Leadership

Leadership can take on different forms. As a technology coordinator, I am the leader at my school in encouraging the use of technology with our students. How technology is used in our school is a key aspect, more than what devices we use. I determine technology goals and objectives, purchase equipment and maintain it. Providing professional development is also an important aspect of my position.

Program Goals met in this theme:

1. Leaders in educational technology
2. Current in teaching and learning processes and practices
3. Current in research technologies and instructional programming skills
4. Knowledgeable of emerging technologies
5. Knowledgeable of current, technology-based educational tools and products

Program Objectives met in this theme:

1. Understand the capabilities of the computer, its impact on education, business, industry and government; and will be able to adapt to, understand, evaluate, and make use of new and emerging innovations in computer and information technology
2. Use systematic problem-solving and research-based human/computer interaction practices in the development of computer-assisted instructional programs
3. Be aware of professional organizations in the field of computer education and technology and their impact on the field of education
4. Be aware of current trends and issues in computer education, distance education, electronic communications, computer hardware and software
5. Use telecommunications-based tools to integrate information into the classroom and the curriculum
6. Be proficient in finding, evaluating, and using current educational research to support continuous improvement in their profession
7. Apply learning theory and the principles of instructional design in curricular and instructional decision-making
8. Integrate computer software, authoring tools, programming languages, the Internet, and multimedia into curriculum design and instruction
9. Demonstrate proficiency in teaching and assessing others in the use of computers and related technologies in a variety of educational settings.

Courses

CET 720 Evaluating Technology Outcomes

Course Description: Focus on the processes and procedures for identifying the outcomes of technology use at the learner, program, and institutional levels. A survey of strategies is also conducted for using technology in student assessment and for assessing learner outcome of technology integrated curricula.

Reflection: This class focused extensively on evaluation and assessment, especially within the field of educational technology. We worked on evaluating the use of educational technology in the classroom, evaluating school district technology plans, and discussed the importance of professional development and how to evaluate the effectiveness of it in your school. My artifacts from this class focus on those three areas. As a technology coordinator, I feel much more confident in evaluating what my school does with technology and what I need to do to meet the needs of my teachers when they use technology in their classrooms.

Course Artifacts:

- Ignite Talk – The Importance of Professional Development in Educational Technology

- Evaluation Plan

- Ed Tech Presentation – Educational Technology: The Basics

LT 785 Research Methods in Educational Technology

Course Description: Designed to develop the skills of the practitioner to be a consumer of computer-based learning research. This course covers basic and applied computer-based education research design and the interpretation statistics.

Reflection: This class introduced me to analyzing and interpreting data, especially with regards to educational technology. Overall, I found this class to be challenging, but it did lead me to a greater appreciation for research and the place it has in guiding education.

The artifact for this class is the research paper I did with a partner about the relationship between learning styles and online learning. What I learned from this paper will help me to understand and work better with the different kinds of learners I will encounter in online learning environments both now and in the future.

Course Artifacts:

- LT 785 Research Paper