Scott

**__Partner presentations (Scott/Jared):__**
**References** General information through (ehow) - available from:__[| http://www.ehow.com/facts_5920475_technology-assessment-elementary-schools.html]__ International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - available from:__[| http://www.iste.org/]__ Pennsylvania Department of Education information on technology - available from:__[| http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_department_of_education/7237]__ Levels of Teaching Innovation (LoTi) - available from:[| http://loticonnection.com/index.html] Apple Classrooms Of Tomorrow - Today (ACOT2) - available from:[| http://ali.apple.com/acot2/] Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) - available from:[| http://www.mentoring-association.org/MembersOnly/CBAM.html] National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) - available from:[| http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NETS] Creative Commons images through (Flickr) - available from:[| http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=fire&l=commderiv&page=4] Complete profile and blogs/information by the (LoTi) inventor Dr. Chris Moersch - available from: [| http://www.blogger.com/profile/03083714715202016010]

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====__Week 4: Part IV and copyright__ A lot of good information can be obtained from these schools and here is some of the more influential information I obtained from it.====

====__//Springdale high school//__ seems like a very typical high school in reference to its technology. I like that fact that the tech coordinator said that everyone needs to get involved and that technology information, resources, support, training and classes all need to be mandatory. Even though it seems very difficult to have enough time, money, energy and resources to accommodate each of these necessities; I also think there may be something a little more substantial to over come. I think the bigger challenge would be to create an entire staff and student mind set of being committed.====

//This is a culture shift, and yes, perhaps the most challenging. Good point. //

====//__Harrison Elementary__// – I think the author’s viewpoint is right on in this case. It reminds me a lot of my own elementary school. The "can do" attitude by the tech personnel and the will teachers have for trying to integrate technology is definitely there, however there always seems to be a disconnect with how it used and the final outcome. I feel that our school has the resources and the drive but finding time for both teachers and students to learn the tech is big issue. I also have to admit that although I try to integrate technology into my class and curriculum, I often find myself fitting right into that mold that Bruce was in. Its seems like kids sometimes get so lost in the mechanics that it is tough for me to move on further and focus on the true content.==== ====//__Woodvale middle school andLambert elementary__// - Technology is “a servant of the content, not a substitute for it,” a perfect caveat to today’s teaching challenges. How do we avoid getting lost in the “glitz” and keep the and interesting and engaging content? This plays much into the conclusion of the last discussion on Harrison Elementary School. In the original statement made by the author, this idea is the ideal reference point onto which we can see if there is any return on our investment. Most of the schools within this book and in reality, all have some issues with content versus appearance. It reminds me of the old adage of form versus function. Which is most important at which times? Even though the answer will always vary, it is definitely a concern to think about.==== ====//__City Academy__// – I never thought about the dilemma between test driven instruction and project based learning in quite that manner before. The author makes an exceptional point here about having a major clash between the constructivist project based learning platform and the behaviorist theory of high stakes testing as being to complete opposite ended approaches to education. Although I really gravitate more towards the constructivist approach, I just realized that it would never happen unless the entire educational set up was turned literally up side down. The physical layout of schools and classes would have to accommodate the learner driven approach to creating knowledge through experiences they desired. Teachers would have to learn every other teachers job to complete the project based concept and include as much as possible into each super compacted project. Test would have to be almost completely eradicated and assessments and rubrics would have to be totally redefined. Even though it sounds like a lot, I think it may have more benefits in the long run. I guess I’ll never know! ;-P==== ====//__Emerson elementary__// - He makes a real good point about equity of resources within the district. As for this school, it would seem that if efforts were focused more on a certain student population as he had suggested, there may have been a greater impact. This would rely on the staff using the computers and technology as an additional tool and again, not a substitute. However, you now begin a new dilemma concerning how and when to tell the difference. Will every teacher know when to use technology and when not to? Is that something that can be taught in a training or in-service session? As always, the more we look at solutions, the more it keeps posing new questions.====

====//__Copyright__// - It is very easy to get lost in all the copyright information and legal jargon that seems to cloud our judgment however, you just need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I must admit I certainly started to be scared straight into the idea that I was never going to use anything ever again, fearing I would violate some type of copyright law and have no one on my side to defend me if it really came down to a suit but, I soon realized that it is all really just common sense. If you think about it the "Fair Use" clause really gives a lot of leeway to education professional when it comes to copyrighted materials such as: our direct instruction content, use of pieces derived from any copyrighted material for supporting a point, position or factual information and use of material in moderation. I mean why wouldn't you use copyrighted material for direct instructional means in your classroom. Students need to see real life information and be aware of the world around them and using copyrighted material is a great way to accomplish that. As for the use of materials to support a point, position or factual information, copyright materials are very abundant resources and offer a lot of valuable information. I also would say that if you were a teacher who want students to achieve then you would use any resource available (whether modern or not) to enhance the experiences and information given to the students. In the same token you wouldn't give them so many resources that they wouldn't know how or which ones to use. Everything seems to work out if it is done in moderation and this is no different so, to that end, I would offer to my staff and anyone who asks me what my views are on copyrighted material are again, if you really think about it, just use common sense.====

//** This is the ultimate copyright video - appropriately titled "A Fair(y) Use Tale"! **//
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__Week 3: Technology Fix__
Once again, Longfellow elementary school is the perfect example of what types and uses technology can provide given the right circumstances. If you have money, it is so much easier to infuse technology and make it work. Plus have small class sizes is a huge advantage whether you had money or not. Smaller class sizes can really effect the students learning environment. If I was given my choice of any type of technology or smaller class sizes, I would definitely take the smaller class sizes because I would be more effective and reap more gains than I ever would with more technology. I would be able to attend to individual needs more and it would force me to use the technology I had to its most efficient capacity. As for Ludlow Springs, I totally agree with the author in this viewpoint statement of “I believe that computers, as they now exist and are used, will not transform schools and will not have measurable effects on performance.” I agree because it seems there are to different kinds of teachers who use technology. The first kinds are the repeaters, who simply use the same teaching methods just with fancier tools (example: vocab on a projection screen) and the second are the effectives', who have the students us the computers and technologies as tools to create their own learning (example: research on a mammal with a presentation). The challenges are getting to know/recognize the difference and how to teach the difference. Finally, I totally agree with the Sunset Hills idea of how they are building their high school. The administrators, like the author said, have a good vision which is based on the needs of the teachers and how to support them. I also like the fact that they are focusing their curriculum in the four major areas of language arts/social studies, math/science, fine and performing arts, and international business which covers all the necessities for the standardized tests and the interests of all students. I think this concept lends itself to the school being more flexible in planning for students strengths and interest while keeping an continuous learning environment at the center. It also seems as though they will be more effective with technology because they are smart about how they are going to use and implement it through their data driven decision making.

__Week 2: Technology Fix__
I totally agreed with the opening of the book which asks the question about how much we really are getting out of technology. The most interesting answer is not only the truth, but also the reality of what is going on in our schools today. Even though I was not surprised that there were issues with both accessibility and the efficient use of technology, I was taken a back at how wide of a range just these few schools had encompassed. It almost seems to me that having less technology would be better in a sense because it is cheaper and, it would amplify the creativity aspect of how we use it. In more direct terms, having a limited amount of technology would force people to become more inventive with the technology they already have. We talked about how fast everything is moving in class in the "21st century classroom" yet we never master any of it before we move on to the next new and exciting gadget. If you had the chance to use one program or one piece of technology to the point of mastery, you would begin to create new ways to use it or invent a completely different application for it all together! One the other hand, one may argue that with this incredible forward momentum we have built our technological train to travel at, we have accomplished more in the last fifty years than we did in the past five hundred and we can only imagine where it will take us in the next 50! Whatever the case, it seems to be a sure bet that you cannot have both. The schools with the most technology struggle with making an impact with it because of their pace. There is not enough time to train the staff, the teachers are uncomfortable with the students being further ahead in the understanding of the technology than they are, there is too much information to think about or to fit into your day. The schools with the least technology consistently drive new ideas for what can be done with it. Programs being developed by schools to enhance the curriculum, taking every advantage of each opportunity given to them because it happens only once in a while and expert distribution and efficiency of resources because of the given amount. It is definitely a "Technology Fix" and I believe an even tougher repair!

__Week 1: ISTE/NETS__
As with most of the information you read or new experiences you have with technology, reading through NETS left me with more questions than answers. I think it is great that we are continually developing new ideas and information to help students, teachers and administrators to deal with all of us being 21st century learners, however it seems to be proving more difficult than anticipated. I feel as though there is always too much on our plates as it is, and yet the harder we try to clean it off, the more that gets piled on. With all of the major surges in technology, it's a must that we (especially as administrators) have a much larger needed responsibility as educators. However, this responsibility, I think, is much bigger than we had imagined. We hear all this talk about preparing the students for being 21st century learners and to teach for their future instead of teaching from our past but, how do we do that? Even though I haven't found the answer yet, I think I may be headed in the right direction. This responsibility that I am talking about that we need to embrace is not to sustain a high standard educational environment like we always thought, but to create an environment of ongoing change. This change needs to become the soul of an evolving educational environment that continually is updated by new technologies and of course new standards. It's kind of scary to think about if you ask me. Even though all of this technology stuff is cool and exciting, we can't forget about how our teachers are going to teach it. As an educational professional, I have to start thinking in the terms that teaching technology is like teaching myself and others to be in a constant motion of change. I guess I could call it "teachnology". Still, some of the major questions I continue to battle with as I wage war on myself and "teachnology" is finding the time, resources and training (at any level) to design, develop, manage, record, analyze and modify meaningful learning experiences. I also find it difficult for the students to have equal access and opportunity to properly equip themselves with technology all around them, especially if it's not in the budget!