A. B. C. D. E.

Setting up a Word Press blog as an e-portfolio for this course has been interesting , exciting, and frustrating. Simple solutions will suffice when all problem solving and understanding fails. My efforts to organize pages into a logical sequence based on course requirements succumbed to simple alphabetical order insertions in the page names to make them fit. Putting square pegs into round holes? It works for now.. perhaps at another point I will learn how to explore the wordpress codes to organize pages in an order other than alphabetically. I know it is possible. But it is beyond my time and understanding today.

I began my reflections on digital age teaching with the ISTE -NET standards from a +ive and -ive T chart and quickly realized that most of the items could fit under both columns depending on what I referenced. So I went back to the ‘list’ and reflected on my overall experiences in implementing technology into my teaching and leading practices. That helped.

Then I read the chapter ‘Faculty Development for the 21st Century‘ from the book ‘Educating the Net Generation‘ and was challenged to think about my personal digital FITness. This chapter refers to Fluency in Information Technology. The authors state that three kinds of knowledge is required: contemporary skills (practical experiences to build competence), foundational concepts (the how and why) as well as intellectual capabilities (applying abstract and critical thinking to complex tasks).

Now I don’t want to say I’ve been around the block a few times, but as I reflect, I realize ….. I’ve been around the block a few times !!!! 🙂 (in a good way!) Technologically speaking, I’ve moved through lots of ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ options. I feel I have always modelled, demonstrated and collaborated so my FITness level as it relates to modelling, promoting and engaging in digital work, learning, growth are probably stronger than other areas.

I was also very interested in the ISTE standards for administrators (school leaders) and thought there should be more common threads between the two. I was surprised to see that there weren’t as many as I thought. The principal as curriculum leader doesn’t really appear to be a focus, but there was certainly lots to reflect on in both my teacher and leader roles.

So FITness in the areas of design, customizing, addressing diverse needs, evaluating and reflecting on current research, and facilitating effective use of emerging digital tools are areas that I feel need to be ‘muscled-up’ during this course. Applying digital and information technologies to the complex task of learning (at all ages and stages), while focusing on the how and why, are critical parts of my own learning.

My flight path is beginning to look like a marathon route!

This is the beginning of the ETEC 565 course journey. This first week has been about introducing ourselves to fellow learners. It is about re-acquainting myself with the work and schedule of an on-line learner who also has a full time job in education. This week has been about reviewing the course materials, expectations and planning. Self reflection was the first part of this beginning module. Reading and reflecting on the ISTE NETs for teachers was the basis for our personal technology focused evaluation.