Bianca Becker

Artifact  Reflection

 

Prior to my internship I met with the campus principal to determine what the campus technology needs and concerns were. I wanted to use my position as the Digital Literacy Lead to truly impact our campus and provide staff members with the support they needed to become avid technology users and integrate it into their instruction. As the DLL at my campus I helped set up our campus computer lab and make it user friendly. Workstations were numbered, areas were designated for display of resources, and I checked in on a weekly basis to provide upkeep and Tech support. I helped our campus librarian and morning announcements director broadcast video to the entire campus. During our spring district PD, staff were introduced to a new tool called Zoom. This allowed people to meet online, arrange school virtual trips, have classroom discussions and presentations within and outside of the district. I helped set up accounts and provide training to staff members in our campus that wanted to use the software. In addition, as part of my educational leadership coursework I decided to create a technology collegial reading group. I organized and facilitated a reading group on classroom media projects. After researching relevant articles, I held meetings with group members to discuss learnings and classroom implementation. This spawned a second project. Teachers expressed interest in having students create their own instructional videos. I gathered resources and provided tutorials and demonstrations for teachers on how to use iMovie, and how to develop projects for their social studies lessons. In January the district IT department requested that all DLLs meet on a monthly basis with IT Specialists. I met with S. Boyle to discuss campus/staff technology needs, how teachers are using technology in their classrooms, and served as a model classroom for district projects. As part of my duties and projects, I helped staff members develop lessons that integrated technology and were aligned with TEKS and district curriculum requests. 

 

I find that being the campus DLL helped me learn a great deal about the duties and responsibilities of technology coordinators and instructional technology specialists. I had to deal with a wide variety of issues ranging from everyday tasks to district projects and initiatives. I had to deal with concerns at a micro  (teacher and campus) and macro (district) level. 

 

While working on my internship I gained more knowledge about:

 

• District bonds

• Technology purchases for campuses and the district

• Developing technology focused professional development for staff that is interactive and engaging

• Developing campus/district technology plans and acceptable use policies 

• Managing campus networks

• Providing Tech support for hardware and software issues

• Managing our computer/media lab 

 

In retrospect, I find that the overall experience as a digital literacy lead and my internship have impacted my status in my campus. I took on a leadership role and assumed more responsibilities than I had ever done in my career. I'm currently in the process of applying for positions as district instructional specialist and as learning/media lab director for a local college. My learnings and experiences throughout the EDTC program have prepared me for administrative roles at a district level and in high education settings.

 

 

ISTE Standards for Teachers

 

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity // Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, cretvity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers: 

 

• (A) Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

• (B) Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

• (C) Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

• (D) Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments. 

 

2. Design & Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences & Assessments // Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessmetn incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers: 

 

• (A) Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

• (B) Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

• (C) Customize and peronsalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.

• (D) Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments alinged with content and technlogy standards and use resulting data to ifnorm learning and teaching.

 

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning // Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers: 

 

• (A) Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.

• (B) Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

• (C) Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

• (D) Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

 

4. Promote & Model Digital Citizenship & Responsibility // Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers: 

 

• (A) Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.

• (B) Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable acess to appropriate digital tools and resources.

• (C) Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.

• (D) Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

 

5. Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership// Teachers continously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and decmonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers: 

 

• (A) Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.

• (B) Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.

• (C) Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

• (D) Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.