TF - VII Narrative

ISTE Technology Facilitation – VII Procedures, Policies, Planning, and Budgeting for Technology Environments standard states,

Educational technology facilitators promote the development and implementation of technology infrastructure, procedures, policies, plans, and budgets for PK-12 schools.

For my final project in EDTC 5720 Computer Networks, I had to design a theoretical technology room based on 25-30 students using the space. Although it was a conceptual design, I had to decide the type of learning environment I was designing and who would benefit from this design. Plan the layout of the room. Design the network layout. Research and determine the best devices and equipment needed to facilitate such a technology-infused environment. The software best suited to facilitate the needs of the students to complete their assignments. The type of Internet connection required to support what would be needed for downloading and uploading assignments, resources, and study materials. The backup services, filing sharing, network security, support, and cost analysis.

My technology-enriched classroom was designed around the concept of an elementary blended learning environment. Combining classroom learning with online learning provides an environment where the students can, in part, control the time, pace, and place of their own learning. The purpose of the classroom design is that learners represent different generations, different personality types, and different learning styles. As facilitators, we should seek to use multiple approaches including, face-to-face methods and online technologies that meet the needs of a broad spectrum of students.

What was gained the most in designing the technology-infused learning environment was the experience of the entire thought process that must go into creating such an environment on a large scale. It is one thing to create a technology environment in our home for you or a family to use. However, it is an entirely different scenario to create one on a larger scale. The scenario was created with an unlimited budget, and in the real world, we must work within budgets as well as making sure what we are creating is not only safe and secure but also usable for the end-users.

Another class I took to meet the ISTE Technology Facilitation – VII Procedures, Policies, Planning, and Budgeting for Technology Environments standards was EDTC 6461 Design of Technology Supported Learning Environments Internship. What I gained from my experience in EDTC 6461 Design of Technology Supported Learning Environments Internship was the ability to create instructional materials that reflect current theory and research on learning, demonstrate a creative infusion of technology into the content areas, and approach assessment as a dynamic, process-oriented component of the learning experience. By focusing on the concepts and competencies that teachers ought to have to meaningfully integrate technology into instruction in their specific content area. This course supports the growth of teachers’ professional knowledge base and builds from there.

My primary focus of the internship class was to research and put together the Top 10 must-have technologies providing information, links, and examples of how and what can be used in the classroom to help facilitate and enhance the learning process. I also had the pleasure of creating a table that visually combined a variety of information pertaining to Reader’s Workshop into a simple table providing examples, resources, and strategies that can be used to incorporate Reader’s Workshop into the classroom and any grade level. Part of the project also included providing tools that could be used in conjunction with the resources and strategies. It also provided the infrastructure for the resources to be easily accessed and utilized.

A third class I took that also met the ISTE Technology Facilitation – VII Procedures, Policies, Planning, and Budgeting for Technology Environments standards was EDTC 6300 Technology Project Management. I created a technology plan to provide an efficient mechanism facilitating the collection and storing of student progress for the Volusia County School District’s Pre-Kindergarten team. This plan was accomplished by completing the following goals:

  1. Standardize tracking student progress using the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards in the areas of Approaches to Learning, Language and Literacy, Physical Development, Mathematical Thinking, and Social-Emotional Development.
  2. Centralize student progress by using organizational designated software.
  3. Simplify tracking student progress using rubrics created by the Pre-K Report Card Committee based on the top 10 most essential skills from Approaches to Learning, Language and Literacy, Physical Development, Mathematical Thinking, and Social-Emotional Development domains in the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards.

As I was completing this assignment, I had the opportunity to serve on the Pre-K Report Card committee to establish a more efficient and consistent way of collecting student data. This opportunity provided a means to put into action what I was learning in EDTC 6300 Technology Project Management - being a part of this entire process from beginning to end really brought to life the assignment for me. I was able to experience firsthand the work, planning, and thought process that goes into reestablishing, an old outdated system into a newer, more efficient method to be utilized by an entire school district. The whole process took the committee about 16 months from the first meeting conceptualizing the idea to implementation.

References

Copyright © ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777

EDTC - Educational Technology | Webster University. https://www.webster.edu/catalog/current/graduate-catalog/courses/edtc.html

Outcome 5

Promote the development and implementation of technology infrastructure, procedures, policies, plans, and budgets for schools and other learning environments. [TF-VII]


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