Internship reflections: TF VIII.D

Lead in the development and evaluation of district technology planning and implementation.

Work with teams on planning appropriate technology implementation after collaborating on the results of the 2009-2010 STaR Chart Results.

Once a year campuses are required to conduct the Texas Campus STaR Chart.  Previous ot the campus conducting their evaluation, I met with each team to discuss how the evaluation helps us in planning and the importance of taking the evaluation truthfully. At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, I met with teams to discuss areas that the STaR Chart has shown as areas of weakness.  This year I brought the 2009-2010 STaR Chart results to organize our discussion with teams.  One area we found that needed to be addressed was under Key Area II: Educator Preparation and Development under number 6: Professional Development for Online Learning. As a campus we discussed ways to help our school become higher than the score of 2 (Developing Tech). We decided that we would utilize our district Ning and Moodle for Professional Development.

 At our campus anything below a 3 would be an area of great concern. Our campus completed their chart on May 10, 2011. The results for our campus were rather positive. In  Key area 1: Teaching and instruction and Key area II: Educator Preparation and Development my campus classified as Advanced Tech. In Key area III: Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support and Key area IV: Infrastructure for Technology we ranked the classification of Target Tech.  

Internship reflections:TF VIII.B

Apply strategies for and knowledge of issues related to managing the change process in schools.

Discuss technology progression at technology gift committee meeting.

During each Gift Committee meeting it is important to review the history of technology so parents understand the scaffolding of our technology vision. Recently our campus completely revamped our technology vision. Each vision we create for technology is expected to be viable for five years and we must utilize what we have learned over the years and research innovative technology uses so we can accurately create a technology vision that can encompass five years.

Primary Objective: 

•      Evaluate and recommend technology for purchase by the UP Elementary Gift Committee and ensure steps are taken for successful implementation of such technology once purchased.

Secondary Objective:

•      Search for on-going opportunities to enhance current technology capabilities and explore new ones.

•      Follow the guidelines of Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology , HPISD Technology Plan, and TEKS  reflecting NETS-S for Technology.

•      Ensure technology plans and purchases support and are driven by curricular objectives and resource management.

•      Review and revise the UP Technology Plan annually to reflect the current reality and assess the impact of technology on student learning and staff productivity.

•      Maintain strong channels of communication between students, parents, staff, and community to provide optimal learning for all.

Guiding Principles:

•      Develop students and teaching professionals who effectively use technology as a productivity tool, communications tool, and research and problem-solving tool within acceptable and ethical use guidelines as established by HPISD.

•      Embed technology seamlessly throughout the curriculum within the guidelines of Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology and the HPISD Technology Plan reflecting TEKS for Technology.

•      Strive to creatively and efficiently manage resources including students, staff, community, finances, technology, time, facilities and other physical resources.

•      Review our History: Vision 2009

•      2006 – 2007

•      Reviewed and evaluated technology direction/usage for UP

•      Evaluated use of COWs, ActivSlate, CoF for Specials

•      Developed technology roadmap

•      Developed computer replacement schedule

•      Rolled-out Classroom of the Future to grades K-4

•      2007 – 2008

•      Rolled-out Classroom of the Future to TAG, Resources, ESL and Science

•      Rolled-out data projector, document camera, cart and laptop to Art

•      Rolled-out COWs to 2^nd & 3^rd grades

•      Piloted iPod usage in Kindergarten and 1^st grade classrooms

•      Mounted data projectors in the K-3 classrooms

•      2008 – 2009

•      Established Printer and Data Projector Replacement Allocation

•      Rolled out CoF to Jump Start and Media Center

•      Replaced Desktops in K,1,2,3, and Media Center

•      Replaced Auditorium Projector

•      Purchased 24 additional iPods

•      Rolled out Active Expressions

•      2009 – 2010

•      Purchased 36 Active Arena sets

•      Replenished Allocations funds(Printer Cartridge Supply, Data Projector Bulb Replacements, Annual Teacher/Staff Training, Printer)

•      36 COW Laptops for 4^th Grade

•      19 Laptops (4^th -6; K – 5; 1^st- 5: 3^rd – 1; Music; ESL)

•      4 Desktop Replacements (Literacy Library; ESL (2); Office Security)

•      5 Digital Cameras (1 per grade level)

•      2 Webcams

Internship reflections: TF VIII.E

Engage in supervised field-based experiences with accomplished technology facilitators and/or directors.

Regularly meet with district CITs (campus instructional technologists), Robert Harris (District Administrator of Instructional Technology), and Ron Smith (District Administrator of Technical Services).

On September 9, 2011, our group of CIT’s met at the Highland Park High School library conference room. Our first order of business was to discuss the new district Responsible Use Agreement that was to replace the Acceptable Use form. As the new Responsible Agreement form gets issued to campuses, teachers must sign the agreement and turn in to their respective CITs on their campus. All forms are due by the end of September to the Technology administration offices. We discussed how our district Webmaster and administrator of Skyward was changing jobs and leaving our district. We will have a new person taking over Web-mastering and another person taking over Skyward, online registration, etc. We began discussing the ramifications of the school boards reluctance to allow children under fifth grade to be without a district email address. We discussed how so many innovative web tools require an email address to create an account. One way to work through the problem is for the teacher to create a Google account then use the “google+1” email address as a “ghost” account.  The elementary CIT’s edited the district protocols for elementary teachers to reflect the board decision on students not having district email addresses.

Internship reflections: TF VIII.C

Apply effective group process skills.

Using global connection lessons utilize forums for groups.

A class in India was going to connect with our school to learn different culturally specific games. Our school was going to create videos and discussion forums in Moodle. Her school would then log into our Moodle to upload their own videos and create forums. She did not know who to use Moodle. On November 8, 2010, at 8:30 AM, I video conference via Skype with Sudha Penu from India which was 7:30 PM for her. Using Skype, I was able to “share” my screen with her. I logged in to the Moodle site, and showed her specifically how to edit, upload, and other basic functions of Moodle. I also shared my Moodle manual that I use with teachers.

Our two schools utilized forums for discussions on different standard physical education games utilized in the US compared to India. The students would discuss with each other via the Moodle Forum.

The school from India shared sports such as Shatranj (chess), Kabaddi/Chedugudu, and Tokudu Billa/Kith-Kith. Our students shared about hopscotch, wrestling, volleyball, cup-stacking, horseshoes, and basketball. The students at our school loved creating the videos that accompanied each forum post. After the students created their videos, the teacher would post the video to a new forum, and then the students from our school and the school in India would comment back and forth to each other. Our students were so excited to share in these lessons.

Internship reflections: TF VIII.A

Identify and apply educational and technology related research, the psychology of learning, and instructional design principles in guiding the use of computers and technology in education.

 

Research one-to-one initiatives

I created a One to One Ning for my teachers and principal. I utilized this online are to help post the research I was able to find that benefited our goals as we went to a one to one laptop environment in our third and fourth grade classrooms. The link is http://hpisd21.ning.com/group/powerupvision2015 but is closed to people outside of our district and is invitation only. We utilized sites such as Educational Origami http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/, NETS*S and NETS*T http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx,  Blooms Taxonomy http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy, 50+ Toosl for Web Based Collaboration http://www.popwuping.com/culture/software/50-tools-for-web-based-collaboration.php, and many other beneficial sites. I also created a Diigo list so teachers could easily find the websites that were informative (http://www.diigo.com/list/leanneknight/one-to-one).  I started a book study with the teachers that had research to help us delve into one to one and create a positive culture at our school during this new endeavor. The book we chose was:  1-1 Learning: Laptop Programs That Work by Pamela Livingston.

Internship reflections: TF VII. C

Participate in professional development opportunities related to management of school facilities, technology resources, and purchases.

Train teachers on global education opportunities.

With the help of Edna Phythian, our district Global Educator on Special Assignment, I am able to work efficiently with my teachers on global opportunities. Specifically in September 2010, I worked with the Kindergarten team on working with China. We created videos of specific seasonal customs.  Our kindergartners created simple classroom graphs of their favorite foods for lunch. We had items such as pizza, spaghetti, and chicken nuggets. We then decided that with kindergartners we need to take an opportunity to share our information first with local, in district schools. This was to help the students understand that we are first sharing locally then sharing globally. We did not wan to overwhelm each class so we did the sharing with groups of three classes. One kindergarten class from our school met with a class at Armstrong and another class at Hyer.  After students practiced their presentation we met via WebEx and shared. Then I would go to another class, set up the Webex conference, and we would share with another  group. Finally, after all the local sharing occurred, I recorded, using a camcorder, one group from each class presenting their graphs. I then posted the videos to my school blog so we could share with our partners from China. We could not meet with them live since their time zone is so different than ours. Posting videos was a logical way to work through the time differences. During these lessons, I worked with the teachers on how to use the WebEx system, recording using the video camera, and uploading videos to a blog. These lessons helped the teachers to continue the project without having to rely on someone else.