Assignment+Reflections

**EDLD 5306 (Texas Long-Range Plan, Tech Application TEKS, STAR Chart, Reference Wiki, Tech Survey) **
The Fundamentals of Technology assignments really focused on the overall outlook of technology planning, state requirements and which material a district needs to view to move forward. With the position that I hold, I have viewed all of these areas and have seen these as a teacher view and an administrator view point. They are two different ideas of focus with what the budget restraints are and the state requirements needed. As a teacher, I took the STaR chart when asked to, and knowing that it was a state requirement but did not have a true understanding for the self evaluation of my technology skills. As an administrator; undertstanding what the prinicpals are required to complete verses the teachers has cleared a few misconceptions.The TF Standard II states taking in communicating specific research that supports the direction that the campus wants and needs to take for the future of technology. This does make my mind clear of the reason why and how it works with the Texas Long-Range Plan. This year I was able to serve on a committee and help write the section for Staff development for the Technology Plan 2010-2013 year. The group is a dynamic one that brings in secondary and elementary together. Hearing what they had to say was insightful but there was conflict on what happened on different campuses with prinicpal expectations. Reviewed what the State requires for the STaR chart and part of the Tech Applications for secondary campuses and utilizing the survey we give every year. With these assignments; they brought all of these items together and helped me focus on what I needed to accomplish within my own position. It was strange that while I was taking this course these items were my focus in January of last year. Educator Preparation and Development always need to be the focus for myself as a facilitator, there is more that I could do to help teachers integrate technology. Teachers need to see what is out there to help and not hinder with research and administrative backing. The results show that they know technology is needed but how to embrace it and use it in their classrooms. They see online resources and the reason for obtaining SBEC credit not pulling all what they learn to their lessons. As a facilitator, we have to understand and take into account all legal and social aspects of the technology push and what it means within the education realm (TF-VI & VII). They almost seem apprehensive about adding it into their lessons but they have no problem adding it to their daily lives for the other side of their teaching profession. Website evaluation of the STaR Chart with anaylsis of each of the areas of technology, the Seven C's of Learning come to mind. Communication is the one that I have focused a great deal of my attention on, for many reasons (Richardson, 2007). If the board, district stakeholders, staff and administrators do not see the vision of technology and how students use it today as a communication tool then we are in a static environment as an educational entity. The creation of the wiki as a tool to comminucate with the campus technology representatives and other administrators was a great way to bring in the new Web 2.0 tool available and model what it is used for. I felt that many did not understand it. I did ask why it is needed to join an online community? The answers were that they did not have time for it. It still takes a face to face meeting to bring in some who are not fluid with true online communities. Viewing and seeing critical areas in the Tech Application TEKS is a need for growth in the secondary area. I did view my former campus which is a 5th and 6th grade campus, and was a vital resource for bringing in and using the most updated technologies. In the last two years, they have not been utilizing the technology tools on their campus. I took what technology apps that were required with the age group and used what I was expected to find as gaps in the technology curriculum as giant holes. Technology was not being used and some teachers had stepped back from it all together with excuses. Some common technology resources available within a district can support teachers in this area (Wahl & Duffield, 2005). Yes, the dynamics on the campus has changed but that should not be a reason that none of the technology was being used. Now with the research that was conducted, I have helped the 5th grade teachers set up a curriculum to bring in integrated ideas and programs bringing focus back to learning how a 21st century student learns. So far it seems that they are getting there and helping them understand how the district tech plan, TEKS, technology survey and STaR chart all show what was happening and the continued growth within their campus.

http://itnprogress.wikispaces.com/

**EDLD 5333 (Weakness/Strength from state data, Campus Action Plan, Professional Development for plan) **
The assignments for viewing the weakness/strengths of state data by evaluating the Campus Action Plan then creating a Professional Development plan for a campus. This became a building block to understanding the overall picture of campus planning. Focused on AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) to see if the campus met the requirements that the state and federal government has set.There has to be an understanding of the operations of all technology equipment by demostrating this knowledge at the campus level (TF-I,IV,V); as an administrator or classroom teacher to evaluating strategies by communicating the information needed to move forward with AYP and professional training. The next step is looking at how to change it if needed and what percentages affect the scores to where all requirements of AYP are met and will continuly be met. These assignments were a struggle because I am typically not a data driven person. If you are not familar with the data, you could miss important details to move a group or campus forward. There is an understanding of why data has to have a place for a campus and district to create a vision and make furture decisions. The data can set the tone or drive the campus to what the vision statement should be. A vision is something you see obtaining or working toward. Many consider this a mission statement because it could be a statement of fact, but a vision is a broad statement of what is needed for accomplishment. There has to be many inputs to a shared vision, it is affecting a large group; a clear collaborative effort in what the image of the future should be. Being able to understand the data to create the vision from the social and human concerns surrounding the demographic areas to the shared vision of the entire campus that all would work together to make the vision a success and for the students who are need of the vision to be successful to meet Standard VIII. In the case of a campus, the components need to be staff members, community leaders and parents that see a purpose and need to help with the vision of the campus. The campus would also need to observe other leaders and find out their vision and how they apply the vision in everyday life. Using the weakness or strengths of a campus you can focus you attention to key areas. I believe that you take the strong points and build the vision on but also include the weak points of areas in need. When looking at the data there were some clear facts of growth and I was able to interpret that viewing it from 2003 where the focus had been. The weak areas had to be work through with a created Professional Development Action plan to meet these areas of need. I created a plan for an all day staff development plus two meetings per semester throughout the year. Proud to say that the prinicpal liked the idea and is scheduled it for the 2011 school year. It has been changed just a little but the idea was there. What was mentioned was the fact that I was an outsider per say, because I work at the administrative office but with an objective viewpoint. Drawing in the principals for guidance showed the willingness to develop a plan for the campus in specific terms. There were not confortations or conflicts in the meeting but a need to help students and teachers in unison. They were open to the ideas that I laid out with the view i was open to what ideas they had. Focused on an area that they have struggled with but was bringing in technology that was already in use within the district. The use of the program I was able to obtain from other campus recently on that has a strong African American demographics. This is the subgroup that the campus administrators were struggling with. I took what Wiliam said in his article //Changing Classroom Practices//, by creating a community of learners. I took this idea to the level of educators. We want students to have a community of learning, why not educators? We are in this together and we should work together to create a work environment that helps each other.

"Meeting regularly in teacher learning communities is one of the best ways for teachers to develop their skill in using formative assessment" (Wiliam, 2007,2008).

With this type of thinking we can achieve greater educational goals and this lead me to view assessments differently. I have often thought that we placed too much time and effort on data but that is what drives us to the vision and goals that are set for educating students. My focus will be evaluating the pre-test 6th grade and post-test 8th grade technology assessment. Understanding Standard VII where curriculum has to be written and followed, I will need to focus on what technology skills are taught within these grade levels. Assessments are not the answer to all questions but will guide us in the direction we need to go to build up the skills needed to be successful in today's ever changing environment.

Wiliam, D. (2007-2008). changing classroom practice. //educational Leadership,// 65(4), 36-41.

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Understanding where we have come from was a great experience for me with the directiona nd teaching of technology has changed. Being able to interview a former teacher of mine and collegue explained a great deal of what has happened in 20 years of educational technology. Many believe that with my age that I used technology with more awareness than they did and that is why it is easier for myself to use. This is not a fair statement. I went into teaching with limit technology skills and then thrown in a classroom with a Mac, that I have never used before. Discussing what she went through and what I experienced it takes an level and age to tackle technology and overcoming the fears that some may have. There are often wide variances in teacher attitudes about the uses of the technologies from classroom to classroom (Levin & Arafeh, 2009). She was able to enlighten me with what the intial use was and how technicians would just drop the computer off at the door and walk off and now we have teams tyo help with learning. The changes have been good, but is it that now we are "spoiled" with how we are taken care of? I hope this is not the case but it changed my viewpoint on how I started verses the different age levels. Now age does not have a part in it but it is how you tackle the situation. Many believe this, with trainings that have been held hurt feelings arise. Having to overcome this and with the teacher I interviewed. Age was the first item she focused on and it was difficult at first to get past it.======

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There was just so much information on the different types of systems and how districts use them differently for many different reasons. One statement stood out with what my district has started using last school year. "These technology tools have afforded our teachers data at their fingertips for differentiating instruction" (Thompson & Gould, 2005). Since we have implemented Eduphoria-Aware to anaylze data that a works with our SIS (Student Information System) for demographics. Not having eight programs (only had access from work) to manage and trying to obtain data from all of them. The addition of the lesson plan function which pulls in our the scope and sequence also links with the gradebook. These types of programs benefit all, now with having 2 management systems at our fingertips and accessible 24/7.======

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" Technology is only a wise investment if it changes something about the way students learn, opens new doors and possibilities, and/or helps engage them in their learning experiences. We get excited when we see students engaged in research projects, visual learning, collaborative groups, authentic learning projects, problem-solving and dynamic discussions" (Tschirgi, 2009). ======

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This statement stood out for me in how the view of technology needs to change. Many see it as a hinder to their instruction or they do not have time for it. Students are using it at home and the educational realm needs to bring it to the classrooms. Many are creating that atmosphere but there is still many that are not. Students have to power down when attending school because they are either bored or not interested. I have enjoyed assisting some teachers with their integrated lessons and seeing the students work, interact and want to learn. It is amazing when you bring their items of learning into the classroom. There is just so much you can accomplish with students and curriculum using technology with many affordable. I learn so much more of the curriculum in any subject area from all of the students through their eyes than I would of understood on my own. ======

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During the evaluation of systems for budgeting and planning, I chose Surf Control and Deep Nines filters. Surf Control was the server filter that we just dropped from our district and went with Deep Nines. There was not a committee for changing filters and there is an understanding of both sides. I have felt left out of the loop when this changed happened. Nothing was ever said until it was implemented and problems arised. They are both similar but different systems of the way information is filtered throughout. Surf Control focused more on blocked or not blocked for anyone who logged in. The next-generation student information systems are Web-based and have an internal message center with access to outside e-mail ( Darby & Hughes, 2005). This proves that access is 24/7 and is not going away but pushing for complete access to all programs. Not very sophisicated in seperating one user from another but it did allow for an email to an administrator to review why a site needed to be unblocked. We used it for about three years and it block what was needed and it did what it was suppose to do at the time. We needed a filter that could sperate the student and teacher logins to keep up with the changing environments (TF-VII). Deep Nines can do this and we are now in the process of opening up certain websites to the teachers that the students will be blocked from. Filtering will be needed for the protection of children for the laws that we must follow (TF-VI). I also have the view of that if everything is blocked for content then how do we teach children what to look for in an inappropriate site? There has to be a little given for educationing children about the safety of the internet. Teaching students internet safety throughout the district has been a large plan for the last two years. I now documents what each campus does or requires for their librarian or teachers. Many invite me to kick off the campus Internet Safety Month. Students need to understand that the technology is there for their use but they need to be careful with what they are doing with it. Parents are becoming more aware with what we have been educating their children on and how they can help them. There are students that will try to bypass the filter no matter which one you have, but having something there to protect the majority is key.======

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Technology gives students choices to think outside of the box. Cooperative learning as wikispaces, google docs, and project-based learning help students work together anytime anywhere. Project-based learning is the key to bringing the 21st Century learner back into the classroom. Students need to learn to work in collaborative environments by having them gather, organize, analyze information, solve problems, and communicate with others (Pitler, 2007). Collaboration is a difficult task that a teacher has to give up to others to work with students who need to learn these skills for future learning and employment.====== My prior knowledge of UDL (Understanding by Design) was about 5 years ago. With the team of teachers understood that it would take at least 2 years to implement correctly. decided the best way was to start off small and to keep building on it every year. We tried to think of it as if we were teaching students, because we build on their knowledge and this would take the same ideas. Teachers had a half day work day to work as a department on curriculum and lessons. Many found that they were all doing similar things but if they put all of their effort together they could have a stronger lesson. Part of the team decided that this would be the first year work then the second year would be adding essential questions to the UDL lesson design process (Rose, Meyer, 2002). It seemed that the first year worked well with the defining of the lessons and scope and sequence collaboration. Being able to model and design curriculum ideas with the inclusion of methods, strategies and resources that are available for applying technology is referring the Technology Facilitators Standards III and V. With team members leaving and the administration changed drasticly, the second year did not take off or work at all. This was difficult because UDL's idea and structure does for the curriclum and students. Part of the assignment was creating an Understanding by Design Lesson (UDL) as a group. The idea of UDL plan is not a new concept but one that has not been fully implemented in many schools. It is a difficult and huge change for teachers and administrators to fulfill. The plan applies a different view on lesson planning and curriculum thats changes your viewpoint to working "backwards". There was confidence with my group with ideas bouncing everywhere; sometimes too many. From the article //I Teach this Way// states, teachers may have technical skills, may not understand how constructivism tranlates into meaningful classroom practice (1999). Bringing constructivism into the classroom shares the same views as UDL for grouping and planning to make effective 21st century learning. The main challenge working with a group was creating a cohesive lesson unit for science. The group focused on the creation of one detailed technology integration for Science, the study of plant life. The lesson had to be written for use in the classroom with technology as a supportive tool. Breaking technology tools down where any teacher could use seemed to be the most difficult.The assignment of Creating an online book using the CAST system, helped with the formating the lesson builder on []. This would of been a learning curve with planning. Knowing and understanding the terminology of what was expected of the UDL (Understanding by Design Lesson) design. While working, constantly clicking the edit button was time consuming. Waited more on the website to bring up the formatting screen then saving to go back to the home of my lesson plan. Once in the editing mode, the small box was difficult to deal with and anytime in the middle of typing, the program would save causing the cursor to be somewhere else in the box. A great deal of re-editing while adding materials was cumbersome. Each item had to be a seperate upload. It had a dropbox to organize information but having 10 items took even more time. The methods with sub categories took a different idea to planning. Guided and Independent lesson areas as main categories changed when adding them to this site. The CAST site had some examples of lessons that helped me set the idea of creating my lesson in a different way. Being able to use this format when conducting training promotes a more detailed lesson. This way we can focus teachers to look at the assessment tool and content before looking at overall lesson design. Many teachers do look at assessment but not build lesson plans from it. Wish the CAST site was more intutive with how to type the lesson into it. This to me is more difficult than Eduphoria Forethought which can be a set back for some teachers. Utilizing technology into the everyday lesson planning and assessment evaluations to maximize student learning (III,IV) Overall, the experience is worth it and will show and train teachers to use this as a resource for a creative lesson design. Professional Development has to meet the needs of all participants by bringing them all together to learn Web 2.0 tools. The instructional strategies that have a high probability of enhancing student achievement for //all students//, in //all subject areas//, and at //all grade levels// (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, 2007). Teaching needs to change for all involved, technology is there but integration into lesson planning is not. This is difficult if the new knowledge is not used within the 48 hours of new learning then it typically is not used at all. All group members dealt with similar experience but learning from it was key. Chatting on Google Chat helped calm our nerves and frustration but gave us an outlet to ask questions. It was this that instilled the confidence in what I do and how I can engage teachers with Web 2.0 learning.


 * EDLD 5368 (Web 2.0 Tools for Online Learning) **

The assignment for this course was understanding and creating your own online learning environment. The benefits to online learning is the cost, creativity and convenvient times, the three C's. It does take a backwards design approach to create an online learning course. You have to know what the end result should be or the essence of the entire process of the leanring environment. Educators need to understand the role of what online learning could be to everyone involved. Now, I do not see it being a hundred percent online but an integrated teacher face to face with online work. This will help students and educators to have the safety of a professor being accessible and conducting most of the learning online. As an Instructional Technology leader as stated from Bowker, "our push is to find out as much as possible to benefit our classroom teachers. We also have to improve student learning and bring them ideas and things that they would not normally do within a classroom"(2010). The course I set up will be used with teaching administrators what online learning will continue to grow into and what teachers need to be able to integrate technology into their lesson plans. Designed the course in a way that would question what integration was to them and what it actually is in the classroom. There are two different views on it with misunderstandings on both sides. The administrators needed see what was accessible to teachers within the district and different ways to incorporate them into their plans without it being a dreaded "project". There has been resistance to true on-line learning for lack of experience and not understanding the time involved. There was a point where I had to email the participants to participate in the trail course. Many stated that they had forgotten and asked for log in information. It seems to be on the backseat of items to do and learn to work with. All participants were asked if they wanted to be involved, just as if they registered for the course themselves. There was aggrevation there, but I took into account that this was a new undiscovered area where nerves took over. With this new additional knowledge of online learning, this past year added a book study using the e-course available through Eduphoria and face to face courses that utilize all resources on a wiki with collaboration within the class and outside for a multi-session training. Also, a course utilizing a blog and wiki concept to conduct a course without meeting face to face but through email to begin then strictly wiki and blog discussions. Technologists must engage teachers in the types of interactive, complex, inquiry-based learning scenarios; utilizing Standard II (Williamson & Redish, 2009). Bringing in new and exciting tools is one way to open educators minds to what is available to them. All of these courses will begin a new experience and challenges but the results will be revealed throughout the next school year. Being introduced to Schoology, we are now looking at using this tool within the district. It was fairly easy to use and simple for educators not tech savvy to understand and use. I am taking all of this learning and applying it to my position and helping the teachers grow. I have already started using online resorces and took the learning from Wiggins and McTighe on applying the backward design approach. Brought in groups of teachers to work together and collaborate on the skills needed for all learners. Adding online tools is a way to bring all learners together. Maximizing student learning is always first, by modeling the type of technology integration for a classroom setting shows the strategies and methods needed (TF III). Giving educators time and assistance to utilize the tools brings confidence to the ability to bring the tools within the classroom. There is a need to slowly bring the gap that is the traditional teaching style to student learning. The purpose and reasons we need to add this to the future pieces to educational learning for all students and teachers is being adaptive to changing in environment of learning and skills. From Watson, "M any students in the 21st century don’t think of technology as something separate from daily life, and perhaps online learning should not be thought of as separate from the teaching and learning that goes on in schools every day (2007). Questions need to be asked before the process begins with key personnel. The questions that have to be raised are: Why is this important?, Who will oversee the program?, What online learning tools have been researched and the decisions for the one choosen? Who would be the target audience? All of these questions as an administrative group should question before moving ahead. If all participants are not on board the implementation will not succeed and may take longer to have individuals understand online learning as another resource to promote learning.

EDLD 5366 (Newsletter)
The newsletter for this course has become a great opener for what work I now conduct with the campus my son attends and the Instructional Technology webpage that I oversee. There was a learning curve here by taking in all the criteria of a professional newsletter. Many apsects such as white space flow and repetition of layout never crossed my mind. I had proably done these items not thinking of the terminology and understanding of what work was being done. An important aspect for a newsletter to stand out is adding contrast throughout the pages. The four key areas have broadened my thought process on the layout of a creative educational professional newsletter. Repetition is needed to build a consistancy for all pages. Similarities to all pages have to flow seemlessly with repetitive factors to keep the eye going throughout. Learning about correct alignment features is having all areas match in the sense of flow of a pattern. This could be how the columns are set up or how each article pieces are placed together with alignments within the page. Proximity applies to what the eye's attention is drawn to. The headline or a graphic draws the eye for proximity.All of these items guided my new learning on organizing the newsletter to be a functional and informative. With today's learners there is a need to "meeting the new learning styles and preferences of digital-age students" (Williamson & Redish, p. 60). Taking what is normally used as desktop publishing curriculum to bringing in web 2.0 tools is the up hill challenge facing educators. With the creation of the newsletter, this is now used as a template for the school newsletter at my son’s school. There were stumbling blocks along the way in how to use it within my position. The set up entailed being a infromative educational letter with technology skills and ideas for the up coming month. Tryng to keep a professional look but one with a comfortable teacher look was surreal by keeping ideas from overflowing with technical jargon. The icon for the assignment leads me to work with PhotoShop Elements, which there never seems time to do (TF V). It became a basic one that was utilize on a wiki created for a training this summer. There were questions about it and why it was created. None of the comments were unprofessional but nice that individuals noticed the change and agreed with it. With the creation of the newsletter brought me to having a discussion with the prinicpal and PTO president of my son's elementary school. A committee was formed to review the look and ideas that was presented as the campus monthly newsletter. I did not critize the work that was going home each month beforehand, did not want hurt feelings or misunderstanding of why I chose to attempt this. The nurse of the campus was the creator and had no difficulty handing it over. She mentioned she was a self-taught learner of Publisher and did what she could with the time permitted. The original newsletter had outline text boxes with tons of white space that turned it into eight pages. This was too long from what I had learned. It was a challenge to work with all involved, but with the creation of a system, they have had great responses about the newsletter. Parents indicated that they read the newsletter because it has all information in one communication (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn & Malenoski, p. 38). Being able to give research based background gave credence to having a well organized meaningful newsletter to inform parents and community leaders. Built an online newsletter for the Instructional Technology webpage as a page within the site but not in the sense of a 4 page document or pdf. This is a different aspect of having one on a site; there are many links and discussion forums about monthly topics. As an educator there is a need to understand what information has to be placed in an informative document that works (TF V). Just as students have to build up to what a newsletter is for and how to create from which program. Technology Facilitator Standard II states, that technology facilitators use communication tools for effective assessment and evaluation strategies. To be effective to understanding what other educators need in the classroom, using and experiencing the tools helps with assessing the needsw of the classroom. Teaching technology skills through a newsletter can add an impact the classroom. The important point to consider in a rubric is the grammar, spelling and punctuation. This is a critical area that has to be checked it happens too many times where errors ruin the newsletter or the article's name sake. Teachers get in trouble where spell check did not catch a grammar issue. Someone else read the information and correct any items that are incorrect or needs more explanation. Understanding critism and taking it is another teachable moment. With the creation of both newsletters that I continue to work on, each month they are edited by other individuals. Copyright information is a continuous learning skill for both teacher and student. There have been many misunderstandings about what creative commons is and what is not. Students tend to think that they can get any information from the internet without citing the source. Teachers know that giving credit is necessary but understanding the exact rules of what they are responsible to follow is lacking. The newsletter was an assignment that gave more experience to what I was working toward. Now there is an understanding with a focus of the goal I needed to achieve to create a higher standard newsletter. Obtaining the correct and most up to date information out to the community in a newsletter in an exciting and easy to follow helps with educationing many. Items that I have now focused on are internet safety, monthly helpful sites and parental involment with the district.
 * EDLD 5363- Video Technology and Multimedia (PSA)**

The public service announcement was the most challenging of all assignments throughout the program. Working with a group completely online and understanding how to make this work put all of my technology skills to the test. There was a need to dive into video production to learn more and see what could be done with it. Media software is constantly changing and my belief is to achieve those outcomes and see other individuals points of view. The course for me aligned with the TF-Standards II and V with communicating with members to create a product by designing and developing the 60 second PSA video. Garrison states, Media productions engages and excites learners by bringing in unfound discoveries, challenges of writing and rewriting scripts, and communicating ideas where all understand the vision or goal of the work (1999). Being able to work collaboratively and locating the correct tools for the assignment took planning. Each group member had access to different types of programs. This challeneged me to push myself to try programs that I had not had time to work with. Group collaboration is a 21st century skill for students today, learning how to work this way posed more time on the computer. During the project used Google to place documents and chat, mediafire for video upload, pbwork for final information upload. Part of collaborative work is finding strengths for every piece of the project. Since internet safety has become a requirement for technology education, this was the choosen route. Lots of avenues to choose from, which became a small part of the problem for internet safety focus. Creating a spreadsheet in google docs, for all aspects of the project phases helped to keep organization. Group members became owners of which phase of responsibilty with recorded due dates. Allowed the group to view what work was being accomplsihed through Google docs. Being able to disseminate the different ideas and put plans together to create an educational video fell into TF Standard III. There was a vision from all group members but collaborated with what skills and knowledge all were strong in. The beginning of the production was taking the video and pictures for the project. Pictures and video for the PSA (Public service Announcement) had to have at least 12 still shots and 30 seconds of video, which was part of my groupwork. The article, The Art of the Edit by Lonnquist, states that you need to always get more than what you need or will use (1994). Understanding what to focus on when shooting the camera for digital or video prodection changed how I viewed both mediums. The creation of the shot list in Google docs focused on each frame of the video and what action would be needed. "Multimedia can add clarity through multiple views, as in process guidelines alongside an animation" (Shank, 2005). The file format with the saving the project had to be accessible to all members. Saving narration and music as a wav. file was a common way to listen to all the narration that was planned. All files could be placed on mediafire.com. Mediafire was a new website that is one tool that I currently still use with video editing. It was a challenge to work with a group and getting everyone together at the same time. Google became an assest with using chat and docs upload feature. The outcomes that were not achieved within the group was learning how one of the members created the animation. As a lover of art and creating it digitally would of been an over the top learning piece. All of the information was revelant on finding the training information for teacher use. Having examples, readily available and using them as a what would you change or not change? Having a basis to show a good verses bad video production can be an excellent way to show a visual starting point. Bringing in the 21st century element made the project fun and exciting had a purpose of teacher use. I have utilized the PSA video that was created with students on internet safety with the expression of part of it was created by me. The younger students are in awe and see the need to learn multi-media concepts for the learning environment. Challenged the high school students to create one better and they have suceeded with their creativity and originality to the work. U sed what was learned by creating a training in podcasting for our technology representatives for each campus. Technology Facilitator Standard III focuses on modeling and designing curriculum that includes methods and strategies for application. Understanding and using these tools, I now had the ability to instruct others with podcasting. Utilized the high school multi-media teacher to assist with the training. Knowing my level and experience I understood that assistance would provide extra support to the attendees. With the use of Schoolworld teacher webpages, teachers can load podcast and videos to thier site. The issues that continue to puzzle me is the lack of space to allow video and multimedia productions at grades below high school for the district. There are gaps of understanding that unless it is a course within the approved curriculum then it is not taught. Many do not understand that this is creative expression that many students use personally and should be included in any curriculum.


 * EDLD 5365- Web Design (Acceptable Use Policy)**

Web policy can become overwhelming with placing the correct wording with covering all aspects of technologies available. The legal and ethical issues that pressure school districts meeting Children's Online Privacy Protection Act or known as COPPA, can be overwhelming. This act limits the ability of websites to offer services to children ages 12 and under without explicit parental consent. COPPA's main goal is to protect all children's privacy and safety online. Understanding what the federal requirements are, help with writing a policy that meets the guidelines necessary to protect children. "The Web is now a participatory, interactive place where we create information collaboratively (Soloman & Schrum, p. 8). Being able to view and work toward creating my own Acceptable Use Policy known in my district as the Acceptable Use Agreement, helped me focus on all areas of technology using Google docs. Sharing the document for review with the ability to make comments and changes brought the available technology to use. As the Instructional Technology Facilitator comes the understanding of all of Standard VI. The social, legal, and human issues that focus on all aspects of all students by helping them become life-long learners safely. One focus of the assignment was taking in the important part that advertisements play with acceptance of websites through the filter. It is difficult that many sites have advertisements throughout the page. Pop up windows would still show even after the student exits the main site. This causes many problems in a lab for both teacher and student. This limits access to appropriate educational sites and frustration sets in with each blocked site. Advertisements clog the network's bandwith which causes many districts to block sites that would benefit students. Since this assignment, my distict has changed filters for the entire network. The statement, protecting children and personal data is a legal repsonsibility (Soloman & Schrum, p. 138). With that responsibility came the change to adapt to something current, with more functions and e-ratable. E-rate funds which our district relies heavily on help with keeping the necessary equipment updated. The old filter was basic and could add sites that be placed on the "white list" with any concerns of it being blocked. The main reason for the change was that new sites could get around the filter with different background jargon from what I understand. The new filter has now added a new frustration level. It constantly is checking for advertisements and questionable content even if the site is on the "white list". Just checking the site the day before does not guarantee that it will work the next day. Technology and districts have to work together to protect students but being able for educators to use the tools necessary, under CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act). Teachers have trouble with this concept and is difficult to explain why the need to have the filter and why it works this way. The new filter has the ability to palce teachers in a group seperate to the students, so teachers could have access to websites that need to be blocked to students. This is a great way to seperate the two groups follwoing the federal guidelines. Writing out the Acceptable Use Policy brought insight to how the policy needs to be written. Correct organization of the policy makes sure that all pieces are clear. Even now, the policy has to be functional but updated yearly. Part of the field based requirement from my site mentor added the rewrite of the policy with the addition of social networking and texting for teacher to student. The district is seeing more and more of inappropriate teacher to student relationships that need to addressed in the Acceptable Use Policy. It was not included in the approved district one, was able to show him the assignment. Now part of my assignment helped with the rewrite of the district policy (TF-V). This validated the work accomplished for this course and showed that I had the knowledge and vision for the district.