ETC547 - Instructional Theory & Strategies in Technology Integration
Instructional Theory & Strategies in Technology Integration gave me a strong foundation on which to build the rest of my program. For the ETC 547 portfolio page, I was asked to select assignments that best represent my knowledge and skills related to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) NETS for Technology Coaches (NETS*C) Standard 6. Below I've copied the NETS-C 6 standards for reference and provided reflection on each assignment. To access the assignment click on the centered assignment name or the document list at the bottom of the page. A PDF of all the NETS-C standards is available as well.
NETS-C6. Content Knowledge and Professional Growth
Technology coaches demonstrate professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in content, pedagogical, and technological areas as well as adult learning and leadership and are continuously deepening their knowledge and expertise.
- Engage in continual learning to deepen content and pedagogical knowledge in technology integration and current and emerging technologies necessary to effectively implement the NETS-S and NETS-T.
- Engage in continuous learning to deepen professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in organizational change and leadership, project management, and adult learning to improve professional practice.
- Regularly evaluate and reflect on their professional practice and dispositions to improve and strengthen their ability to effectively model and facilitate technology-enhanced learning experiences.
Instructional Activity
NETS-C6.1 In the Instructional Activity, I was tasked with designing a course of instruction that involved a high level of technology integration. I had to ensure I used both Web 2.0 tools as well as a communication tool. Prior to this assignment, I did not have much experience with either. I learned about new types of Web 2.0 tools and secure communication tools for educators. It increased my ability to highlight content through technology, rather than highlighting technology through content.
I engaged in action research, which involved signing up for accounts and creating artifacts in various Web 2.0 tools. Though time consuming, this process allowed me to understand the types of processes involved as well as the potential final products. I chose an art project, as it is a subject in which I have some experience teaching. This allowed me to become familiar with potential content so that it could be matched with the most fitting technology. The final project required an engaging website that explained the activity. That can be found here. NETS-C6.3 This instructional activity felt like a culmination of my learning in this course. It allowed me to draw on knowledge I had already acquired as well as forced me to find new information to develop a complete and useful activity. The overall experience of designing this assignment elevated my understanding of technology integration. I discovered that I could not simply append technology to existing lesson plans. I struggled to find ways to incorporate technology into various classes and trainings I have created or facilitated. What I ultimately realized is that the approach to teaching needs to be adapted to the technology best suited to present the content. The potential exists to alter the content and pedagogy in ways that minimize instead of maximize the learning. The essential focus, to avoid this, is ensuring the technology enriches the content of the curriculum. |
Needs Assessment
NETS-C6.2 The micro-scenario in this situation represents a real problem when it comes to professional development and learning in any profession; resistance to training. Many people in the current economic climate, especially teachers, are completing more work for less pay than those that came before them. The scenario presented here requires gauging and negotiating the receptivity of the learners.
Adults need learning to be practical and applicable to their work. Otherwise, they find it a distracting annoyance. Often, training takes time away from other professional activities. Thus, I took the approach of combining the learning experiences with developing useable artifacts that could be used in the classroom. This approach allows teachers to directly benefit from the learning by being able to use their learning immediately in the classroom. |