My expectations for course 5306 were miniscule in terms of the actual outcome. This being the first course of my Master’s program, I was slightly unsure of what to expect to be perfectly honest. I thought I would learn the basic concepts of Educational Technology (as the title of the class indicates) and how those concepts coincide with administration and leadership view of Educational Technology. Turns out, I learned so much more than just the technologies and how they are used but also the purposes and reasons behind their use. This area of study is increasingly more compelling to me the more I learn and understand all the dynamics involved. Knowing that 21st Century learners need a digitally enhanced environment to learn means teachers and administrators must learn to facilitate classrooms that enable using such tools. The foundation of this educational landscape reaches far into the planning, implementation, and curriculum and it is imperative that educators and their leaders understand all the aspects of it from standards and proficiencies to ethical and social behaviors.
The learning attained from course 5306 is most definitely applicable to my current role at ESC Region 12. Since I work with the federal E-Rate program which provides funding specifically for educational technology, it is essential that I understand its uses, applications, and all aspects thoroughly. Technology planning and STaR Charts tie directly into E-Rate because you must have a clear vision for district technology and the teachers must know how to use it in order to enable successful implementation. Although I understand concepts surrounding the Children’s Internet Protection Act with regards to E-Rate, I learned several key concepts about online safety and the legal and ethical issues surrounding it. There were several key takeaways regarding intellectual property that is helping in a current district issue with a contractor. Understanding intellectual property and how to protect the work of the district is something that was lacking and is being put to great use.
I was successful in carrying out my course assignments because I committed my evenings and weekends to coursework. The weekly to-do lists and rubric made it very clear what tasks needed to be accomplished and when. The work load was abundant but manageable. The key to completing all tasks by week’s end was to not get behind and make sure you worked steady throughout the week, as Professor Borel recommended in the week 1 web conference. I also really enjoy the fact that we are utilizing many free online applications that I was not aware were available and the fact that you can learn so much about your colleagues by going to their blogs and wikis. Seeing the respectable work of my colleagues also helped motivate me and keep the momentum going during late nights of studying. The readings provided by the online library are great resources and I like that there are options of the pedagogical content in which you want to engage.
I think I learned a lot about myself and my technology and leadership skills during course 5306. First of all, I needed a primer in the dynamics of educators and leaders as I am not an educator. I am a unique student in this course as I am not an educator but rather work in education as an E-Rate consultant for ESC Region 12. Given this background, it was quite informative learning about the teaching, learning, and curriculum side as well as procedures, policies, and planning regarding technology environments. There is a vast amount of work done by educators and administrators on state and federal policies and procedures that are placed on top of the already hectic schedules. This tells me that education is a noble career and that there will always be room for improvement in procedures and policies because one or two of those balls in the air are bound to get dropped. I am extremely proud to be part of education and know the road ahead will be bumpy but completely rewarding. Many of those rewards will come to light when we see the gap between the “digital natives” and the “digital immigrants” bridged and the vision of the state and national technology plans come to fruition.
Reference List
Prensky, M. (2006). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.
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