Educational Technology Reflection

While there were many parts of this class that made me grow in my technology use and understanding, two components stick out as the most valuable and enlightening.  The walk through activity and creating a time for professional development for teacher leaders were the two assignments that I felt changed me.

The learning walk through began with the development of the walk through form.  I knew what it was like to be on the teacher side of the walk through from our many years of the IPI walk throughs with district principals.  I used that memory and experience to help me create a form that I felt would provide me with the ability to take down some simple data to help me guide my discussion during my meeting with these teachers after.  That was something really missing during the IPI walk throughs, there was no real feedback or discussion.  After seeing a few examples of walk through forms online, I was completely overwhelmed by how complex and detailed some of them were.  I sat and took some notes about what I really wanted to see in the classroom and how it would help me in my own areas of need, specifically engagement.

I felt my form was perfectly adequate considering this activity was supposed to be very informal in nature.  I really enjoyed being in my colleagues’ classrooms as well as the post observation discussions.  Not only did it do me good to be in there as a scheduled observer for a real lesson, it really gave me insight as to how my principal feels when she is coming in to do a formal evaluation of my teaching.

The thing I have found myself doing since this activity is, while I am teaching or planning a lesson, I will think through “How would this look on my walk through form?  Will the students be able to identify to an adult what the goal of the assignment is for this lesson?  Will the students be engaged and collaborating?  Will there be creativity displayed and will every child be sharing and listening?”  It really opened my eyes to what my routines are and how I need to expand my view of what I am doing as the leader of these kids to their learning.  I realized I should be doing more.

The second activity that I found eye-opening was the Professional Development activity.  What I enjoyed most about this process was trying to think about what would teachers most appreciate during PD time and that is the last part, TIME.  In creating the day’s activities, I specifically was sure to put in just general time for exploration, a concept I wish more teacher leaders would incorporate into their PD work.  There is so much value to just giving time to discuss a new application or method or website or engagement strategy.

One of the reasons I also benefitted from this assignment is that my appreciation for all the people who are responsible for creating professional development grew exponentially.  Being part of the Instructional Leadership Team at our school, I am always advocating for incorporating more exploration time and multiple days of training on something new.  The reading about adult learning definitely helped to open my eyes on the process adult learners take over my 4^th graders.  Adults do need to be approached very differently. 

Overall, this class brought me a new perspective in the area of technology use in our schools.  There are many considerations to be made when planning for how to use technology safely and appropriately in our schools.  The goal I have every year is to work smarter, not harder.  This class has given me many avenues to help me reach that goal.