Session 3

Focus Question- Can technology integration in American classrooms adequately or correctly be expressed as a hierarchy? Why or why not?

I think in today's classrooms the technology integration hierarchy still exists. It might have gained some size in the middle area, but the proportions are still the same. There are more down at the bottom with using less technology than there are at the top with using a lot of technology. I do have to admit that in the passed three years I have been working in the schools I have seen teachers use more technology as the use of it grows. For example, One teacher started to use an on-line program for reading tests. The next year some teachers saw that it was helpful in testing the students and helping raise their reading level. Now all the teachers are using the program and they now are looking into drill and practice programs for math. Even though the teachers use computers for a way to test students, they still only use computers as a reward for good behavior or a way to keep them busy when they are done with their work. I have noticed that a lot more teachers are using their laptops more than just to do report cards. I use to never see the laptops until it was report card time. Recently I have seen the teachers, in Dr. Newberry's hierarchy, using it as a teacher tool which they keep it near them or on their desks.

Bonus:
The only thing I have to say that has changed about the technology integration hierarchy is that the shape of the diagram. I would have to say with the changes in technology and they way things are done in the present time, it is hard not to use any technology in school. For example, grades now are mostly done electronically and that is hard to do without a computer for the teacher. I think the hierarchy in the present time would have to look like a trapezoid where the top would be getting wider and the bottom slowly getting smaller. That's how I see the hierarchy today and transforming as technology grows more important in schools.

Activity Log:
1/28/09- Listen to blog, followed the hierarchy web page, posted blog, thinking about finally project, thinking of e-mailing to the professor to see about projects, sleep and thinking zzzzzzz....
1/31/09- E-mail Professor Newberry about topics, still confused about number three, Respond to student blogs.
2/1/09- Finished proposals, watched SuperBowl (Go Steelers)

Session 2

Focus Question- Management versus Leadership

First of all, I have to see if I understand correctly the difference between management and leadership. To put it in short terms, a manager makes sure everyone is doing their job, but it takes a leader to guide and improve performance. I see that they both are great to have, but I think schools have a lot of mangers, but not enough leaders. Not to say that having all the managers is bad, but leaders are good to have to promote growth and improve performance.
One example I have is that one school has a wonderful principal in which could stretch a dollar a mile long. Which means she is able to pull money out of thin air. Now by the definition given on the podcast I do not know what to consider this principal. She can be considered a leader because she is known for getting money for programs or equipment that she considers to be essential to improve learning. When I hear the would leader I imagine a person who suggest and encourages new ideas which are proven to improve performance. She gets the money needed to purchase the equipment, but others have to have the drive and motivation to present the ideas to her and then she chooses to buy or not to buy. That is what I thought of as a manager because when she does consider buying equipment, she tries to find the best cost effective way to get it, but not necessarily the best equipment on the market just to have the equipment to meet the status quo.
I have seen some teachers that have the leadership in them. One example I have is a teacher that has shown me hope in the growth of technology in learning. This teacher has taken any technology that he has and put it to use. For example, he got brand new alpha smarts this year. He read about them and learned all about them, but he didn't know how to set them up or how to run them. He showed interest and a drive I wish more teachers have for using technology. He asked me for help in which I was glad to do just that. Once I set up the lab and gave him a short lesson on the little information I knew about them, he took off with it. He took it home, played with the equipment while he was off track and came back with enough knowledge to be confident enough to use it in the classroom. This teacher was also one of the first to test an on-line program called Accelerated Math in our district, which he became the one who taught and guided other teachers to incorporate the program into the classroom. He even taught me how to use it. This trait is one I see in a leader.
Managers are ones who like to control the environment, but leaders are those who encourage and want to improve the environment and willing to do extra to help.

Activity Log-
1/20/09- Listen to podcast, went to sleep to think of management and leadership
1/21/09- Observe principal and teachers. Think of examples of leadership and management.
1/22/09- Write the blog.
1/25/09- Respond to fellow student blogs.

Session 1

Focus Area 1- Using technology to increase our personal effectiveness in our own role.

I think when we say to use technology to increase our personal effectiveness in our own role we mean that we are able to use technology in our lives and make tasks more effective and potentially easier. What I mean, for example, is for a teacher to find teaching materials without technology like computers, they would have to go to stores to search for the different materials they might need. With computers, teachers are able to search the web for many varieties of videos and resources for the classroom, which might be available otherwise. This example can go even farther by stating the fact that there has been an increase in on-line shopping in recent years. Another example, is that I use the Internet for information on a daily basis. When I come across a problem that I can't solve, then there are a few things I do. First I search the web and see if anyone on the Internet has had the same problem I have had. If that doesn't yield any results, then I e-mail other technicians in the school district to see if there is someone who can help and that usually is where I find the help I need. So in a way I use technology to grow my knowledge base in order to improve my effectiveness in my career. These examples are only some of the examples of how we can use technology to increase our personal effectiveness.

Focus Area 2- Communicating to others information about the effective use of technology.

I am a computer tech at my school, but that is not all I do. I also try to teach all that I can, even the small things. I try to teach students all I can about the computers in the thirty minutes I get with them each week. Even if the teachers just use me as a babysitter while they get away for a bit, I try to teach the students tools they can use on the computers. Teachers never give them a specific task when they send me their students, so when the students run into a problem I show them what went wrong and how to fix it. Don't get me wrong, some teachers do have assignments they want the students to do, such as, search for a news article in another country, or a science project they might want to do. I don't just do this with the students, but I also try to do this with the teachers as well. I have to say the students are more willing to learn then most of the teachers. The teachers just usually answer with the phrase, "Can you fix it?" and "How long is it going to take?" I try to show the teachers how to do simple fixes, but either they get too frustrated or they think it's my job and they just want it done yesterday. Teachers use technology, but not to it's potential. They use it to find information, but they use it as a reward for the students to play on instead of using it as a resource or a tool in the classroom.

Focus Area 3- Supporting the effective use of technology through planning for technology use and promoting technology use.

I see technology as the new subject in school. It deserves to be taught in the classrooms and planned. It needs to be put to use more than once a week and be a learning experience with specific goals and objectives. One example which I experienced recently was a teacher who took it upon herself to learn PowerPoint by experimenting with it at home. She learned just enough that she taught the students how to complete the task and let the students "play" with the program to complete the task. It turned out the students amazed the teacher and even myself with their final work. Another outcome that was amazing was students showed talents we never knew they had. I want to see more teachers like this one.

Learning Contract: As of right now I am going to try to do all three.

1- Learn PowerPoint to increase knowledge.
2- Create a PowerPoint or short instructions on how to use PowerPoint and incorporate it in the classroom.
3- An infrastructure plan???? Unsure

Activity Log:

1-14-09 Listen to Podcast, sign-up for a blog site and call it a night to think of all the work ahead in the class.
1-15-09 Contact Professor Newberry to try to get an understanding of the projects that are due.
1-16-09 Complete blog and try to figure out projects.
1-18-09 Finish Learning Contract and comment other blogs.