EDTC 5330 had to major components to the course. One had us use the design process to solve an instructional problem in our own world using technology. The other component was to help organize and run this years Ed Tech Conference at Texas State. For this portion of the course we each selected a topic that we wanted to present on during the conference. I originally was going to do a session that combined both design thinking and maker spaces. Moving forward other presenters outside of class signed up to do maker spaces. I decided I needed to do something different. The topic I chose is the one I am most passionate about so I knew make the change would be positive. I wanted to share about my experiences in a micro-school and brainstorm with teachers what assumptions we have about teaching and learning and reflect on if those assumptions help to inform what we do or if they are left out.

Below is the slide deck that I used to help seed different ideas for the discussion along the way. The big take away ended up being that it is not the tool that is powerful, it is the thinking and the community of learning that is built that is truly powerful.

ISTE Standards

Learner

1a Set professional learning goals to explore and apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their effectiveness.

1c Stay current with research that supports improved student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences.

Leader

2a Shape, advance and accelerate a shared vision for empowered learning with technology by engaging with education stakeholders.

3b Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

Collaborator

4a Dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology.

4d Demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with students, parents and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in student learning.

Facilitator

6a Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning goals and outcomes in both independent and group settings.

Analyst

7a Provide alternative ways for students to demonstrate competency and reflect on their learning using technology.