Blog Post 1:
Review the ISTE-Nets for teachers (http://www.iste.org/
Technology Strengths and Weaknesses:
In reading over the Nets provided by the ISTE, I was pleased to note that I'm on the right track thanks to my library schooling at UNT. I feel that I have done well as a classroom teacher with regard to facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity. I'm fortunate in that I teach theatre--as well as a communication applications class--and I have lots of room to let students be innovative and creative in their projects. Both in theatre and communication applications we apply what we are learning real world examples, especially with regard to marketing ourselves and communicating in professional situations. I do need to work on creating more collaborative tools that promote student reflection. We do verbally critique and reflect on work as a class or in small groups; but, I think I can formalize these processes a little more and create avenues for their reflection to be viewed as part of a project's final product. I think I could also work on modeling collaborative knowledge more so with my colleagues. Although teachers collaborate a bit in our school, I don't think we model or show the students how and when that collaboration is occurring. It would be beneficial to have these kinds of interactions more visible in the classroom so students can see how professionals work together toward a common goal.
When it comes to designing and developing digital age learning experiences and assessments--I think I have done really well incorporating the use of digital tools in my classroom, both when I'm presenting, as well as having the students use tools to create or display their work. I have also done a good job of catering to diverse learning styles in with my students. I'm very fortunate to have been part of an extensive training known as drama-based instruction which caters to the needs of kinesthetic learns. This really helped me close in the gap, as my teaching style originally catered to audio and visual learners. Now I have a good mix of strategies for all learning styles and incorporate them all into my lessons. I do however feel that within this domain I could really work on providing my students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments, especially with regard to using data. The fine arts are sometimes difficult to assess formally, as evaluation tends to be so subjective. I have recently attended a workshop regarding assessment in the arts, but I need to be more proactive in implementing some of the ideas offered.
With regard to modeling digital age work and learning I do well in demonstrating fluency in technology systems and modeling the use of digital tools. However, I feel I need to collaborate more with students and parents using digital tools. I use the obvious method of email frequently, but I think the inclusion of a blog, a better webpage, and possibly even a social networking account for our department would be good things to consider.
When teaching research projects in class, I feel I have done a great job of promoting digital citizenship and responsibility--especially when it comes to copyright and intellectual property. I think I could stand to work more on promoting digital etiquette in social interactions. This can be tricky, as most social networking sites are blocked on our school filter, but I need to be more proactive in finding other routes of modeling good web behavior using sites we can access.
I always am willing to engage in professional growth opportunities. I love to come back to school armed with new tools that I can implement immediately. However, I would like to take on more of leadership role within my school by leading workshops or other learning communities and sharing the digital tools I have learned about or used in the classroom. I want to be able to collaborate more with other teachers on cross-curricular lesson plans that utilize digital tools. I would also like to begin to take advantage of global learning communities on a more frequent basis.
How will you overcome your weaknesses?
To overcome your weaknesses as a professional you must never think you have "arrived" at a place of mastery. It is important to constantly be reflecting on how you can increase your knowledge and improve your strategies. Professional development is a key component. You have to consider not only the professional development provided by your school district, but seek opportunities outside the district that you can be a part of. With all the webinars out there, you don't even have to leave your desk to gain the knowledge you are looking for. It's also incredibly important ask for help when needed. Your colleagues are a wealth of expertise, and although we're all very busy, most of us are more than happy to lend a helping hand in an area we are passionate about. Also, must never stop "tinkering." Just playing with new technology--even if it's for personal use--can be a huge help in transferring your new knowledge to instructional strategies, and keep you in the know with new trends. Lastly, you have to be able to jump in head-first, especially with areas that scare you. If you wait for the “perfect timing” to tackle a project or subject area that hinders you, you will never improve. You simply have to be willing to dive into the deep end by volunteering for roles that require you to use the technology you are most afraid of.
What would you like to learn to improve instruction?
I would like to learn more about the hardware itself. I feel overall “web-savvy,” but when a student's computer crashes or a piece of equipment is not performing up to par, I can feel a bit helpless. If I understood how the hardware itself operated, I might be able to increase my autonomy in troubleshooting problems quickly and moving on to the lesson at hand. Instead, at the moment, I rely a little too heavily on tech support and the expertise of others on the campus.
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