Michael C. Warren

Technology and Education

Field Based Activity and Validation

with 6 comments

Site Mentor Agreement Form (Signed PDF Document)

Summary and Validation (Signed PDF Document)

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard I. Technology Operations and Concepts TF- I.A Worked on making website changes with understanding of how web sites work and provide training to staff on use of Adobe Contribute. All field work could be related to TF-I.A as an understanding of technology was needed to complete tasks. August 2009
October 2009
2+
TF – I. B Research topics that would be used for training events, Research problems with software in order to assist IT department, and research and learn new district web system called eChalk. Attend TCEA conference. February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
August 2010
7.25 +
Subtotal 9.25 +

My main project has been working to improve the Maypearl Independent School District’s website. As I seemed to be the key person in the district with a major website development background I took the role as leader. I spent several hours working with showing administration, teachers, and staff how to create web pages with Adobe Contribute so they can manipulate pages that they have permission to change.  In order to do this I had to utilize standards TF-I.A by showing that I had clear understanding of web development, use of Adobe Contribute, and the direction of our district’s website.

I have really come to the conclusion that you must cover standard I in order to do all other standards. In this way having the knowledge is a technologists building block.  Because technology changes so rapidly, a technologist is constantly researching and studying to keep up with changes and new tools that become available. Conferences and training seminars are very important and cover standard TF-I.B.

As with any technology it is always hard to keep up with the wide range of areas to understand, from servers to software updates, it is important to have a good understanding of the changes.  In smaller organization a technologists has to have a a wider and deeper scope of knowledge. For me I would need to gain a deeper understanding of the broad range of topics I already understand.  I already plan to utilize my Lynda.com account to spend an hour a day to keep up with changes.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard II. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences TF-II.A Provide feedback to assist teachers as they offer assignments on their personal teacher web page. March 2010 .5
TF-II.B Meet with teachers at elementary school to answer questions about providing lessons on their teacher web page. October 2009 .5
TF-II.C Make sure use of tools by staff on website are suitable to be used. This was done with system initiated in Fall of 2009, and again in Fall of 2010 when we initiated the use of eChalk. October 2009
March 2010
April 2010
August 2010
.5
.5
.2
3
TF-II.D Provided eChalk training to help teachers create assignments on their website, as well as site management. March 2010
August 2010
.5
8
TF-II.E Work to implement software based learning of Microsoft Office for students and staff. March 2010
April 2010
.5
.2
TF-II.F Discuss the implementation of eChalk for students. August 2010 2.25
Subtotal 16.65

Several training sessions were offered to teachers where I covered topics such as using Web 2.0 tools like Google Docs, YouTube, and SurveyMonkey to show how these could be used in their classroom in order to bring technology into their curriculum. In addition I showed the staff how they could develop their website to bring in changes to help students gather additional classroom information outside of the classroom in order to help them in their learning. I primarily offered these training sessions to the elementary and middle school campuses while another teacher focused on the high school staff.

Once we implemented eChalk Ms. James and I began training staff on how to use the many tools that comes with eChalk to implement into their lessons. We purchased eChalk so that students would have account and be able to communicate with the teachers. We currently have it turned off so students cannot e-mail each other.  eChalk allows teachers to setup classroom pages where they can designate students to a group and they can participate in online discussions, turn in assignments, get assignments and resources, and participate in class surveys.

By working to show staff how they can use these tools to I covered technology facilitation Standard II by showing how students can utilize these tools to improve their learning in classroom and out of classroom environments.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard III. Teaching Learning, and the Curriculum TF-III.A
TF-III.B
TF-III.C Demonstrate how students can use the website for higher level thinking and to increase their learning outside of school March 2010 .5
TF-III.D Demonstrate how students can use the website for higher level thinking and to increase their learning outside of school March 2010 .5
TF-III.E
Subtotal 1

While providing demonstrations and teaching staff how to use the districts’s website to help improve learning for students I took time to provide examples of how they can use the group discussion to complete projects that included higher order thinking and even learning technology concepts.  While many of the students may already know discussion groups, many did not. This is an important skill that the students need to begin using because our dual credit courses are already using this technology with the system associated with the college.

This is one area that I have to work on improving when helping others, specifically showing how to integrate technology so that the teachers are not just teaching with it, but the students are using it to learn.  I can do it in my own classroom because it is imperative that technology application courses use technology, but my understanding of how a math teacher would use technology on a regular basis for students is a different matter.  Currently our school utilizes technology for presentation of teacher work, while students still do poster board assignments in a number of classes.  This is something I would like to see change. I would like to see monitors that played students work in the hallways in the same manner poster board assignments are hung on the wall.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard IV. Assessment and Evaluation TF-IV.A
TF-IV.B
TF-IV.C Evaluate how students will use eChalk. Consider student integration to the site and when we will offer them access. March 2010
April 2010
August 2010
.5
.2
1
Subtotal 1.52

One of our biggest concerns is how students would utilize eChalk once we decided to use the service.  Because our previous website only allowed students and parents to look at information with limited to no interaction then this was a new concern for us.  I spent some hours looking at what areas students had access to, by creating a fake account, and logging in I was able to test what would happen if inappropriate words were used, if they tried to send  to outside accounts, other students or receive email from outside accounts. I tested their blog options and after consulting with a Karen James, who was also involved in managing the system, and the principal we slowly began allowing students have access to their online accounts to interact with staff and classroom groups.

We are still working on making sure all the appropriate options are in place so that we can continue to improve and allow students more opportunities with the online system.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard V. Productivity and Professional Practice TF-V.A Learn about online testing systems to be used for student certification. March 2010
April 2010
.5.1
TF-V.B Reflect on new opportunities to reach students outside of classroom regarding school activities, such as Facebook and twitter. December 2009
March 2010
1.5
TF-V.C Modify changes to website to control access to files. Limiting teachers and department heads to certain sections of the site they are able to contribute to. August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
March 2010
April 2010
.75
2
.75
.25
1
TF-V.D Maintain Maypearl ISD district website using Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Contribute, and other HTML tools. Activities for this project took place during the entire Lamar University Master Program 31.75
Subtotal 38.6

With more hours spent on developing and redeveloping our online present for the school district, I covered all facets of standard TF-V which covers productivity and professional practice.  For Standard TF-V.A I in which I used technology to engage ongoing professional development I attended conferences, training sessions and researched information to help improve our district’s website so that I could help improve our teachers ability access training information.  One plan to do this is to implement a part of the website where teachers and staff could watch video and take part in training sessions to keep up with key information that they may be behind on.

For a short time I attempted using Facebook and Twitter to keep students updated on assignments, Overall I only had about 10 of my students get information from my dedicated page for my classes. I don’t know if it was the small rural environment or having their FaceBook linked to school that students did not care to participate in this study.

For Standard TF-V.C in which I applied technology to increase productivity for staff. I think having a website in which students can access their assignments will eventually offer good productivity, right now I feel teachers see it as extra work and in some cases are hesitant to use it.  Part of this process was reconfiguring the website so that teachers would have access to only their section to edit.  I also separated campuses out so that it was easier to manage.  In the end we were forced to move away from our self hosted website and use a service that managed much of the development for us.

Finally where I spent most of my time over the course of these 18 months was in standard TF-V.D in which I used technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community to help students in their learning.  As the developer I spent much of my time designing and redesigning the site, adding content, instructing teachers how to add content, sending password keys for staff to use Adobe Contribute.  All of this was to improve our district’s ability to communicate with the community.  Over the past 18 months our district has gone from a static site in which it strictly provided information to a website that has content provided by almost every staff member, teacher and principal of the district, as well as the ability for students and parents to interact with the site to get assignments and leave messages for the staff and teachers.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard VI. Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues TF-VI.A Provide training to Intermediate campus where staff covered copyright laws and what can and should not be placed on school site. October 2009 .5
TF-VI.B
TF-VI.C
TF-VI.D Show unique tools to Intermediate staff that can be used to offer additional functionality to their campus pages. October 2009 .5
TF-VI.E
Subtotal 1

During training for both the intermediate and elementary school campuses I covered a number of topics that related to both TF-VI.A and TF-VI.D standards. Items related to standard TF-VI.A consisted of training staff what information was allowed and not allowed to be placed on the district website.  Some of this information consisted of reminding them of copyright policies so that the teachers do not place assignments that are from purchased curriculum or how images of students should be placed on the web and what information can be associated with that picture.  I showed examples of acceptable tools and how they could be used on our website.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard VII. Procedures, Policies, Planning, and Budgeting for Technology Environments TF-VII.A Assist the Maypearl IT department in setting up adobe contribute and making website changes.  I walked them through the setup and use of the product over the phone while out of town.Work with teachers and staff to develop learning activities available on the web site. July 2009
September 2009
October 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
April 2010
June 2010
.5
2.75
.5

4.25

11

2.75

2

.5

TF-VII.B Develop procedures and guidelines for staff to follow on using and creating web pages. April 2010
May 2010
.5
2.5
TF-VII.C Met with superintendant and IT staff to develop and implement new web site improvements. August 2009
March 2010
April 2010
1.5
1
.5
Subtotal 30.25

As the district’s website developer I was involved in assisting the IT department in setting policy and procedures, meeting with administrators, and configuring hardware and software to make sure rules are set in place so individuals could not manipulate parts of the site that they should not have access to.  I also worked to make sure information on the district web site and the teachers web pages would help students achieve better classroom instruction.

Prior to June 2009 we did not offer this service where teachers could have a page or even add their own content. Any changes to the website went through one single person. When we began to allow staff and teachers to modify their own individual pages I had to begin to develop certain policies that the teachers had to follow.  Some of these policies covered use of external website tools, use of images of students, and what content could and could not be placed on the website.

Brief Description of the Activity Date of the Activity Internship Hours
Standard VIII. Leadership and Vision TF-VIII.A
TF-VIII.B
TF-VIII.C
TF-VIII.D
TF-VIII.E Meet with IT department on growth and future development of district website. April 2010
May 2010
1
2.5
Subtotal 3.5
TOTAL 100.38

Because the IT department did not handle the web I met with them on occasion to discuss the direction our site should be headed. In much of the case they really did not want to have to deal with it and did not care to learn HTML or what needed to be involved in working on the site.  I was able to help them make some progression by introducing them to Adobe Contribute. Of course they did not take to it initially, but during the summer of 2010 they called for some help when they needed to post some information themselves.  During May and April of 2010 I did discuss possible directions the district might want to consider when we found out that we would be losing our web hosting provider. Some of the discussion was what options are out there and should we continue to run our own hosting or move to a service that would manage the site and we just contribute information.  We opted for a hybrid Course Management System, Email System, and Web Site system called eChalk.

The eChalk system was put in place over the summer of 2010 and we began using it during inservice of the 2010-11 school year.  I have done training and have given the main role of content gate keeper to Karen James so I can focus much needed attention to 5 different curriculums I need to update and to look at implementing some other tools that we can use in the school such as Moodle.

Written by admin

October 22nd, 2010 at 4:56 pm

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6 Responses to 'Field Based Activity and Validation'

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  3. Going off of the previous comnmet discussion, how do you feel about a very shy, introverted student attempting to get the same sort of information from a teacher as an open and outgoing one? I myself am not a very good speaker, and am very introverted to say the least. In fact, I have some major social phobias which have led me to skipping classes altogether for fear of being called on. For some people this makes sense if you are unprepared, but I typically am up on all my work to the best of my abilities. In response to your video, do you agree with how school systems function with normal test procedures? I find studying specifically for a test is rather self-defeating to actually learning something. If everything not on the test is thrown aside, and a person is really only studying for a good grade, then nothing is really be learned (and more importantly, retained).

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