the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to our campus technology facilitators and teachers, so they can think about ways to meet every learner’s needs through technology. Next month, we will show campus technology facilitators how to use the UDL Book Builder to create an online book. I feel that the strategies presented in this class have been the most relevant to my work and the most feasible for immediate implementation.


 * 3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?**

While I acquired many strategies for integrating technology into teaching and learning, specifically ideas for using Web 2.0 tools to engage students in communication with peers and experts, I did not feel that I acquired strategies for ensuring that students are protected while posting online. I feel that every discussion about teaching with Web 2.0 tools such as blogs and wikis should include information on ways to keep students safe and their identities private. As the Instructional Technology Coordinator for our school district, I am responsible for ensuring that students are using technology safely. We want to make sure that teachers and students are posting appropriate information online, and if they post inappropriate or too much information, the district wants to be able to assist them with modifying or removing that information. Our department regularly discusses possible Web 2.0 solutions, and we would like to select products or websites that can be managed from a district level, rather than allowing teachers to select a variety of tools or websites that only they can manage. I think that future educational technology leaders should have conversations about online safety and a school district’s need to ensure student safety. While we have read many articles by educational technology visionaries describing the importance of using Web 2.0 tools, we are lacking information about the issues a school district and technology department must consider when implementing them.


 * 4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?**

I feel that I was successful in completing most course assignments. The wiki and blog assignments were very straightforward and allowed me to reflect on what I learned in the readings, videos, and other activities. I enjoyed and was successful in creating a UDL book and in developing a UDL lesson plan.

However, I was slightly confused throughout the group project, which was discouraging. I understood that the goal of the group project was to develop a solution to the scenario, including creating technology-based learning activities for the students and professional development for the teacher. Throughout the group project, however, I had only a loose grasp on how each week’s assignments would culminate in a final solution. I feel that if we had been initially provided with a high-level description of each week’s assignments or a road map tying each assignment to the final project, I would have been able to see how all of the assignments led to final project. I also feel that would have helped our group formulate a better action plan from the start.

I would suggest that you move the Chapter 6 UDL reading to the first or second week of the course. The information in Chapter 6 was key in understanding how to address the needs of every student in the scenario and would have helped tremendously in formulating our preliminary action plan in week 2. It was beneficial to brainstorm learning activities for our project in week 2. However, in week 3, we created a UDL book and lesson plan, and both of these were based on the subject matter being covered in our project. After we created the book and lesson plan, we changed our project plan to include them. I felt a bit discouraged that we had spent so much time in week 2 brainstorming a project plan, not knowing that the UDL book and lesson plan would or could be activities in our project. I would suggest that the Required Components section in the Group Project Directions include references to the specific EDLD 5364 assignments, listed by week, so that students will know when and how each of the components will be addressed.


 * 5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?**

During this course, I learned how rewarding it is to work with a group of people who share your interests and have great ideas and strong initiative. My group work experiences in the past have not been this positive. I often feel that group members are not pulling their weight, or that some group members do not contribute to the project. I also usually serve as group leader when I work with a team. However, I learned that it is equally rewarding to be a group member. Our group leader felt very strongly about doing a great job on our project, learning everything she could about the project goals, and making sure that all members of our team agreed on our course of action. The rest of our group members were committed to communication and collaboration, and everyone was willing to do more than their share of work. I realized that being part of a group that shares your goals and that being led by a group leader who shares your commitment to excellence is just as rewarding as being a group leader. In some ways, it is more rewarding. I got to experience how a member of a group perceives group interactions and group leadership. It is a good idea to step back from leadership roles in order to strengthen your connection with group membership.

This course helped remind me how much I like structure, but I learned that I also enjoy the freedom of constructivist learning. Having room to explore new ideas and make choices about the technology tools I used to express them was very rewarding.