Self assessment: NETS 2008 Competencies Document
Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity
I hope so! Right now I am in the process of finishing the 2008/09 yearbook with a group of students. We are using a combination of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe inDesign in creating it. I have tried my best to pass the ownership and responsibility to them. I help coordinate things, but the entire design, layout, and photography is student based. They are exhausted, but I feel the work that they have done have far surpassed my expectations and the creativity is outstanding.
Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
I teach technology classes from grades 6 – 10 (currently 8 – 10). Almost all of the learning experiences I create use technology. I also work with other teachers to help them develop digital learning experiences and assessments into their own courses.
Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Everything I do is on computers (mostly because my hand writing is atrocious, I need spell check, and I can’t hold on to a pen for more than 10 minutes without losing it). My students have electronic portfolios and never bring a pen or binder to class. I organize my life through iCal and store at least 5 backups of all my files. I’m not sure I model digital life and learning, but I certainly live it!
Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
I do units on Internet safety with grades 6 – 10. Topics range from cyber stalking and cyber bullying to copyright infringement, plagiarism, and computer viruses.
I also work with guidance to develop resources for use in elementary classes
Engage in professional growth and leadership
In a professional capacity I have taken administrative leadership in heading our school’s web team and tech integration team. In the web team position, with the help of the team, we create and administer the yearly template that teachers use to upload their daily lesson plans. I also wrote and, published on my website, a series of contribute tutorials that take teachers through a step-by-step process to setting up their sites. During the day I provide one-to-one training with teachers whose questions range from adding bookmarks to advanced Photoshop techniques. I also provide weekly training sessions for any staff that are interested.
The role of the tech integration team is to work with teachers in the school and determine what they feel they need to integrate technology into their lessons. As such, we provide PD based on teacher needs. For example, over the past few weeks, we have started using shared iCalendars to coordinate school events and facility bookings. Our role was to setup the infrastructure (using a combination of Google Calendars and hosting calendars on Apple’s website) and then train teachers how to use it.
In terms of growth I am enrolled in this degree. I am also an Apple Distinguished Educator and I attend yearly conferences and meet with other ADEs in the Beijing chapter.
My expectations of ETEC 565
I am interested in the technologies that we learn about and how I can use them in my own school to integrate it with teachers and students. I am particularly interested in using web 2.0.