STANDARD 3 UTILIZATION Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation, and policy-making.
3.1 Media Utilization
Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning.
Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning.
EdTech501: Tech Trends
This was an early assignment in my first course EdTech501 and it was meant to help me examine how current and future technology trends affect the way I teach and learn. Through it, I became familiar with the Horizon Report, and as our professor predicted, it has become my favorite yearly publication. It highlights and predicts education trends and their estimated timeframe for implementation. I met Standard 3.1 as I selected one of the 2012 trends (electronic books) and explored how I could use this tool in a classroom. eBooks are gaining popularity as they become more integrated into mobile devices. The Horizon Report 2011 notes that “the most interesting aspect of electronic books, however, is not the devices they are accessed with; it is not even the texts themselves. What makes electronic books a potentially transformative technology is the new kinds of reading experiences that they make possible" (HR 2011, p. 8). I found this so interesting it caused me to reflect on reading in general and how I interact with books. It caused me to look at how my own children learn (by engaging with the material) and it is no surprise that electronic books can really make a difference in teaching and learning. They create a new world of possibility for everyone involved: students, teachers, and publishers. The sky is the limit with what can be accomplished. Reading is no longer a solitary, words-in-print experience. It can be a social, engaging, collaborative, and tactile adventure. I created this lesson plan for the students I volunteer-teach in Nepal who had just received two donated Kindles. It helped me think through how I would teach someone who was unfamiliar with the device. I never had a chance to use this lesson plan, as the Kindles didn’t arrive when expected, but I will likely draw upon it at some point.
EdTech541: Computer Networking Overview
This assignment took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to learn something I knew very little about: our school’s network. I met Standard 3.1 through examining a system and creating a resource of learning about that system. I met with the Director of Technology and he showed me around the school, pointing to hubs, nodes, and complicated cables of all colors. He took the time to draw me a map of how everything came together and answer my questions. Because I had read the course materials and had a framework to work from, we discussed various network designs and infrastructures. I created this Computer Networking Overview Prezi to explain the school’s computer network to other teachers to make them more informed and to potentially reduce frustrations and problems. I never had the chance to deliver the presentation, but I learned a great deal in the process.
This was an early assignment in my first course EdTech501 and it was meant to help me examine how current and future technology trends affect the way I teach and learn. Through it, I became familiar with the Horizon Report, and as our professor predicted, it has become my favorite yearly publication. It highlights and predicts education trends and their estimated timeframe for implementation. I met Standard 3.1 as I selected one of the 2012 trends (electronic books) and explored how I could use this tool in a classroom. eBooks are gaining popularity as they become more integrated into mobile devices. The Horizon Report 2011 notes that “the most interesting aspect of electronic books, however, is not the devices they are accessed with; it is not even the texts themselves. What makes electronic books a potentially transformative technology is the new kinds of reading experiences that they make possible" (HR 2011, p. 8). I found this so interesting it caused me to reflect on reading in general and how I interact with books. It caused me to look at how my own children learn (by engaging with the material) and it is no surprise that electronic books can really make a difference in teaching and learning. They create a new world of possibility for everyone involved: students, teachers, and publishers. The sky is the limit with what can be accomplished. Reading is no longer a solitary, words-in-print experience. It can be a social, engaging, collaborative, and tactile adventure. I created this lesson plan for the students I volunteer-teach in Nepal who had just received two donated Kindles. It helped me think through how I would teach someone who was unfamiliar with the device. I never had a chance to use this lesson plan, as the Kindles didn’t arrive when expected, but I will likely draw upon it at some point.
EdTech541: Computer Networking Overview
This assignment took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to learn something I knew very little about: our school’s network. I met Standard 3.1 through examining a system and creating a resource of learning about that system. I met with the Director of Technology and he showed me around the school, pointing to hubs, nodes, and complicated cables of all colors. He took the time to draw me a map of how everything came together and answer my questions. Because I had read the course materials and had a framework to work from, we discussed various network designs and infrastructures. I created this Computer Networking Overview Prezi to explain the school’s computer network to other teachers to make them more informed and to potentially reduce frustrations and problems. I never had the chance to deliver the presentation, but I learned a great deal in the process.
3.2 Diffusion of Innovations
Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the purpose of gaining adoption.
Diffusion of innovations is the process of communicating through planned strategies for the purpose of gaining adoption.
EdTech501: Digital Inequality
The collaboration required for this EdTech 501 assignment on digital inequality pushed me to a new level. Our five-member team acted as a pseudo-Task Force assigned to help our state’s superintendent make decisions on how to use $50M to reduce statewide digital inequality. I learned a great deal through online research about the differences between digital divide (the have’s and the have-not’s of computer access) and digital divide (the level to which a user can implement and utilize available tools). It is a complex issue, one I initially knew very little about, and I realized that support and resources must help provide education as well as access. This assignment was to create a VoiceThread, an online slidesharing program that enables various users to insert and comment. This presentation took a great deal of distance collaboration. The finished product and represents a three-fold success: 1) acquired knowledge of a complex issue; 2) exposure to and utilization of a new technology; and 3) strengthened collaborative team-building skills. I met Standard 3.2 through strategic planning for the purpose of forming a consensus and presenting complex information to a group for their adoption.
EdTech543: Digital Footprint and PLN
As with several other assignments in this program, what I took away from this went far beyond the content. I created 10 Strategies for leaving a positive digital footprint and growing my Personal Learning Network. It contains helpful links, resources, tools, and research. It meets Standard 3.2 because it diffuses specific strategies for user implementation. Since I uploaded it to SlideShare, it's had 4700 views–well beyond what I could have envisioned for a weekly assignment. I have presented it in a professional development seminar and used it as a basis to apply for a regional conference.
Life Experience: EdTech Didi website creation
About midpoint through the program, I decided I needed another forum for sharing my artifacts and projects with others. My learning log was getting a lot of hits, but it was heavily research-based and pretty dense. I needed something a little lighter that could reach teachers, parents, and students. EdTech Didi was born. On it, I include various projects, resources, and ideas that can help to educate, engage, and empower others. It has become my public blog, my pseudonym on all social media sites, and has provided me an outlet to share planned strategies in hopes to benefit the end user.
The collaboration required for this EdTech 501 assignment on digital inequality pushed me to a new level. Our five-member team acted as a pseudo-Task Force assigned to help our state’s superintendent make decisions on how to use $50M to reduce statewide digital inequality. I learned a great deal through online research about the differences between digital divide (the have’s and the have-not’s of computer access) and digital divide (the level to which a user can implement and utilize available tools). It is a complex issue, one I initially knew very little about, and I realized that support and resources must help provide education as well as access. This assignment was to create a VoiceThread, an online slidesharing program that enables various users to insert and comment. This presentation took a great deal of distance collaboration. The finished product and represents a three-fold success: 1) acquired knowledge of a complex issue; 2) exposure to and utilization of a new technology; and 3) strengthened collaborative team-building skills. I met Standard 3.2 through strategic planning for the purpose of forming a consensus and presenting complex information to a group for their adoption.
EdTech543: Digital Footprint and PLN
As with several other assignments in this program, what I took away from this went far beyond the content. I created 10 Strategies for leaving a positive digital footprint and growing my Personal Learning Network. It contains helpful links, resources, tools, and research. It meets Standard 3.2 because it diffuses specific strategies for user implementation. Since I uploaded it to SlideShare, it's had 4700 views–well beyond what I could have envisioned for a weekly assignment. I have presented it in a professional development seminar and used it as a basis to apply for a regional conference.
Life Experience: EdTech Didi website creation
About midpoint through the program, I decided I needed another forum for sharing my artifacts and projects with others. My learning log was getting a lot of hits, but it was heavily research-based and pretty dense. I needed something a little lighter that could reach teachers, parents, and students. EdTech Didi was born. On it, I include various projects, resources, and ideas that can help to educate, engage, and empower others. It has become my public blog, my pseudonym on all social media sites, and has provided me an outlet to share planned strategies in hopes to benefit the end user.
3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization
Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization.
Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization.
EdTech501: Plagiarism Video
This assignment was one of my first in the program and it created a solid foundation from which to build my journey. Using the fun new speech-to-text tool Xtranormal, I created a short video simulated discussion on various types of plagiarism. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association states that “researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due” and “each time you paraphrase another author…you need to credit the source in the text” (APA, 2010. p. 15). This assignment meets Standard 3.3 through instructing students about specific plagiarism examples and encouraging them to implement a foundation of honesty in real-world settings. This artifact adds to a wealth of online resources on plagiarism to help reduce the wide-spread cheating culture among students and lessen plagiarism occurrences on an institutional level. This resource is designed for teachers and students of all ages to implement. It is also a perfect example of how BSU’s EdTech program has worked and why I love it. I was given a topic to research (plagiarism), and then I presented it using a new technology (Xtranormal). This type of approach has a double benefit and makes learning more applicable in real-world settings and fun.
EdTech501: RSS Feeds
This assignment helped me find educational blogs that I wanted to follow, subscribe to their RSS feeds, and create and share my own list of feeds. I met Standard 3.3 through finding and using instructional material found on blogs and various websites in real-life application and then sharing that knowledge with my institution for the benefit of other teachers and parents. For example, I created a document to help parents subscribe to the RSS feeds of their child’s class website for Parent Conferences. Using Google Reader, I still follow many of the blogs I signed up for early on in this course. I have come across resources and ideas, such as conference calls for proposals that have been accepted, that I have applied in real-life scenarios. I also have since used RSS feeds to follow friend and family blogs, which has improved personal productivity.
This assignment was one of my first in the program and it created a solid foundation from which to build my journey. Using the fun new speech-to-text tool Xtranormal, I created a short video simulated discussion on various types of plagiarism. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association states that “researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due” and “each time you paraphrase another author…you need to credit the source in the text” (APA, 2010. p. 15). This assignment meets Standard 3.3 through instructing students about specific plagiarism examples and encouraging them to implement a foundation of honesty in real-world settings. This artifact adds to a wealth of online resources on plagiarism to help reduce the wide-spread cheating culture among students and lessen plagiarism occurrences on an institutional level. This resource is designed for teachers and students of all ages to implement. It is also a perfect example of how BSU’s EdTech program has worked and why I love it. I was given a topic to research (plagiarism), and then I presented it using a new technology (Xtranormal). This type of approach has a double benefit and makes learning more applicable in real-world settings and fun.
EdTech501: RSS Feeds
This assignment helped me find educational blogs that I wanted to follow, subscribe to their RSS feeds, and create and share my own list of feeds. I met Standard 3.3 through finding and using instructional material found on blogs and various websites in real-life application and then sharing that knowledge with my institution for the benefit of other teachers and parents. For example, I created a document to help parents subscribe to the RSS feeds of their child’s class website for Parent Conferences. Using Google Reader, I still follow many of the blogs I signed up for early on in this course. I have come across resources and ideas, such as conference calls for proposals that have been accepted, that I have applied in real-life scenarios. I also have since used RSS feeds to follow friend and family blogs, which has improved personal productivity.
3.4 Policies and Regulations
Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology.
Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology.
EdTech501: Elements of Educational Technology
For this assignment I met Standard 3.4 by analyzing the policy definition of educational technology and its application. I specifically analyzed one word “appropriate” of AECT’s definition of educational technology. I looked at this word through my own lens with the students I work with in Nepal and explored the ethical application of providing them with technology tools. I realized that educational technologists, of whom I am now part, have a responsibility to apply their knowledge in a well-informed, appropriate way in their present circumstances. For me, that has meant some mistakes along the way as I've continually adjusted and adapted my approach in order to meet the needs of the students I work with. While not without its challenges, I feel it’s an exciting time to be part of the educational technology field as I seek to empower others through my efforts.
EdTech502: Copyright Scavenger Hunt
My target audience for this assignment is teachers. I met this standard by breaking down complex copyright and fair use policy, rules, and regulations into manageable chunks that teachers can understand and apply. I used my developing web design skills to create a series of scavenger hunt links that explored: copyright, public domain, fair use, and creative commons. While these issues are complicated and can be very overwhelming to teachers, this assignment helps get the basics across in a way that others can understand. I will likely use this in a professional development setting or as a reference when asked.
For this assignment I met Standard 3.4 by analyzing the policy definition of educational technology and its application. I specifically analyzed one word “appropriate” of AECT’s definition of educational technology. I looked at this word through my own lens with the students I work with in Nepal and explored the ethical application of providing them with technology tools. I realized that educational technologists, of whom I am now part, have a responsibility to apply their knowledge in a well-informed, appropriate way in their present circumstances. For me, that has meant some mistakes along the way as I've continually adjusted and adapted my approach in order to meet the needs of the students I work with. While not without its challenges, I feel it’s an exciting time to be part of the educational technology field as I seek to empower others through my efforts.
EdTech502: Copyright Scavenger Hunt
My target audience for this assignment is teachers. I met this standard by breaking down complex copyright and fair use policy, rules, and regulations into manageable chunks that teachers can understand and apply. I used my developing web design skills to create a series of scavenger hunt links that explored: copyright, public domain, fair use, and creative commons. While these issues are complicated and can be very overwhelming to teachers, this assignment helps get the basics across in a way that others can understand. I will likely use this in a professional development setting or as a reference when asked.