EDLD 5366 Digital Graphics, Animation, and Desktop Publishing Reflection

EDLD 5366 Digital Graphics, Animation, and Desktop Publishing was not the course I originally envisioned. I thought the course was going to be about using graphics and animation in Microsoft Publishing, however, I quickly learned after week one the course was going to include more things than publishing.

During Week One I learned about contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity (C.R.A.P.) in graphic designs. At first I thought I would have problems recognizing CRAP in designs but after reviewing several ancient history manuals from the British Library online turn pages resources it became apparent for me to distinguish the basic principles of design. In examining the British Library for the history of graphic communication and designs, I learned that pictures, words and designs were necessities for them to communicate about their culture. I really enjoyed examining the different historical manuals and the other graphics looking for the basic principles of design.

In the subsequent week, I learned about personal branding which was a concept unfamiliar to me. After reading the articles, “The Art of Self-Branding “, I understood how we market ourselves to the world. I thought www.lealea.net/blog would be a great site to introduce my co-workers to for them to recognize how they brand themselves without realizing it. When I developed my logo, I had to really reflect on me and listen to others describe how they perceived me. I had fun using the LogoSmartz software but I was disappointed that I had to purchase the software to save my logo as a jpg.

The next week we had to develop and create an animation using Scratch or Stykz. I learned how to use Scratch software to create my animation, and it has been advantageous for my students. I asked the campus ITS to install Scratch software in the classroom after I demonstrated how this software could benefit the needs of our at-risk and ELL students.

Overall the developing of the digital newsletter was useful because I can incorporate all the skills and techniques that we learned from previous weeks into a product that I can use with co-workers. This course has been rewarding because I learned about techniques I can incorporate into my diverse classroom to help increase learning and share with my co-worker about how to integrate multimedia into their classrooms. “Technology can help you tailor instruction to meet the needs of all students.” www.westedrtec.org/techtips

References:

Alcantara, L. (2009). The Art of Self-branding. Retrieved from http://www.lealea.net/blog/comments/the-art-of-self-branding-part-one/

Wahl, L., & Duffield, J. (2005). Using flexible technology to meet the needs of diverse learners. Retrieved from http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/kn-05-01.pdf

Technology Tips for Differentiated Instruction

EDLD 5366 Animation Assignment 3

Click on the boy to start!

EDLD 5366 Ancient Manuscripts and History of Graphic Design

In this assignment, I investigated the Bible of Ethiopia to reflect  the use of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity (CRAP ).  It gave me some impressive insight into the history of graphic communication and design.  I  was overwhelmed by the usage of design in the pictures, symbols, and color in these ancient books.   The cover had silver on a brown background to demonstrate contrast, the black text  and some red text on white background. The colors orange, blue, red, yellow, white and black were vivid on most pages to illustrated repetition.  The usage of the kente’ clothe in the book represented unity with the colors and heritage.  The author centered the pictures in the frame with some text and symbols.  The text was aligned in rows neatly horizontally on white background with some pages using  columns, borders and symbols. The proximity of the pictures, symbols and text were near each other.  The author’s techniques of pictures,colors, and  symbols employed through out the book represented an excellent understanding of design and the importance usage of CRAP was necessary in early centuries.

EDLD 5306 Course Reflection

After EDLD 5306, I feel that I have a broad range of 21^st century skills to incorporate into my classroom .  I envisioned learning how to integrate technology into my educational environment and how to use data-based decisions, sources, policies, and research, including the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, the STaR Chart, and Technology Applications TEKS, to develop, implement, and promote a vision that focus on the needs of all students learning in the 21^st century. I achieved how to complete self-evaluation tools in technology to help me understand my strengths and weakness in using and teaching. I learned how to make, model and use Web 2.0 tools to facilitate school improvement and student achievement within the social, legal and ethical issues through safety practices. This course aligned with creating, participating and facilitating learning communities such as wikis and blogs that supported the integration of technology in the learning environment.  

The achieved outcomes helped me maintain an inclusive and organized process to develop, implement, and monitor a cohesive, long range, and systemic technology plan to achieve the vision for student success.  My decisions must give priority to teaching student about safety, curriculum and instruction that focus on all resources, such as Web 2.0 technologies, by using data driven decision-making with attention on equality.  As an 21^st Century educator, I must demonstrate the ability to communicate and use data-based research strategies in a variety of formats, such as online learning communities, blogs, and wikis. These outcomes are relevant to my teaching because I can integrate, use, and improve the educational technologies in the classroom based on our campus needs assessments.  Finally, these tools can help create on-going technology needs assessments, protect student safety, find and use resources that recognize the needs of the digital-age student, and determine effective tools for improvement.

One outcome that I did not achieve was being able to apply these new skills at school because of the filters installed by the district.   Another was the evaluation and supervision of effective technology usage and integration strategies in the curriculum on a daily basis because the availability of adequate connectivity in schools and classroom to use technology resources are not available to implement new strategies, such as Wordle.  In this course, I was able to achieve all the necessary requirements to help me improve my students learning.  I learn how relevant it is to use technology to teach because I need to be knowledgeable about how to provide instruction in the 21^th century and not the 20^th century model of “one-size fit all”.  After looking at everything, my outcomes from this course were achieved completely.  Finally, the weekly web conferences provided me with interaction with classmates and the professor were very useful.

I summarized the key ideas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology and the four strands of the Technology Applications TEKS.  I evaluated the School Technology and Readiness Charts to determine the current technology status of our campus to help determine the current positive and negative technology trends.    I practiced how to embed Animoto video into a wikis and use e-communication tools, such as blogging and RSS feed, to reflect on the district technology plan.  After learning how to set up a Wiki account, I learned how to invited classmates to join a learning community to collaborate for the purpose of improving our professional curriculum vita.  As an administrator I must assess requisite skill for implementation of the Technology TEKS in grades K-8.   TEKS was designed to spiral giving students multiple opportunities to master the knowledge and skills. Finally, I learned how to use Wordle to create word clouds. 

I learned how to identify the source, location, relevancy and content validity of information and to participate in an online learning community as learner, initiator and facilitator. Leadership skills help me to analyze, evaluate and develop a theme for a wiki home page and how to blog.  I learned how important it is for the leader to research, model, evaluate and use technology resources on a daily basis.  As a leader, I am responsible for steering the course of our 21st century schools by making a personal commitment to get training and mastering the knowledge and skills required from an educational leader.  The analysis of the course helped me to understand how important it is for me promote technology in my classroom.  This course helped to advocate for all educators and learners to have the technology infrastructure to help them connect to the global world, their community, businesses and other schools.

           

November 3 Web Conference

Tonight, I completed my last web conference for EDLD 5306, and it was very informative.  We discussed week 5 assignments in details.  We were provided with page numbers from the intern textbook in reference to the intern plan.  We discussed examples of possible activities to include in our internship plan.  The conference was very educational with useful information to complete my assignment.  Now I can develop my intern plan for the program.  

During this course, I have become excited about attending the web conference to get information about the assignments.  These conferences have given me a different view of how important it is to have contact with the professor during online learning.  As a technology leader, I understand the significance of using web conferences to conduct short meetings.  This is a way to reduce traveling expenses across the district if web conferences are scheduled to handle them.  

October 27 Web Conference

Tonight I attend my fourth web conference for EDLD 5306.  The conference was helpful because the internship was explained in depth with information about future web conferences with Dr. Abernathy.  We discussed this week assignments and addressed any concerns.   Although my microphone  did not work tonight, I enjoyed listening to the interaction between the people in attendance.   I look forward to attending the web conference each week because it gives me the feeling of actually attending class.  My husband is attending graduate school at another university,  and he is amazed each week about me stopping everything to attend the web conference.     He watches from a distance to see how it works each week.  We discuss how modern technology is giving people  ability to see, hear, and talk with other people.   Maybe, next week all my equipment will work correctly because each week something works that did not function the previous week.

Second Web Conference

On October 13, I attended my second web conference in Educational Technology. I was disappointed that my sound was not working properly, and I could not hear the conference.  I missed the discussion between the participants and Professor.

After listening to the recorded summary of the conference, I realized that the problem  was with my setting. I learned from the summary the details for participants in the master program. 

My experience from the web conference has been a delight the second time because I realized the benefits. The web conference provided interaction between the professor and students through an online course.  It allowed us to view a PowerPoint with information about the internship requirements, assignments, location of the class information and website.  This provided me with a better understanding of what to expect throughout the program. Another  benefit of web conference is that it allows participants from various locations to meet together without leaving the comforts of their homes.

October 20th Web Conference

Tonight, I attended my third web conference for this course.  I felt privileged because only a few people logged in to the conference, and all my equipment was working proper.  We discussed week three assignments, the internship, and site mentors.  I was pleased to learn that my site mentor could be my campus Instructional Tech because I thought the mentor had to be a certified administrator.  During this week conference, I was more relaxed because I understood what to expect from the conference. 

National Educational Technology Plan

On March 5, 2010 the National Educational Technology Plan rough draft was published because of the Obama administration.  The current administration believes education has become an urgent priority driven by two goals:

• to raise the proportion of college graduates from 39% to 60% of our population holding a 2-year or 4-year degree
• to close the achievement gap so that all students  graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers by 2020.

The NETP calls for revolutionary transformation of schools to provide personalized learning instead of a one-size-fits-all curriculum, pace of teaching, and instructional practices by using technology. The NETP identifies five goals to address learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity.   The 21^st century educators will teach in  community teams that are connected 24/7, instead of solo classrooms.

 According to the plan, students need to be assessed continuously with more project related teaching that involves technology across sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  This will provide opportunity to create engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences for all learners  using  higher levels of thinking skills.

The model comprehensive infrastructure includes people, processes, learning resources, policies, and sustainable models for continuous improvement in addition to broadband connectivity, servers, software, management systems, and administration tools to bring together teaching teams and students anywhere in the world together.  

Technology can enable transforming education into learning environment; therefore, changing the 21^st schools to learning all year which will increase the required funding for schools. Teachers will adjust instruction by reorganizing teaching for all students

Longview Technology Plan E-Rate

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Longview Technology Plan E-Rate

View more presentations from Winifred Jackson.

District Technology Plan

Longview ISD is required to have an approved technology plan to participate in the federal Universal Service Fund program and the Title II Part D Enhancing Education through Technology program established by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. . All campuses and teachers are required to complete the Texas STaR Chart. The plan is a working document that aligns with the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006 - 2020 and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications for students, the Technology Applications Standards for Beginning Teachers and the Texas StaR Chart.

The technology department uses a variety of methods to accomplish the evaluation of the technology plan.  The department examines reviews and analyzes data from surveys, grade level technology skills checklists, professional development records, STaR Chart profiles, technology expenditure reports, web pages, District and campus plans.  Other data used to evaluate the plans are reports from Instructional Technology Specialists, technical help requests, server records, and hardware and software inventory records. 

The goals are:

• all students becoming technologically literate and applying technology skills to enhance academic achievement
• all educators and staff becoming technologically proficient
• all educators successfully structuring and supporting technology-based learning experiences
• adequate hardware, software, professional development and support in order to provide challenging curriculum, exemplary instruction and efficient business operations
• planning for hardware, technology infrastructure, software, professional development, and support.

Annually, professional staff is required to complete technology proficiency. The plan is funded with funds from the Title II, Part D and local funds.

October 6 Web Conference

On October 6, I had the opportunity to attend my first web conference in the Educational Technology course; however, this was not my first experience with web conference.  When I first tried to enter the room, it stated that the conference was already in session and I would have to wait for permission to enter.  My frustration level rose and I felt disappointed that I had missed the conference.  After I reached access to the conference I was unsure how the conference was going to work.  I learned how to operate my equipment during this conference.  The only thing that did not work properly was my camera. During the conference I received clarity on the assignment one, due dates, and the required books for the course.  We received the email address for the class website and the Cohort number.  The group discussed how to navigate the course and resource section of the course.  During the conference, I was delighted to see the participants, hear them speak, and read what was typed.  I was glad to know that no extra equipment was required for the conference.  Thanks for the opportunity to participate  before the required conference.

Technology Assessments

The assessment of educators and students’ technology knowledge and skills is must for the 21^st century learner.  The advantages of assessing teachers and students out weighs the disadvantage because assessments of  essential skills for implementation of the Technology TEKS was designed to spiral giving students multiple opportunities to master the knowledge and skills.  The only disadvantage of assessing teachers and students is reliability and validity of the assessments. 

With assessments in place that assess the complete level of expertise and competencies reflected in standards, student learning data can be collected and used to continually improve learning outcomes and productivity. Both informal and formal needs assessments to determine priorities for technology professional development should be conducted regularly.  These regular assessments are the key to improving the quality of learning in the classroom.   When teachers are knowledgeable  about technology, they will integrate it effectively in the classroom. The professional development component of the technology plan should include a fair and equitable system for assessing each individual teacher's level of technology competency.  The assessment can be used to determine the skill level of individual teachers and their needs for professional development. Such assessment provides data that can be used for future planning and development of strategies for teachers and students.  Leadership and staff must constantly collaborate to develop campus plans for integrating, using, and improving the educational technologies in the classroom based on the campus needs assessments.  Finally ,there must be on-going technology needs assessments to identify the needs of the digital-age students .