Internship reflections: TF VII. B

Follow procedures and guidelines used in planning and purchasing technology resources.

Work on Technology Gift Committee

I meet regularly with the campus principal and PTA technology representative to go over necessary purchasing for specific times of year. Since my campus does not receive state funds, we utilize funds parents raise during yearly carnivals, auctions, and other fundraising ventures. I work cooperatively with the parent gift committee and the principal to discuss the needs the campus. Before the official “Gift” committee meeting, I meet at least once with the PTA technology chair representative to go over the items that are up for renewal, software purchases, hardware purchases, and allocating money to our projector and printer funds. After meeting with PTA rep, we then meet with campus principal to review items on the agenda. We then will meet with the Technology Committee which is a subcommittee from PTA. Agenda and items  for Gift committee is approved by voting members of the committee. After preliminary meetings are held and  approved, all subcommittees meet for a Gift committee meeting and each area is addressed, voted, discussed, and approved or tabled for later.

Internship reflections: TF VII. A

Use the school technology facilities and resources to implement classroom instruction.

Maintain campus technology inventory.

Since 2009, I have maintained my campus’ technology inventory spreadsheet. Whenever a new piece of equipment arrives on my campus I assign the hardware a district number, and put all appropriate information into the spreadsheet including warranty. I often meet with the PTA to discuss the inventory so it is important that the inventory be perfect otherwise funding would decrease. It is important to have an accurate inventory so my campus is aware of out of date technology that requires renewal/replacing.

I use the inventory regularly throughout my week. Whenever a piece of equipment needs a technician, the information from the inventory becomes invaluable.  I am the only person on the campus that maintains the inventor and I receive a small district stipend since it is such a laborious process.

Internship reflections: TF VI.E

Facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.

Create and implement calendar for computer lab sign up and help with laptop carts.

Every six weeks I post a new lab sign up on our school website. I create a page that allows teachers who login access to edit the calendar. The computer lab schedule is an open lab format so teachers can sign up for any time they need. We also have 10 laptop carts that require a sign out sheet, too. I create those sign outs in paper form and they go directly on the cart for teachers to sign out laptops as needed. The problems I encounter are when too many teachers log into the schedule at one time. Since the sign up is a "wysiwyg" it can only support one person being signed in at a time. I have explained and still reiterate to teachers that they must check that their submission shows on the site after they save their changes. If their changes do not show, then their time was not allowed. The vast majority of teachers understand the ramifications and only a few need reminders.

Internship Reflections: TF 11.F

Identify and apply instructional design principles associated with the development of technology resources.

Work with campus teams to implement model technology integrated lessons.

On March 9, 2011, I met with the third grade team to discuss appropriate technology tools to help with synthesis of information in reading and social studies. We planned as group and brainstormed many different ideas. I suggested to the team that they might consider utilizing Moodle forums for this type of product. The teachers and I worked through several lessons where the students would read over the information and then comment on the Moodle forum . The students then had to answer a Moodle question such as, “What would you have done differently if you were the main character having this problem? How do you think the outcome of the book would have changed if the main character had changed his actions?”

The students were able to work through the Moodle forum very easily. They truly were engaged and appreciated the novelty of getting to post their ideas and also comment on classmates’ responses. The teachers have decided to utilize Moodle more often especially with the forum feature.

Internship reflections: TF VI.D

Promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.

Show teachers correct researching tools and sites.

Throughout the year I worked with different classes on web literacy. With the team effort of the media specialist on my campus, we worked with teacher on age appropriate researching techniques. We also held after school training on the Big 6 and Super 3 research models. I created a simple poster for teachers to post in their classrooms.

 I work with teachers and students on appropriate researching strategies. I share researching sites with students and teachers.

Internship reflections: TF VI.C

Identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity.

Work with global partners designing lessons.

Throughout the month of September, 2010, I worked with Sudha Penu, a global partner in India, to create lessons for our physical education connection. Sudha and I conversed regularly via email due to time difference on different aspects of the lessons. I also trained Sudha on the use of Moodle via Skype.  Our school created many educational videos expressing popular ways of exercise and sports in the U.S. Her students created videos about India. We conversed via email and sometimes via Skype the lesson objectives and possible ways to create a positive end result.

Internship reflections: TF VI.B

Assist teachers in selecting and applying appropriate technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

Meet with behavioral skills teacher to help utilize software to create lessons on behavior skills.

Many of the behavioral skills teachers on my campus are interested in the iPad for their Autistic students. I began researching iPads in education and started sharing the information with the resource team.  I have shared those resources with many interested teachers: http://www.diigo.com/list/leanneknight/iPad-resources.  I truly appreciated several “Live Binders” that specified iPad resources for special education students and teachers such as: http://livebinders.com/play/play/89854.  We are in the process of allocating funding and getting approval to implement iPads at our school. We already use a 1-1 PC laptop environment in our third and fourth grades. This would benefit a specific population of students who might benefit more from this tactile piece of equipment.