Becoming an Educational Technology Leader: Observing, Participating, and Leading

Throughout the Instructional Technology Program at the University of Montevallo, I learned about and developed many of the essential skills educators need to be a successful leader. The Consortium for School Network (CoSN) developed a framework, shown to the left, that outlines the 10 essential skill areas needed to be a viable educational technology leader (CoSN, 2015). After completing the Observer-Participant-Leader Record of Activities document, the three skills I have identified as my greatest areas of strength are Strategic Planning, Ethics and Policies, and Instructional Focus and Professional Development.

Strategic Planning

According to CoSN (2015), an effective educational technology leader "has a high-level view across the school system and works with instructional and technical teams to identify steps needed to transform the technology vision into a long-range plan, complete with specific goals, objectives, and action plans" (p. 3). As shown in my O-P-L Record linked above, I have both participation and leadership experience with this category of the framework. An example of my participation in identifying steps to transform my district's technology vision was by completing the Transform 2020 Technology Plan for my district. I identified the strengths and weaknesses of my district's technology plan, and then shared the information with acquaintances who work downtown. To exemplify my leadership, I facilitated multiple professional development courses during the month of June. During the 2017-2018 school year I participated in a year-long math cohort in which I collaborated with other educators and helped research and implement best teaching practices into my math instruction. I specifically focused on technological tools and educational programs that can help students with math. I then facilitated professional developments to help teachers in grades 3-5 implement best teaching practices into their own mathematical classrooms.

Ethics and Policies

As stated in the CoSN (2015) framework, an effective educational technology leader "manages the creation, implementation, and enforcement of policies and educational programs relating to the social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology use throughout the district and modeling responsible decision-making" (p. 5). Throughout the school year I participated in my school's Leadership Committee and Technology Committee. While on these committees I engaged in discussions regarding educational policies related to students' use of technology. Also, in my own classroom I ensured my students were practicing good digital citizenship skills by explicitly teaching and modeling how to be good digital citizens. I ensured my students were safely and effectively using their laptops throughout the year. Within the Instructional Technology Program I participated in an analysis of Alabama school districts' virtual school policies. With this project I was able to analyze multiple school policies related to virtual schooling, and identify both pros and cons of each policy. I also compared and contrasted my district's policy with another North Alabama district's policy. An infographic of this comparison is represented to the right. My analysis of the policies, specifically my own district's policy, demonstrates my ability to implement and enforce educational programs.

Instructional Focus and Professional Development

According to the CoSN (2015), an effective educational technology leader "budgets, plans, and coordinates ongoing, purposeful professional development for all staff using technologies; and ensures a sufficient budget through the implementation and assessment process of emerging technologies" (p. 7). Throughout the school year I not only participated in various professional developments, but also led multiple professional developments. For example, I was asked to lead a school-wide training on ClassDojo and how it could be implemented in the classroom to assist with the implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) program. A page of the resources I used for this training can be found on this Padlet page. This summer I also facilitated three grade-specific professional development courses related to best practices in mathematics and educational technology tools that can help students with math. Finally, I facilitated a professional development course related for formative assessments and how to use technology tools to formatively assess students in the classroom. The multitude of professional development courses I have facilitated demonstrates my effectiveness in coordinating purposeful professional development using technologies.

When I first started the Instructional Technology Program, I simply had hopes of increasing my knowledge of educational technology so I could better implement technological programs in my teaching. However, as a result of the program, my knowledge of educational technology has significantly grown, and I have been recognized by district leaders as an educational leader. I never thought I would have so much recognition in a district my size. As a result, I now have the high hopes of continuously improving and becoming a stronger educational technology leader; and I hope to one day be a professor so I can teach future educators about the importance of properly integrating technology into the classroom.

References

Consortium for School Network (CoSN) (2015). CoSN’s framework of essential skills of the K-12 CTO. Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://cosn.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Framework_111815_2015_Public.pdf

Google Classrooms: So Easy a Fourth Grader Could Use It!

Six years ago, the district I teach in began implementing a 1:1 technology initiative in grades 3-12; thus, providing every student in these grades with their own laptop to use as a learning tool. Providing devices and programs for students and teachers in 18 elementary schools, four middle schools, seven P8 schools, and six high schools can be pretty expensive. So, in an attempt to get the most out of the purchases, it is essential that these technological tools and programs be beneficial for all students and teachers in grades 3-12. One tool that is beneficial to teachers and students, when implemented properly, is a course management system (CMS). "CMSs, also called learning management systems or virtual learning environments, are software systems designed to assist in the management of educational courses for student, especially by helping teachers and learners with course administration" (Simonson, Smaldino, Zvacek, 2015, p. 137). Oftentimes CMSs are focused more towards secondary and higher education environments, making it difficult for elementary students and teachers to reap the benefits of the system. One system that does seem to integrate valuable tools for both elementary and secondary education participants is Google Classroom, "a free web service developed by Google for schools that aims to simplify creating, distributing and grading assignments in a paperless way" (Wikipedia, 2014). According to EdWeek (2017), 52% of school districts would hire Google for Education to help improve student achievement. Similarly, districts report that Google G Suite and/or Google Classrooms are used 68% of the time in their classrooms. A growing number of educators continue implementing Google Classroom into their teaching because it is easy to use. So easy, in fact, a fourth-grader could do it! (Hence the tutorial provided here by a fourth grade student! :)) So, what makes Google Classrooms so amazing and easy-to-use? A few components of Google Classroom that are important at the elementary level are discussed below.

Instructional Design

Google Classrooms is an open source, "a free educational software that [is] maintained by users who implement, even modify, and ultimately support their system to meet local, specific needs" (Simonson, et al., 2015, p. 138). The organization of Google Classrooms allows for easy access and management of student activities and coursework.

Teaching and Students

One goal of teaching is to ensure our students are college and career ready once they leave our classrooms. One way of ensuring this happens is by implementing student-centered learning in our classrooms. As stated by Simonson, et al. (2015), "Online education demands that students become engaged in the learning process" (p. 168). Google Classroom tools help students apply their learning to collaborate and create unique learning projects. "Google is helping to drive a philosophical change in public education--prioritizing training children in skills like teamwork and problem-solving while de-emphasizing the teaching of traditional academic knowledge, like math formulas" (Singer, 2017). Google Classrooms is helping teachers and students make the huge, and necessary, shift in education; thus moving from competing to collaborating, from passive to active learning, and from textbooks to customized materials (Simonson, et al., 2015). These tools are helping teachers create communities of learners within their students.

Assessment

As stated by Simonson, et al., (2015), "Assessment is defined as the process of measuring, documenting and interpreting behaviors that demonstrate learning" (p. 226). Google Classrooms allows teachers to assess student learning in multiple ways. Teachers can access projects students create, both independently and collaboratively, to assess students' understanding of the concepts exemplified in the project. Google Classrooms even has a component that allows teachers to pose a question or problem and have students respond via their device. Google "grades" the question automatically, providing results to both the teacher and student. This automatic feedback is essential for students and teachers to gauge students' understanding of the material being assessed. Students are also able to upload assignments, which the student can then grade online. This eliminates the need for paper-based assessments and assignment, and allows students to view their grades all in one place.

Overall, Google Classrooms is an impeccable educational tool. The various applications provided by Google Classroom allow for it to easily be modified for an elementary or secondary classroom. 68% of districts across the country already incorporate Google Classrooms into their daily instruction, so I am sure that even my fourth-graders and I can figure it out!



Resources
*EdWeek Market Brief. (2017). Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft: How 4 tech titans are re-shaping the ed-tech landscape. Retrieved from https://marketbrief.edweek.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Edweek-Market-Brief-Tech-Titans-Research-Report.pdf 
*Simonson, M.,  Smaldino, S. & Zvalcek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
*Singer, N. (2017). How Google took over the classroom. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/13/technology/google-education-chromebooks-schools.html 
*Wikipedia. (2014). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Classroom 

Theories and Realities of Distance Education

Globalization and Educational Advancements

According to Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek (2015), distance education is "formal education...where interactive telecommunication systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors" (p. 6). Because of advances in technology and globalization in education, distance education is becoming more readily accepted and adopted. According to Mihladz (2018)

Globalization has led to a number of barriers and threats like commercialization of education and freely bought and sold knowledge, along with a number of great benefits like making use of latest technologies, revision of education programs and various learning opportunities.” (174)

An example of the benefits of globalization is that “in 2013, enrollment in online courses had increased to about 6.7 million from 2 million in 2003" (Simonson, et al., 2015, p. 4). Because of these technological advances and globalization, educational experiences can be provided for learners across the world, regardless of their location.

Again, because of advances in technology and globalization, distance education is becoming more readily accepted and adopted; and included in this increase of acceptance and adoption of distance education are the increases in the number of opinions provided by theorists, students and educators (and, of course, the general public, who has an opinion on everything). So, as an educator, I have reviewed the work regarding distance education published by theorists, and as a student I have derived some opinions of my own (of course)! I have been involved in both effective and ineffective distance education courses, so my personal experiences have verified some of the implications made by educational theorists.

Effective Distance Education Experience

One of the most amazing aspects of distance education is that learners can get an education regardless of where they are. This is mostly made possible by businesses and colleges providing online courses, courses where 80% or more of the content is online (Simonson, et al., 2015). Due to the availability of online courses, and even online degrees, I have been able to complete educational courses (while working on an Ed.S. degree) provided by a university whose campus is over 2 hours away from me; and I haven’t even had to leave the comfort of my own home. Although digital courses require students to be more organized and responsible for their own learning experiences, it also provides students with the ability to engage in courses upon their convenience. I have verified the following theories throughout my degree completion courses:

• Distance education systems should place greater responsibility for learning on the student. -Wedemeyer (Simonson, et al., 2015)
• Distance education systems should permit students to start, stop, and learn at their own pace. -Wedemeyer (Simonson, et al., 2015)
• Easy access to the subject matter contributes to learning pleasure and student motivation. -Holmberg (Simonson, et al., 2015)
• Distance education promotes students' freedom of choice and independence. -Holmberg

Ineffective Distance Education Experience

Since my school district is 1:1 (one technological device is provided per student), I engage in numerous professional development courses regarding technology innovation and integration. The most ineffective professional development I engaged in is also the most ineffective educational experience I have had. I participated in a virtual training of a new educational program my school is integrating next year. Half of the participants were actually with the trainer, while the other half had to tune in via Zoom, a video conferencing program. At the start of the training, the virtual participants were instructed to mute their microphones and close the chat box; therefore completely removing any form of potential interaction between the trainer and virtual participants. The trainer spoke extremely fast throughout the training(much like the man in the video linked above), so the virtual participants could not understand what was being said. This led to some of the virtual participants feeling the need to turn on their microphones and interject comments that had nothing to do with the professional development course. Along with not being able to hear the presentation, the virtual participants were unable to engage in the website. As the trainer spoke, the participants who were physically with her were able to navigate the program on their own and were able to get real hands-on experience with the program that we were learning about. Meanwhile, the virtual participants were having to use their devices to view the training, so it was difficult for us to both view the training and navigate the program simultaneously. The following theories were verified with my experience in this ineffective course. Had the trainer incorporate these theories into her teaching practices, the training would have been more effective.

• Equivalent learning experiences should be provided to each learner whether local or distant. -Simonson (Simonson, et al., 2015)
• Distance education systems develop a design for activities that clarify resources. -Knowles (Simonson, et al,, 2015)
• The core of teaching is interaction between the teaching and learning parties. -Holmberg (Simonson, et al., 2015)

Conclusion

While it is important for instructors to not only be trained in how to properly use technological tools for distance education courses, it is equally important for them to learn and understand the theories of education research. Having an understanding of the research behind distance education will help instructors create better programs and learning experiences for all participants.

References

Mihladz, G. (2018). Academic researches in educational sciences. Cankaya, Ankara: Night Library. Retrieved from https://www.gecekitapligi.com/Webkontrol/uploads/Fck/EDUCATIONAL_1.pdf#page=174 

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundation of distance education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Technology Integration Affecting Student Outcomes

               The incorporation of technology into classrooms is becoming more and more popular, and is even being considered a “best practice.” Many districts have invested in student technology in hopes that the devices could be used to promote students’ learning, engagement, and academic achievement. Since there is such a strong emphasis on technology integration in classrooms, it is important to determine whether technology is actually beneficial for students. To determine this, documentation of student outcomes is essential. “Student learning outcomes can include measures of how well students learn, think, reason, and solve complex problems through the use of computers in the classroom” (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013, p. 232).

                Personally, I have been intrigued by technology integration in classrooms since I started teaching. My first year of teaching, my district implemented a 1:1 technology plan in which all students in grades 3-12 were provided with a laptop to use as an academic tool. I have loved incorporating technology into all of my lessons, but have always wondered if the technology was actually benefiting my students. In the Spring of 2015, I conducted an Action Research Project entitled The Effects of Web-Based Games on Fourth-Grade Students’ Math Proficiency. During this research plan, half of my students played digital mathematics games on a daily basis, while the other half worked without the use of technology. Based on the data collected I was able to infer that the integration of web-based games were more beneficial to students’ math proficiency than the completion of non-digital activities. 

Although my personal study indicated the benefits of technology integration, I wanted to know what other research suggested. In recent years, many studies have been conducted on technology in educational environments. These studies point to high levels of student engagement and learning (Green, Hill Lea, McNair, 2014).  A study conducted by Godzicki, Godzicki, Krofel, & Michaels (2013) found that students were m

ore likely to engaged in classroom activities when technology was used; and students’ behavior was more animated towards learning objectives when technology was used.

Studies clearly show technology is beneficial to students. Technology prepares students for the future. Technology integration leads to an improved retention rate. Technology helps students learn at their own pace. Technology connects with students. So why not push to integrate technology into classrooms?
Below is a video further discussing the affect of technology on student outcomes. The video discusses the changes and trends driving educational improvements today. Technology integration is at the top of the list of practices and resources that are supporting teachers and students. 

Green, M., Hill Lea, J., & McNair, C. L. (2014). Reality check. Teacher Librarion, 41(5), 28-34.

Godzicki, L., Godzicki, N., Krofel, M., & Michaels, R. (2013). Increasing motivation and engagement in elementary and middle school students through technology-supported learning environments. (Action research project). Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL.

Whitehad, B. M., Jensen, D. F. N., & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Cyber Emergencies: The "Stop, Drop and Roll" of the Virtual World

"Cybersecurity are the hardware and software devices designed to protect sensitive and private data" (Whitehead, Jenson, & Boschee, 2013, p. 223). Essentially, cybersecurity is like the fire-proof doors, shatter-proof glass and wind-resistant walls so many of our new school buildings are made of to prevent damages caused by natural disasters. Cybersecurity, just like these other protections used in the real world, is great for taking precautionary measures against the virtual world. But what happens when those safety precautions fail? Fires can form; glass can be shattered; buildings can be destroyed! Similarly, cyberattacks are growing at an alarming rate; so our cybersecurity solutions may no longer be sufficient (Ruby, 2015). So what do we do when these safety precautions fail? Are we supposed to simply go about our lives and pray nothing bad ever happens to use or the world we live in? No, because that is unrealistic. It is our responsibility to prepare ourselves and our students for ANY emergency, both in the real world and virtual world.Children are taught what to do if their clothing catches on fire: they stop, drop and roll. Children are taught what to do in case of a tornado: they seek shelter in an interior room and do not come out until it is all clear. Children are taught not to talk to strangers. Basically, children are taught what to do in case they are faced with "bad things" in the real world; but are they prepared to handle an emergency or "bad thing" in the virtual world?

"Schools have always been responsible for the safety of students while are are in the care of educators. It is a social responsibility that teachers and school administrators take very seriously. In an environment of digital learning and regular technology usage, keeping students safe and secure while online is a very real concern" (Whitehead, et. al, 2015, p. 141). As an educator, I, of course, find it necessary to protect my students from anything bad that may happen to them. Since I teach in a digital 1:1 school district, I incorporate technology into a majority of my lessons. My students use technology for almost every assignment they complete for school. So, since they are so immersed in technology, I have had plenty of conversations with them regarding digital citizenship, and, just as importantly, cybersafety. (My district has also found this to be an important thing to teach students and has even started a cybersecurity program for students starting in grade 7!) According to Whitehead, et. al (2015), "Cybersafety is the ability to act in a safe and responsible manner when interacting online. It also includes digital behaviors that help students to protect their reputation and to protect their personal information" (p. 141). Sadly, though, I have received contradicting statements from students regarding their extremely naive opinions of cybersafety and the virtual world...

"It's a virtual world. It's not real. Nothing bad can actually happen to me in a fake world."

                     OR

"But it was on the Internet; it has to be true!"

None of my students seem to have a solid grasp of cybersafety and the precautions they need to take to ensure they are safe in the virtual world. This lack of understanding regarding cybersafety makes me believe it is essential for me to teach this, not just digital citizenship like I have taught in the past. (Technically, teachers should be teaching cybersafety, anyways. It is incorporated in the state standards teachers are mandated to teach each year. Even K-2 Technology Education Standards state students must be able to "identify safe use of technology systems and applications; and practice responsible use of technology systems and applications" (ALEX).) 

Although there are some quality resources available to teachers regarding cybersafety and the preventative measures children should take, like the video posted aboce, there are very few resources provided discussing what elementary-aged children should do once they feel they have been virtually attacked. 

So, I took it back to the basics when teaching my students what to do in a virtual emergency. If ever they feel unsafe regarding something on the Internet, I told them to:

STOP engaging with the virtual component they feel is unsafe;

DROP the computer mouse/keypad/headset/device they are using to connect to the virtual world; and

ROLL right over to a teacher or responsible adult so they can assist them.

That advice from Sparky the Fire Dog always remained in my head regarding what to do if I ever caught on fire, so hopefully this catchy little phrase will continue to stick in the heads of my students so they feel safer in the virtual world!

Additional Cybersafety Resources:
*Teachers and IT: How to keep kids safe on Chromebooks
*NetSmartKids 
*FUSE Cybersafety Resources
*RSAC CyberSafety Kids

References

Whitehead, B. M., Jenson, D. F. N, & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Ruby, L. B. (2015). Rethinking computers for cybersecurity. Computer, 48(4), 16-25.

Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX). Courses of study: Technology Education. Retrieved from http://alex.state.al.us/standardAll.php?grade=0&subject=TC2&summary=2

Beyond the Blackboard:Understanding 21st Century Learners

“The pedagogical concept of education is the art and science of helping students learn. In helping students learn, there is a societal philosophy that we are trying to provide young people with the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will help them to be healthy, informed and productive citizens” (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boshcee, 2013, p. 82). However, the citizens of our country are constantly changing from generation to generation. The skills my parents needed to learn to be “healthy, informed and productive citizens” are not necessarily the same skills my current fifth-graders need to master. We need to prepare our students for the 21^st century by teaching them 21^st century learning skills. So what exactly does that mean? “{Having] 21^st century learning skills [means one has] the ability to a) collect and/or retrieve information, b) organize and manage information, c) evaluate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of information, and d) generate accurate information through the use of existing resources” (Pacific Policy Research Center, 2010, p. 2). One incredible tool that incorporates all of these skills into one is technology. 

I do recommend everyone read this short informative "book" on 21st century learning. I feel I have grown as an educator because of the information found here. 21st Century Skills for Students and Teachers

“Technology is a proven tool that can help lower dropout rates, enhance student achievement, provide access to information around the world, and raise students’ self-esteem” (Whitehead, et al., 2013, p. 81). In fact, there is ample research concluding the importance of technology integration into the curriculum; however, there are still barriers negatively impacting technology integration. “Technology is just a catalyst for learning. It’s still the teacher that’s key” (Merina, 2013, p. 21). Technology is an important key to our students’ success in the 21^st century, but if teachers do not know how to implement this technology and teach students how to properly use technology, then our students are not going to receive the benefits technology could provide. “Teachers need proper training and knowledge to help them take full advantage of the potential that technology has for reforming the educational experience for students” (Whitehead, et al., 2013, p. 81). It has also been found that professional development sessions held only at certain times, such as the beginning of the school year, do not yield strong results among professional growth. Professional development must be ongoing and meaningful. Studies have found that “the most effective type of professional development seems to be teacher to teacher and provided in the format and timing that meets each teacher’s needs” (Schrum & Levin, 2015, p. 44). Teachers need to be trained in the understanding that technology is not just a tool but also a new teaching method. Technology is changing the classroom, so teachers need to change, too. With the help of continuous professional development, all teachers will be better able to help students engage in and master the 21^st century skills necessary for them to be successful adults. 

References

Merina, A. (2013). Managing the technology takeover. NEA Today, Summer, p. 21.

Pacific Policy Research Center. (2010). 21^st century skills for students and teachers. Honolulu, HI: Kamehameha Schools, Research & Evaluation Division.

Schrum, L. & Levin, B. B. (2015). Leading 21^st century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Whitehead, B. M., Jenson, D. F. N, & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

The T and M of STEM

Despite the academic accountability mandated by No Child Left Behind, American students continue to struggle in mathematics. In an attehmp to improve mathematics scores and proficiency, researchers have encouraged the integration of technology in the mathematics classroom (Amin, 2010). Plenty of studies have shown that, when used properly, technology is a confirmed supplement to help students' conceptual understanding of mathematical skills. Technology tools are great for interactive digital manipulatives; and there are some incredible websites that help students practice math skills and memorize their math facts. But, I enjoy incorporating technology into mathematics because it helps bring math to life and makes learning more fun for my students! Please enjoy the video blog below which discusses a few technological tools I have used in my fourth-grade classroom to make math come to life! Amin, J. (2010). Twenty first century classrooms: Conceptual orientation. Journal of Computers in Mathematics & Science Teaching, 22(4), 381-399.

The Present: Yesterday's Future

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Predictions: 2012-2022 Summary stated that nineteen of the thirty occupations predicted to grow the fastest in the next decade will require postsecondary education for entry and will pay higher than other jobs. It is also interesting to note that the highest starting salaries for 2014 college graduates were for those with the following majors, in this order: engineering, computer science, business, health sciences, communications, mathematics and sciences, education, and the humanities and social sciences” (Schrum & Levin, 2015, p. 14). Similarly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employment in STEM occupations grew by 10.9 percent in the last six years (Fayer, Lacey & Watson, 2017). Research has also shown that some of the jobs our current students will have once they graduate from college do not even exist today (as discussed in the video above)! As new technologies are being created and developed, new jobs are simultaneously being created and developed to ensure these technologies continue to be implemented correctly and are continuously improving. “Even workers in “non-tech” jobs are discovering the technology revolution has not passed them by. In fact, it is rare to find a job that does not require some knowledge of computers or computer-based systems” (U.S. Department of Labor). While we cannot teach our students about the future and the jobs that they could one day have (because this, really, is unknown to everyone), we can give them the skills they will need for these jobs of the future. If our job as educators is to ensure our students are college and career ready, shouldn’t we start teaching them the essential 21^st century skills they will need to be successful tomorrow? 

There is not time like the present to start preparing for the future!

I believe the most simplistic way to start preparing our students for the future is by integrating technology into the classroom. This may seem obvious, but research has shown that only 85% of classrooms have projectors in their classrooms (Whitehead, Jensen & Boschee, 2013). Why is this technology not present for 100% of the classrooms? This is a simple, yet extremely useful, technology that should be standardized amongst classrooms in the United States. Similarly, only 49% of classrooms have wireless Internet access; only 22% of classrooms have an interactive whiteboard; and, sadly, only 6% of classrooms have a tablet for every learner (Whitehead, et al, 2013). There is more than enough research supporting the use of technology in the classrooms. So why is technology not more of a focus in our education system? Sadly, technology requires money, something many districts simply do not have; and requires the willingness of teachers to learn how to properly implement technology into the classrooms. “Many educators continue to depend on foundational pedagogies…that are based on a nontechnological educational space. This creates a unique philosophical conflict between how learning is conceived and how learning happens when technology is added to the equation” (Whitehead, et al, 2013, p. 9). It is essential for educational leaders to encourage teachers to become educated on the importance of integration of technology into classrooms. With knowledge comes power. If educators are knowledgeable of how technology is beneficial to students, they are, more than likely, going to strive to include technology into their instruction. A true educator wants to provide the best for his or her students, no matter what it takes. I believe educating and encouraging teachers about technology will help increase the amount of technologies seen in American classrooms, and, thus, will start helping prepare our students for the future.

Fayer, S., Lacey, A., & Watson, A. (2017). STEM occupations: Past, present, and future. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Spotlight on Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future/pdf/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupations-past-present-and-future.pdf

Schrum, L. & Levin, B. B. (2015). Leading 21^st century schools: Harnessing technology for engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

U.S. Department of Labor: Office of the Secretary. Reports: Future work. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/herman/reports/futurework/report/pdf/ch6.pdf

Kids Speak Technology: Closing the Generation Gap

Understanding technology is an essential skill for 21st century learners. However, teachers are not properly providing this understanding due to the generation gap between students and teachers. Students thrive off technology, whereas (some) teachers are terrified of it! It is time for teachers to step up, though! We owe it to our students to prepare them for the future; and if that means we need to incorporate deeper understanding of technology into the classrooms, then that is what needs to be done!
For more information about the generation gap, please view my video blog below.

A Star is Born!

"It says here that there will soon be a severe teacher shortage!"
"Gee, I wonder why."

There once was a time when teachers were thought of as super humans. When someone would identify themselves as a teacher, they would be greeted with warm wishes and kind remarks regarding how wonderful teachers are and how well they make an impact on children. These days, though, people make snarky comments and present sympathetic looks when someone identifies themselves as a teacher. Why is this the case? Because it is thought that the United States is not producing "quality" teachers. (People clearly haven't met the professionals that are a product of the University of Montevallo.) So, the way I look at it, teachers can do one of two things: 1) Teachers can continue doing what they are doing, allowing people to think and speak negatively of the incredible career path they have chosen, thus allowing degradation of teaching to become the "norm;" or 2) teachers can take every action possible to make the world realize there ARE good teachers and they are worth celebrating! According to Marzano & Simms (2013), there are three categories of teachers:

1. Superstars- These teachers are considered "irreplaceable;" they're the best of the best; students BEG to get these as their teacher.
2. Backbones- These teachers are pretty great; they're overall quality is satisfactory.
3. Mediocres- These teachers, exemplified by this brief comical clip, are the ones who are easily replaced; they resist change (and quite frankly, they're the ones giving other teachers a bad reputation). 

In order for our country to stop the act of degrading teachers, an act that has become too common, we, as teachers and coaches, need to step up and SHOW that we are better than ever. It's time to get all of our teachers to the "superstar" level! The first step is motivating teachers to WANT to be better. It has been proven that students perform better when they are actively engaged, motivated, and have a desire to succeed. The same theory can be applied to teachers. Often times, though, teachers do not understand what it is they should approve on. This is where the self-assessment and reflective teaching come into play. A study conducted by S. Pennington (2015) showed that the practice of reflective teaching had a noticeable positive impact on teachers' practices in the classroom. By asking all teachers to participate in reflective teaching, teachers will be able to identify which areas they need to focus on for professional growth. This will allow the teachers to take ownership of their professional growth, which will hopefully make them perform better in the long run. Also, by engaging teachers in this reflective teaching, there is a greater possibility of them becoming teachers of High Skill and High Will. "These teachers are motivated and know what they need to do to improve. They are relatively easy to coach and often coach themselves" (Marzano & Simms, 2013, p. 215).

In the perfect world of coaching, all teachers would be Superstars of High Skill and High Will. (Finding a teacher like this, at times, feels as difficult as finding a unicorn!) Although that is seemingly unrealistic, I was lucky enough to coach one of these unicorn teachers. To keep anonymity, I will call this teacher "Unicorn." Unicorn is a fairly new teacher; this is actually her third year teaching. She excelled her first two years; so much so that the principal moved her to a new grade level in need of strong teachers. By changing grades, Unicorn noticed that what she had taught in a lower grade did not work with the older grade. That is when she came to me. I have been incorporating "teacher-initiated coaching" with Unicorn. After completing her self-assessment, she asked me to help her better engage students in mathematics. We decided to focus on incorporating gaming into mathematical instruction. Over the past few months, Unicorn has seen tremendous gains in her students' motivation, as well as gains in their understanding of the materials. Unicorn is a great example of what amazing things can happen when a teacher WANTS to continue to grow professionally. All she did was ask for help, and then BOOM...a star is born!


References

Marzano, R. J. & Simms, J. A. (2013). Coaching classroom instruction. Marzano Research: Bloomington, IN.

Pennington, S. E. (2015). Inquiry into teaching: Using reflective teaching to improve my practice. Networks, 17(1).

Movin' On Up in the Gaming World

Every year teachers in my district (and I assume every other district in Alabama) must logon to Educate Alabama, complete the self-assessment, and determine which teaching standard(s) they are going to focus on while growing professionally throughout the year. One of the teachers I  mentor decided she wanted to focus on "Content Knowledge Standard 1.2: Activates learners' prior knowledge, experience, and interests and uses this information to plan content and to help individual students attain learning goals." In my opinion, one of the best ways to activate students' prior knowledge and experiences is through the use of technology. For the most part children are surrounded by technology from the time they are born and grow accustom to relying on it on a daily basis. So, it only makes sense to provide these tools in the classrooms.
Our district, as shown in the video, Huntsville City Schools Digital Initiative, adopted a 1:1 digital initiative in 2012. All students in grades K-2 were provided with iPads to use in the classrooms; while students in grades 3-12 were provided with laptops. Our district took a giant step in activating students' prior knowledge and experience by purchasing these technological tools. So, the teacher and I decided I would help her use these technological tools provided to activate students' interests. The first thing that came to mind when thinking of this topic was using academic games in the classroom. Just as a majority of children these days are surrounded by technology, many children have prior knowledge of and interests in gaming. The "outline" of our coaching stages is detailed below.

Not Using (0) to Beginning (1): Before I expected the teacher to begin incorporating digital gaming into her classroom, I had to help her understand the research behind this idea that gaming could be beneficial in the classroom when incorporated properly (Marzano & Simms, 2013).

 I asked the teacher to read the article, Using Gaming to Motivate Today's Technology-Dependent Students to see how technological gaming, specifically, could engage her students. "According to Lenhart, Kahne, Middaugh, Macgill, Evans, and Vitak (2008), the number one source for entertainment of 12-17 year-old students was video games. Their study on American teenagers showed that 97% of teens play video games, with 50% of them playing at least once a day. K-12 students do not want to read books or do homework assignments; they just want to play their video games" (as cited in Petkov & Rogers, 2011).
Gaming does not only motivate and engage students, though. The research below indicates how technologically-based games can actually effect student achievement.

• According to Spaniel (2015), "a well-designed video game can improve learning between 7 and 40 percent over a lecture."
• Shin, Sutherland, Norris, and Soloway (2012) determined that game technology positively impacts elementary students' learning in arithmetic. The student showed that students who were provided with technology-based games outperformed students of similar abilities who were provided with paper-based games.
• Chee, Mehrota, and Liu (2013) created a web-based game, Statecraft X, to explore the effectiveness of game-based citizenship education in today's technological era. Their findings imply the exposure and implementation of their game helped students form deeper understandings of citizenship and governance.
• Katmada, Mavridis, and Tsiatsos (2014) reported that Digital Game-Based Learning (which combines digital game-based activities and educational content) is an effective instructional method for the current generation because their abilities and interests are greatly impacted by the technological world.

It is evident that research backs the use of gaming in the classroom. However, a teacher must be able to incorporate these games effectively in order for them to deem beneficial to her students. She cannot simply allow students to play free-choice games whenever they choose. There must be a set time and reason for students to be playing the games. For example, if students were practicing with fractions and decimals, the teacher may require students to play the game Puppy Pull, because these skills are actually practiced within the game. In the past, as I have shown to the teacher, I have created Padlet pages for each skill I am teaching. On that page is a variety of games students may choose from (because not all students enjoy the same games) which all provide practice on the specific skill being taught. Here is an example of a Math Padlet I created to encourage my students to play games to help them practice geometry skills.

Beginning (1) to Developing (2): The teacher must execute the gaming strategies without errors or omissions (Marzano, et al., 2013). I gave the teacher a list of educational gaming websites that could be beneficial to her instruction. Some of the sites are listed below.

• http://roomrecess.com/ 
• http://topsites.primarygames.com/ 
• http://www.funbrain.com/ 
• http://www.cookie.com/
• https://www.mangahigh.com/en-us/ 

Developing (2) to Applying (3): The teacher must monitor her students' responses to the gaming sites by watching to see if the incorporation of the gaming sites is producing the desired effect of students attaining learning goals (Marzano, et al., 2013).  The teacher must gather evidence to determine whether or not the gaming is benefiting her students. If the sites are not helping, she may be incorporating them in an ineffective way, or the games may not be academically appropriate for the grade level. "The Applying (3) level is the minimum goal that teachers should aim to achieve when working on their growth-goal areas" (Marzano, et al., 2013, p. 155). Hopefully I can help the teacher move even further through the growth stages by helping her create her own educational games using sites such as Zondle. With this gaming site, the teacher can create her own educational games to meet the needs of all of her students individually. 

References

Chee, Y. S., Mehrota, S., & Liu, Q. (2013). Effective game based citizenship education in the age of new media. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 11 (1). Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?q=gamebased+learning+in+elementary+school+pr=on&id=EJ1012864

Huntsville AL Chamber, (2012). Huntsville City Schools Digital Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KGmpx8_MiY 

Katmada, A., Mavridis, A., & Tsiatsos, T. (2014). Implementing a game for supporting learning in mathematics. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 12(3), 230-242.

Marzano, R. J., & Simms, J. A. (2013). Coaching classroom instruction. Marzano Research LaboratoryL Bloomington, IN.

Petkov, M., & Rogers, G. E. (2011). Using gaming to motivate today's technology-dependent students. Journal of sTEm Teacher Education, 48(1). Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JSTE/v48n1/petkov.html 

Shin, N.,  Sutherland, L. M., Norris, C. A., & Soloway, E. (2012). Effects of game technology on elementary student learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(4), 540-560. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01197.x

Spaniel, D. (2015). Hacking the gaming experience: The (non-virtual) reality of cybersecurity video gamification. Educause Review. Retrieved from http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2015/10/hacking-the-gaming-experience 

Attitude Reflects Leadership, Captain

According to Marzano & Simms (2013), "The term coach generally means helping someone move from where he or she is to where he or she needs or wants to be" (p. 4). When I first hear the word coach, I immediately think of sports, mainly football. The coach is the leader of the team; the person who holds the team together. The coach makes the important decisions for the team; and the coach is the person who is reprimanded whenever the team does not produce the expected outcomes at games. In order for any athletic program to be successful, a good coach must be present. Simultaneously, though, "The key variables that will determine long-term progress are the people being coached" (Marzano et. al, 2013, p. 9). You can have the greatest coach in the world, but without a team of players who are willing to put in the time and work, you have nothing. The same goes for teaching: the product of a good teacher is possible only when that teachers WANTS to be a good teacher. This does not necessarily happen automatically; sometimes a coach is needed to enhance the skills of the teacher. Technically a teacher's university could be considered his or her first educational coach. We can consider the university to be the college football coach. It is the university's responsibility to provide the necessary resources for that future teacher to be successful. At times, though, teachers need additional coaching once they have secured a teaching job. They can be provided with an educational coach or mentor (we can think of this person as the professional football coach) to further enhance their skills. Just as it is important for a football coach to maintain the players' trust, and provide the players with constructive feedback, similarly, the aspects of effective educational coaching include trust, feedback, and choice. Personally, I believe trust is the most important aspect of effective educational coaching.

"Attitude reflects leadership, captain." -Remember the Titans

"Trust is an important aspect of effective coaching relationships...One factor affecting the levels of relational trust in a school is the quality of teacher-teacher and teacher-principal relationships" (Marzano et.al, 2013, p. 10). According to Peshawaria (2013), "A team with high trust will similarly produce results faster and at lower cost. It is clear that trust is one of the keys to organizational or group performance" (pp. 10). If you want your players, or teachers, to perform well, you must instill within them a sense of trust. In order to have a quality relationship between a coach and teachers (or between a football coach and his players), there must be a presence of mutual trust and respect. People will not respect someone they cannot trust. In order to earn the trust of teachers, Tschannen-Moran (2010) offered several suggestions: "Demonstrate goodwill and genuine concern for the well-being of teachers" (as cited in Morzano et. al, 2013, p. 10). Just as with students, it is easier for teachers to trust an educational coach once they know that coach's goal is to help make them successful instead of bring them down. If educational coaches prove they have the same goal as the teachers, which should be to create a successful, safe environment in which all students are provided with the tools necessary to learn, then teachers will be more willing to trust the knowledge the coaches have to share.

"A student will not care what you know until they first know that you care."

References

Marzano, R. J., & Simms, J. A. (2013).  Coaching classroom instruction. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research.

Peshawaria, R. (2013). Trust: The currency of leadership. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/rajeevpeshawaria/2013/09/22/trust-the-currency-of-leadership/#1eee4f4324f5

ClassDojo and PBIS

The most important thing I learned this mini-semester is the importance of instructional design. Quite honestly, I had never heard of instructional design before this course. Of course I had sat through many professional development trainings (what teacher hasn’t?!); but I never understood what made some of the trainings amazing and some of them incredibly boring and meaningless. Now I know that the beneficial trainings I have been a part of must have had a solid instructional design; whereas with the meaningless trainings lacked good instructional design. Instructional design is the roadmap to a successful lesson or training. A presenter/educator may know where their destination is; but that is not beneficial if they do now know exactly how they are going to get there.

In my opinion, good instructional design is similar to a good classroom lesson. Are there lesson goals/objectives posted and made known to the audience? Does the lesson properly cover the goals/objectives? Has the teacher/trainer provided activities that are related to the goals/objectives? Are the students/participants actively engaged? Were the goals/objectives successfully accomplished by the participants? If the answer to each of these questions is “yes!” then I believe the lesson/training has met the requirements for good instructional design.

The number one thing I want to make sure I include in my future trainings is good, meaningful learning activities. “The two key issues for all activities are: (1) that they must be directly related to the objectives and (2) that they provide the trainees with feedback or information about their performance” (Piskurich, 2015, p. 175). Activities, as long as they are meaningful, are a good way to keep attendants engaged and focused.

I will be conducting a training on the basics of, and how to set up and use ClassDojo. This training will be provided to the teachers of Hampton Cove Elementary School. Hampton Cove is a PBIS school this year; so using ClassDojo to supplement PBIS is a schoolwide expectation for the year. My training will start with a presentation. I will introduce ClassDojo and personally demonstrate how to set up and use the ClassDojo program. I will provide details about the “cool” features of the program and give them any tips and tricks I have discovered throughout my years of implementing it in my classroom.

Next, I will walk the teachers through the process of actually setting up their accounts and classes on ClassDojo. These steps will also be displayed on a PowerPoint presentation for the teachers to reference throughout the school year. This presentation and other resources will be placed on the ClassDojo Padlet page I created specifically for this training.  

Once all the classes are set up, the teachers will partner up and take turns acting as students and teachers. The “student” will have various cards depicting a real-life incident that could occur during the school year. The teacher will identify what positive behavior is being demonstrated and award the necessary point type.

So Many Activities!

 Of all the trainings I have attended as a teacher over the past four years, the ones that did not seem to be a complete waste of time provided me with useful information and activities that would help me incorporate this knowledge into my classroom. Activities are extremely important in a training; not only do they break up the boring lecture, but they also bring actual meaning to what the trainee is learning.

When thinking of the training I am going to conduct, I have tried to think of some activities that will be beneficial to the teachers I am training. I have thought of a variety of different, yet meaningful, activities to keep the teachers involved and motivated. I am conducting a training on the set up and implementation of ClassDojo. ClassDojo is a digital classroom management tool which provides instantaneous behavioral feedback to students, when used regularly and effectively. The best thing about ClassDojo is how easy it is to access; it can be used on any iOS and Android device, Kindle Fires, and the Internet! VIDEOThe teachers I am training are part of a Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) school; and the principal wants all of them to use ClassDojo as a supplemental tool to support the implementation of PBIS throughout the school year. 

During my training, the various activities I want to incorporate include a demonstration in which “trainees observe the performance of a task or procedure as conducted by an expert, either live or on tape (Piskurich, 2015, p. 219); a practice exercise where “trainees are asked to practice performing a task” (Pirkurich, 2015, p. 220); and a simulation-style role play in which “trainees enact a situation in order to try out new skills or apply what has been learned. A training environment [will be] set up to allow the trainees to practice a task under conditions as close to those on the job as possible” (Piskurich, 2015, p. 221). The details of these activities are detailed below.

Demonstration:

o   I will personally demonstrate how to set up and use the ClassDojo program.

o   I will also provide a video using Camtasia including important information about the setup of ClassDojo and the tools it has available to teachers. Camtasia is a tool that enables you to turn a screen recording into a finalized video. It could be very beneficial in creating tutorials for teachers or students; and I can also see how it would be beneficial in a “flipped classroom” (“learners are given pre-class assignments dealing with the cognitive content of the course that require completion before the class itself” (Piskurich, 2015, p. 453).  In my case, the teachers may access this video after the training and throughout the schoolyear as a reminder on how to use the program. I feel this could be a great reference tools for the teachers. I oftentimes wish I had recorded certain trainings because I forget all the interesting details provided. With this program, the teacher will have this information at their fingertips.

Practice Exercise:

o   The teachers will create a ClassDojo account and setup their classes after watching my demonstration.

Simulation-Style Role Play:

o   The teachers will take turns acting as students and teachers. The “student” will have various cards depicting a real-life incident that could occur during the schoolyear. (ex: The boy sitting next to me lost his pencil so I gave him one of mine.) The teacher will identify what positive behavior (PBIS only focuses on positive behavior) being demonstrated and award the necessary point type.

Hopefully the teachers will find these activities useful and engaging! 

Reference: Piskurich, G. M. (2015). Rapid instructional design: Learning ID fast and right (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Trainee-Centered Activities

Instructor-Led Classrooms are probably the most common setting for professional trainings. According to Piskurich (2015), classroom training should be used when:

ü  “Interaction with the trainer or other participants is important

ü  Guided discussion will lead to more learning

ü  Questions will come up that need immediate answers

ü  You have qualified facilitators in the right numbers to match the training load

ü  The trainees can afford to be away from their jobs for long periods of time

ü  The facilitators will do the traveling instead of the trainees

ü  Individualization is not critical

ü  You want more control over the training outcome” (p. 111).

What happens, though, when the facilitator has nothing planned but lecture and discussion? I’m sure we have all been to trainings like this…the facilitator lectures and provides information on the topic and then asks you to “Think-Pair-Share” with a neighbor. With this strategy, participants are given a set amount of time to think about their response, and then they are given time to discuss their thoughts with a partner or group before they are asked to share their thoughts with the entire group. Although this can be beneficial if implemented properly, we all know that those “Think-Pair-Share” conversations actually turn into…random tangents completely unrelated to the topic, or a discussion on what to have for lunch. 

In order to avoid these unrelated conversations, the facilitator needs to provide trainee-centered activities throughout the training. “The two key issues for all activities are: (1) that they must directly related to the objectives and (2) that they provide the trainees with feedback or information about their  performance” (Piskurich, 2015, p. 175). Although I have never conducted an actual training to educators, I have taught countless numbers of lessons to students. In these lessons, I provided plenty of “trainee-centered activities” to keep my students focused on the objectives and engaged in the learning. Since all of my students have laptops (Huntsville City Schools implemented a 1-1 digital curriculum in the fall of 2012), a majority of the activities I use to keep the interest of my students incorporate technology.

My favorite way to start a lesson is to activate my students’ prior knowledge of the topic. This way I can see what aspects of the material I need to focus on more, and what aspects can be breezed over. The best tools, in my opinion, for this are Kahoot and Quizizz. These are both digital “quizzes” in which students independently answer questions provided. While completing the quizzes, students are racing against their classmates to answer the questions quickly and accurately. Kahoot displays the questions and leaderboard on the teacher’s ActivBoard, while Quizizz displays the same information on the students’ devices. To try Quizizz in action from the students’ perspective, go to http://quizizz.com/join/ and type in code 932071. (I will announce the ULTIMATE winner at a later date! J)

Another tool I use during my lessons is a web strategy to foster creative thinking and cooperative learning. I use Today’s Meet in an activity similar to “Think-Pair-Share.” The students are provided with a topic, given a set time limit to think about the topic on their own, and then are given time to virtually discuss the topic with their group. (Today’s Meet allows you to create different groups and assign students to each group.) Since I am the administrator of the groups, I can see each conversation and can hold each student accountable for his/her discussion. Students know I can see what they are discussing which prevents any unrelated side conversations from happening. Also, the administrator can set the time frame allotted for the Today’s Meet conversation. By setting the time frame to just one hour (or whatever fits within the school day), this prevents students from obtaining access to this conversing tool after school hours. (Since cyberbullying is such an issue these days, the ability to control these conversations is a powerful tool for teachers.) A quick tutorial on Today’s Meet is displayed below.

Although I am not a professional training facilitator, I have been in countless trainings in which I was miserable the entire time. I feel like this has helped me in deciding what aspects of instructional design are important when planning a training. I definitely do not want my trainees to be bored and miserable while I am facilitating! Hopefully some of the tools described above can help with this issue and provide an engaging training to everyone involved.

Reference: Piskurich, G. M. (2015). Rapid instructional design: Learning ID fast and right (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.