Week+2+Assignment+Part+2.5,+Reading+Reflection+for+ISTE+Chapter+3

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This chapter deals with standard TF-III: “Educational Technology Facilitators apply and implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for utilizing technology to maximize student learning.” This is very similar to TF-II which is about assisting teachers in planning lessons for their students. This standard has to more to do with the curriculum than the creation of learning experiences. ======

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The beginning of the chapter was quoting studies that basically said that student’s use of technology and the internet were much richer and more meaningful outside of school than in it. This is what Prensky (2005/2006) wrote about in his article, Listen to the Natives. It was suggested that we are not adequately preparing our students for the future. This is exactly what I have been thinking about and in some cases arguing about with other educators. I am not underestimating the importance of knowing how to use the library or write a standard research paper. However, that is not the way society as a whole is going. I would often ask my colleagues, “When was the last time you checked out a book at the library when you wanted to know something?” This often produces an “aha” moment. I believe the technology and information organization skills we need to teach our children will more closely resemble web 2.0. ======

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When I am designing instructional units for my students, I want to incorporate both “traditional” measures such as reports, with web 2.0 measures such as an interactive multimedia project. Shank (n.d.) discussed the benefits of this kind of multimedia learning. Thankfully, I am now at a school with a functioning and well-equipped computer lab. I use backward planning principles (Wiggins & McTighe, 2000) when I design the multimedia projects. The first thing I need to do is determine what technological skills the students already have. I have had to scale back some of my more ambitious projects because the students didn’t have the prior knowledge of the software and/or basic computing skills that were needed. ======

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I have used these ISTE standards for technology married with the academic content standards to design projects and the related rubrics and assessments. Unfortunately, I am not yet in a place where I can work with other teachers on this, though I have discussed doing something rather informally. My hope is that as I share some of the products my students have created they will want to something similar with their students. ======

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My previous position as an instructional coach was effectively devoid of any technological components. Now that I am back in the classroom, my opportunities to facilitate teachers with regards to curriculum and technology are limited. But I will use the ideas in this standard in the future. I don’t anticipate leaving education anytime soon and the need for teachers to improve the correlation between curriculum and tech will only increase. I have learned a lot both from my colleagues at my district and school site, but also from the instructors and fellow students in this program. ======

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I am interested in continuing to learn more about the alignment of curriculum and technology. Specifically, I believe that student textbooks will more and more be replaced by online, digital, and multimedia technology. I want to be on the leading edge of that transition. ======

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Shank, P. (n.d.). The value of multimedia in learning. Think Tank. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/valuemedia/ ======