Module+1+Reflection


 * __Reflection Prompt:__** How has your knowledge of technology standards changed after this module? Reflect on your own use of technology standards in your classroom and personal use.

This module's reading assignments focused on introducing ISTE technology standards. Although it covered student and teacher standards it primarily focused on the first standard for technology facilitators. This standard is Technology Operations and Concepts and requires the technology facilitators to have thorough understanding of the technology utilized. The reading discussed the need for proficient use of technology in the schools, how to facilitate fluency of technology in staff through assistance and how to model strategies for other to learn. The reading concluded with a case study regarding a school that created ‘technology ambassadors’ to serve other faculty in their development of technology skills. The reading seemed to mostly reaffirm a conviction I already held, even prior to working in a virtual environment, which is all teachers need to be continually improving their technology skills and offering support and mentorship to other teachers. While working in brick and mortar, I noticed that a great deal of teachers, especially older faculty, refused to incorporate technology into their instruction. However, when they finally acknowledged another teach successfully modeling (multiple times) the use of technology they would inquire about the method. Inadvertently the tech savvy teacher would become a temporary mentor. A benefit of the invested mentoring however was more efficient instruction and higher student learning. Likewise a teacher is often overwhelmed with the exponential learning curve associated with immersion into the virtual environment. Personally I found the benefit of a mentor to be vital to my ability to teach online. Furthermore the mentor had to have an in-depth understanding of the programs and technology in order to offer successful instruction. Also immediate feedback and often ‘emergency’ situations required the mentor to be on call, at least through instant message. As a result I feel that a mentor set up, like what is in place in our school or what was created in the case study, would be a benefit to all schools. Prior to reading the standard I felt that my mentor teacher was simply performing a task for additional pay. Now I understand that regardless of stipend, my mentor was providing a valuable service to the faculty, the students, and the school. I have observed her going above and beyond to create additional instructional tools (such as Jings, PDFs, checklists) that she freely offers to all teachers. Likewise I need to push myself not only to offer help to other faculty but to expand my areas of expertise. I will look for new programs and technologies that can benefit our school. This will require seeking out professional development training, web surfing, and/or continued participation in the IT program. I will then familiarize myself with the technology, share the technology with other faculty and offer my support in their learning. It might be possible to have my Lead grant approval or advocate to administrators a hierarchy of ‘ambassadors’ in our school.
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