College of Education Mission:

The mission of the Pacific University College of Education is to be a community of thoughtful and responsive leaders who
- inspire professionals to value and serve individuals within their unique personal, family, and community context;
- construct and disseminate new understandings through teaching and scholarship;
- advance critical evaluation of theory and practice;
- advocate for justice through outreach and service in reciprocal partnership with underserved communities; and
- cultivate learning in and through our inclusive and diverse communities.

During this project-based course,  our community of learners will critically analyze technological tools and their utility for supporting learning. We will explore ways in which technology can provide student-centered learning opportunities for a diverse body of students. Topics will include quality Web design, technological pedagogical content knowledge,  hand-held computing, features of quality apps, current and emergent classroom tools,  as well as Web-based teaching resources; all of which will be referenced to the ISTE standards. Discussions will include observations of online curriculum and technology use in school classrooms, considering the implications of the “digital divide” in our world as well as our response to it as educators, and much more. 

Required Texts:
There will not be a required text for this course: Our weekly readings and course resources will be consist of carefully selected materials linked through our Google Drive Page as listed under the weekly tab.

Educational Philosophy:
I cannot simply teach you what you need to know about the use of digital tools and a range of other technologies to assist children’s learning. In order for you to effectively learn this material you must be willing to be an active participant in the exploration and learning process; constructing an understanding of these wide-ranging materials that is personally relevant and meaningful. Therefore I see my role more as that of a facilitator and a co-learner than as a lecturer. What I will do is provide you with a variety of resources and suggestions about projects that can assist you in learning. Your job will be to engage in these projects, utilize these resources, ask questions, and help me to know what you do and do not understand. This means you will have to spend a considerable amount of time using a range of technological tools either at home or in a lab to work on course materials. I have set aside time for office hours so that I can help. You may also drop in unannounced any time I am in the office. Furthermore, I have included my email address in order to encourage your questions and comments and in case you encounter pressing questions or problems. The bottom line is that the amount you learn in this course will be directly proportional to your level of interest and involvement. For good or bad, technology represent the vanguard of pedagogical implementation  in schools across the world, and I encourage you to throw yourself into this work. 

Course Description:
This set of project-based learning experiences is designed to introduce you to some appropriate ways in which technology can be effectively used in education, familiarize you with powerful technological-pedagogical practice, as well as review a variety of pertinent issues associated with their use. The focus of the course will be on why, when, and how to use technology to support students' thinking and learning. Through readings, presentations, lab work, small group work, projects and independent exploration, this course provides concrete experience applying technology to your teaching and lesson design. Successful completion of this course will indicate that you have met and exceeded any technology standards required for authorization and licensure in Oregon.

Course Goals and Objectives
As a result of participating in this course, prospective teachers will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to critically assess why, when, and how to use technology to support the learning and thinking process.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of equity, ethical, legal, and human issues of computing and technology use as they relate to society, and model appropriate behaviors.
3. Display an increased understanding of the variety of instructional programs available for classroom use, as well as appropriate methods for their utilization.
4. Apply current instructional principles, research, and appropriate assessment practices to the use of computers and related digital technologies.
5. Demonstrate increased sensitivity and skill with the use of adaptive technologies to support their students' learning.
6. Explore, evaluate, and use computer/technology-based materials, including applications, teacher utilities, educational software, and associated documentation.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of uses of computers for problem-solving, data collection, information management, communications, presentations, and decision making.
8. Increase their ability to formally evaluate instructional software.
9. Critically evaluate and utilize online sources or information.
10. Use a variety of computing platforms, Web-based tools, iPads, iPods, and other related technologies to support the instructional process.
11. Demonstrate increased skill in the use of hypermedia applications, electronic searches, multimedia, Web-based construction, telecommunications, blogs, wikis, and other recent innovations in educational technology to support instruction.
12. Identify resources for staying current in applications of computing and related technologies in education.
13. Demonstrate professionalism in a commitment to trying new software and hardware, develop strategies for learning to use new technological tools, and show patience and persistence in the learning process.
14. Use technology to support the learning of students with disabilities. 
15. Demonstrate progress on meeting the ISTE Standards, for teachers (below) as a necessary but not sufficient indicator of technological competence.

As a result of actively engaging in this course, candidates will demonstrate their ability to use technology in their classroom and professional practice as a:
1. Learner
2. Leader
3. Citizen
4. Collaborator
5. Designer
6. Facilitator
7. Analyst

Course Requirements
This is a project-based learning course that will utilize a number of requirements: class attendance, readings and contribution to class discussions; independent and peer scaffolded software and hardware explorations and class presentations; a number of technology projects; as well as classroom observations in your placements (for those currently in placements). However, the key requirements are 1) a demonstration of significant growth in the ability to understand about technology and to use it to support powerful pedagogical practices; 2) significant progress in meeting the ISTE standards for Educators, and 3) learning how to learn about, evaluate and implement emergent technologies.

Attendance. You are expected to attend each class and it is important that you do so. There will be many explorations and discussion of software use, and it is a time to work and learn with your peers in small groups. There will be work time most class periods for you to explore software and hardware and for you to make progress on your course projects. 

Reading Assignments. It is important that you come prepared to contribute to discussions, and to use designated software. Therefore you are expected to utilize whatever resources you need to be prepared for class. This will include reviewing designated course resources and readings before each class period. This will give you time to formulate questions and ideas that you may have about the readings and allow you to more fully participate during that class period.

Software and Hardware Growth. As part of your ongoing professional development, you will be expected to continue to improve your ability to use at least 4 different types of software: podcasting and blogging; graphical and/or video editing; internet browsers & web page construction applications; and tablet or portable computing technologies. Demonstration of this improvement will take place in small group presentations, project construction, and the design of lesson plans. By the end of the year I encourage you to be able to demonstrate functional cross-platform literacy using a range of computing platforms.

Observations - During the semester those of you in placements you will be encouraged to make observations about technology use in those placements. This information may be discussed during class, so please come prepared. The length of your observations and notes may vary depending on the nature of the observations or the level of your participation.

Independent Computer Work - It is expected that you will spend approximately 2 hours per week working on not only selected readings, but also on the different project assignments noted below. You can do this work in the computer labs on campus, or if you have the necessary tools you are welcome to do this work on your own. While we will spend time each week learning to develop projects using specific types of applications, the majority of the learning work will need to be done by you outside of class.

Specific Technology Project Assignments (including completion dates) 

1) Develop a professional website (Rubric) that will serve as a portfolio for much of your work for the rest of the year.  (May 1st)

2) Design a Guided Web Inquiry Lesson on the Social Studies topic of your choice. (March. 6th) see Templates

3) Research, design and produce a Vodcast to post on your Website & potentially the University website. (April. 3rd)

4) The fourth assignment will be a Technology Project of your choosing. You are required to do an interesting, useful, authentic project that will support your learning and/or the development of innovative educational tools. (April 17th)
You may select from one of the projects on this list of options or any other idea that is approved:
- Develop and teach the use of coding tools or maker's materials
- Become certified  on  Google  classroom
- Use a technological tool to develop content that you can apply in your placement
- Learn to use a technological tool that is new to you, and create lessons for classroom use and sharing
- Explore and formally evaluate new and innovative applications for  iPad or other tablet computing platform
- Help students develop and publish a Digital Learning Story
- Read a book like "The Coming Wave" or "Stolen Focus" and write a review of the book including a description of what you will take from the book and apply to your  professional work.
Each project must be approved by the instructor before you begin, and must be submitted with a reflective narrative that: 1) describes the project; 2) what it is that you learned from the project 3) ways in which you can incorporate what you have learned into your future teaching.

This technology project of your choosing will be evaluated on 4 criteria:
A. Ability to foster student thinking and learning. This is the critical element of software application, you will be evaluated on your ability to challenge students to use a range of thinking skills, and to design technology use to support these efforts. Powerful pedagogical practices should be your ultimate goal.
B. Creativity. It is expected that your projects and lessons will go beyond the perfunctory use of technology and will demonstrate a level of creativity in the manner in which you design and utilize technology.
C. Planning and Designing. It is expected that your assignments will demonstrate continued professional development in the ability to carefully plan and design learning environments and experiences.
D. Clarity of expression. It is expected that papers and projects will be well designed and written following the guidelines for appropriate stylistic elements, as well as content and grammar.

5)The fifth assignment consists of a  Reflection on meeting the ISTE standards for Educators (May 1st) Here is template that demonstrates what your reflective portfolio should contain.

All projects should be considered a work in progress and can be revised and resubmitted until the final day of class.

Assessment:

Your grade in the course will be based on a final assessment on the sum total of your work throughout the fall term. Because practicing teachers need to be skilled at reflecting on the quality of the lessons they design and teach, one element of this course will be the honing of that self-reflective competence. When you submit an assignment to me, you will use the rubric connected with that project to self-assess your work and submit that assessment to me along with the assignment. At the end of the course you will review the sum total of assessments and propose a final grade for yourself.  If you would like to explore some of the reasons for using an alternative method of grading, please see Alfie Kohn's treatise on grading, or Jesse Strommel's work addressing ungrading.

Throughout the course, assessments will be based on rubrics that are developed and posted as part of this course. A basic guideline that you and I will use for evaluation is as follows.

A score of 5 will be given when the work is comprehensive, fosters high-level student learning and creativity, and demonstrates a clear and deep understanding of the uses and strengths of the tool, technique, or content.
A score of 4 will be given when the work is thorough, fosters student learning and creativity, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the uses and strengths of the tool, technique, or content.
A score of 3 will be given when the work is adequate, fosters student learning and creativity, and demonstrates a functional understanding of the uses and strengths of the tool, technique, or content.
A score of 2 will be given when the work is not quite adequate, fosters limited student learning and creativity, and demonstrates a weak understanding of the uses and strengths of the tool, technique, or content.
A score of 1 will be given when the work is inadequate, fosters very little student learning and creativity, and demonstrates a misunderstanding of the uses and strengths of the tool, technique, or content.

Throughout the course, assessment will be based on rubrics developed for each specific assignment. You must accompany each submitted assignment with a brief self-assessment based on that rubric including the proposing of a score for that assignment.

On or before March 13th you will submit a mid-semester personal assessment indicating how you are progressing in meeting course goals. This should be one to three paragraphs long,  noting attendance, reading, and class participation; as well as the projects you have completed, your assessments, and feedback you have received. Submit this assessment through email with the title - "Tech Eval"

On or before May 1st, you will submit a final assessment of your progress. This should be approximately a page long,  reflecting on your attendance, preparation before class with readings, and class participation; as well as your self assessments of all the course projects, my assessments, and the feedback you have received.  As part of your final evaluation, you will submit the digital portfolio of your work that is evidence of the progress you have made relative to the ISTE Educator standards. Your final assessment must include a proposed final grade for yourself. Where in most cases this will be the final grade you will receive, I reserve the right to submit an my own final grade if I believe there is a lack of veridical connection between the work completed, my ongoing assessments, and your self-evaluation. Submit this assessment through email with the title - "Tech Final Eval"

Required Assignments with their final grade weighting:

1. WebSite (weighted x3) 30%
2. Web Inquiry(weighted x2)20%
3. Podcast (weighted x2) 20%
4. Personally Selected Project (weighted x2) 20%
5. Reflection on meeting the NETS-T standards (weighted x1) 10%

This is a means of converting the assessment per assignment into a number score as the total number of points in the course is equal to 100. Please don't focus on your grade, but on the quality of the work you are doing, and the quality of the projects you submit. That is what matters.

Final grades will be roughly indexed to the following scale:

Note: The dates for the class topics, readings and assignments (in bold) are approximate and it is possible that they may change as the course progresses.