EDAD 536 January 22, 2011
This is going to be a great class! Thank you to Todd and everyone in the class. I'm going to benefit greatly from your experience and expertise.
To keep myself focused, I've decided to create a log that will help me keep track of the discrete technology skills I need to learn as well as the new concepts and tools I want to know more about.
Technology Skills I want to master asap:
1. Knowledge, expertise and resources (correct dongle, for example) that I need to be a confident and proficient Elmo and projector/with laptop user for presentations to staff, parents, students, etc.
2. Ability to create links in newsletter to parents for websites, pdf documents, etc. How do I do this so that parents can click on the word here in the phrase "click here" to access a website...versus including the very long website address in the newsletter.
3. Ability to create and confidently use power point presentations.
4. Create PBIS tracker template that teachers can complete on the computer and send to the person who inputs PBIS data into SWIS. Ideally, the PBIS system would create a system that allowed teachers to fill out trackers and referrals on the computer and the data from these forms would automatically be added to the SWIS system, eliminating the need for a data entry person.
5. Create and use a system for saving word processing documents in an organized manner.
Technology Concepts/Tools/Questions that I want to explore:
1. IXL - Internet math program
2. TED
3. How do we help teachers make technology a seamless part of the learning process versus a skill that is taught in a separate class by a technology expert? Staff development plan? Which technology resources are the best to purchase with our limited dollars? Desktop computers? Laptops? Ipads? Neos? Promethean Boards? What is the value of the technology lab? Do we need both technology labs and technology available to many students at one time in each classroom? How much technology do we need? How do teachers decide when to use technology? For whole class work? For independent work? With declining budgets, do we try to preserve the technology budget? Is technology considered to be part of the "core" curriculum that we want to protect during the next few years of budget shortfalls?
4. Is there a relationship between proficient keyboarding/word processing skills and an increase in the quantity and quality of writing? Would 4th and 5th grade students revise and edit more if they created their first drafts on the computer versus hand writing their first drafts? What is the most efficient way to teach and provide practice time for keyboarding and word processing? Is it a reasonable goal for 5th graders to transition to middle school typing 25 words per minute?
5. What are the key concepts to keep in mind when developing a school-level technology plan?
I liked Sir Ken Robinson's suggestion about being less linear and more organic in our approach to education. Now I need to think more about what that means for me in my role as a school principal.
Doris
