Course Reflection

This course has had a profound impact on my work as a technology integration specialist.  I had a concept in mind of what the role of a technology integration specialist is, but this course has helped me to shape how exactly one would fulfill said role.  This course has provided a crucial road map for implementing the role of a technology integration specialist.

I had previously created a needs assessment survey for my staff, but through this course I have edited and improved upon it.  I had never thought to ask questions such as, “How do you plan on utilizing your technology integration specialist?” or, “How do you prefer your professional development to take place?”.  By including questions such as these in my needs assessment survey, I can better plan for the needs of my staff.  I learned that many teachers prefer workshops to virtual webinars, and video tutorials instead of written instructions.

I love the templates from Sarah Meltzer’s book, Step-by-Step Professional Development in Technology.  These templates, especially the long and short term planning guides, have helped me to look at a technology plan as long terms goals, as well as in the form of achievable action plans.  Our school is sorely missing concrete action plans in our technology plan, and I plan on remedying that as we write our new plan for the 2015-2016 school year and beyond.

This course has also solidified my belief that great professional development is the cornerstone for any goal a school may set, especially when those goals are centered around technology.  I can use the resources presented in this course to create a solid professional development plan for my staff.  I've already started this process by steering my administration away from large, whole staff technology training, towards smaller training groups led by different “Super Users”, aka peer teachers who are above proficient at the skill being taught.

With new Common Core Standards being implemented, it is essential that professional development in technology integration continues to be an ongoing process.  At a recent conference I attended by Alan November, he stated that we cannot use new technology with old pedagogy.  The pedagogy must be updated as well.  Likewise, with these new common core standards lend themselves so well to learning deeper with an emphasis on real life problem solving using technology.  We cannot teach the new standards using old, teacher centered pedagogy, and we cannot integrate technology successfully if we are still going to teach the same old way.  “The new standards will require teaching techniques that are substantially different from practices that are in place today, and it will take time not just to teach those techniques but to give teachers a chance to implement them effectively” (Nagel, 2013).  Let’s give our teachers not only the tools, but the time to implement these changes successfully.

Works Cited

Meltzer, Sarah T. Step-by-step Professional Development in Technology. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, 2012. Print.

"Report: Effective Teacher Professional Development Crucial to Common Core -- THE Journal." Report: Effective Teacher Professional Development Crucial to Common Core -- THE Journal. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. <http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/10/report-effective-teacher-professional-development-crucial-to-common-core.aspx>.