Week 5 Assignment

Week 5 Assignment

Jeffrey Bergman
EDLD 5352 – 1182
December 18, 2009

My expectations for this course were ones of uncertainty. I was not previously aware of
the dramatic direction that education was going in the realm of technology. I had several
outcomes that I anticipated receiving from this course, and they included the following:
One, I was hoping to learn of various resources, including software and websites, that
could immediately influence my current position as a high school World Geography
teacher. Two, I was hoping to learn about the legal and ethical issues that accompany
technology implementation. Three, I desired to learn how to be able to manage the
financial restrictions that keep innovative technologies from becoming standard school
tools. I

The course successfully provided me with valuable information not only as a teacher, but
as a future school leader. After five weeks of readings, videos, lectures, and research, I
now understand the significanct role that technology will play in our schools in the not-
too-distant future. I realize now that many experts are aware of the need to adapt to the
21st Century student, and they have been for the better part of the decade. I have already
begun to experiment with some of the websites offered by several of the authors from our
weekly readings. One particular program is called “Real Lives” and it is a program that
allows students to live the life of random people around the world. The statistical data is
based on accurate data provided by the World Factbook. This includes country statistics
such as literacy rate, infant mortality rate, and dominant religion. As the student wanders
through life, he/she encounters life’s obstacles that are common for the lives they are
leading such as diseases, limited job opportunities, and food restrictions. This program is
now under consideration at my school as it has the potential to really engage my
Geography students, who are still reliant on a textbook driven education. In an
administrative position, I can encourage teachers to locate software like this to enhance
the engagement level in the classroom. Another success was the fact that I learned how
to create and manage my own blog, which to this point has been a foreign concept. Even
my Power Point skills were sharpened due to the fact that I was required to experiment
with features I rarely consider using, like hyperlinks. I did learn about the legal issues as
well as the concerns about students operating on the World Wide Web. Finally, I did
become more knowledgeable on the funding restraints for technology. I did not,
however, acquire too much information on how technology funding will affect decisions
as a school leader. In addition to the valuable lessons learned in EDLD 5352, I now fully
understand what the STaR Chart is and why schools have to provide annual feedback
about the technology implementation occurring on their campus.

The course outcomes not only aligned with my own expectations, but they surpassed
them. The amount of reading required each week seemed a bit rugged initially. But I

learned as much from those articles as I have learned since entering the program. The
authors are much more experienced in their field and hence provided some really
valuable and practical insight for a future administrator. My modest expectations were
trumped by the enlightened information I gained from each reading. I have shared
several of these articles with my current administration and they have forwarded them to
the entire staff. Many staff members are not aware of the distinction between “legacy”,
or traditional, learning and 21st Century learning. The ability to gain insight from this
course opened my eyes to the future of education and made an immediate impact on my
current classes.

The outcomes I reached do indeed have relevance to my work in school today. The
significance of technology implementation was reinforced successfully. Keeping up with
the technology innovations is difficult, but undoubtedly a necessity. I also believe that
the precautions kids must take and that teachers must pass on are paramount to the
success of technology-driven education. There are unfortunately more people with bad
intentions on the internet who search out youngsters who may not be able to read the
warning signs that predators give off. The ability to give students the tools they need to
preserve their personal information while maintaining their educational drive will be a
key to using blogs, wikis, and other interactive material safely. Another very relevant
lesson learned from EDLD 5352 was the importance of copyright and patent
infringement, which are violations of intellectual property. Teaching freshman to write is
difficult enough in itself, but trying to make students understand the concept of giving
credit adds to the concern. When I give another assignment that involves research, I will
definitely stress the importance of citing sources and making sure plagiarism is
understood as a serious issue. Universities now really want students to enter college
armed with the tools needed to succeed without stealing intellectual property
unknowingly. As a high school teacher, I feel somewhat responsible for teaching kids the
importance of this concept and how to give credit where credit is due. As a future
administrator, I anticipate the need to pass this message along to classroom teachers.

There may be an outcome or two I did not achieve from this course. I have had an
interest in wikis and podcasts since I have heard of them. I did not get to experience how
to manage and operate either one of these applications. Both will serve as vital
components in the education of the future, and I would like to have been able to dabble
with them to gain at least partial mastery. I realize I do not need a course to teach me
how to use these features, but the urgency of schoolwork sometimes is my motivating
factor to try new things. I do plan on using the wiki this year for my classes, and I have
the support of my library media specialist who is willing to spearhead the activity for me.
What kept me from achieving this outcome was simple. Time did not allow for much
exploration other than what was required. My coaching responsibilities are in full swing
and having two little kids at home made time management vital to reaching my goals.
The dates for the course webcasts also fell on nights I was unavailable. I hope to be able
to experience at least one of these in the upcoming courses.

There did exist some barriers that made weekly assignment completion an arduous task.
Directions for some assignments were vague and confusing, The convertsion of certain

files for blog upload was a chore, and experimentation seemed to be the best cure.
Luckily, I had the help of some of my cohorts online who provided clarity and direction.
Getting the readings done early enough for other students to comment on also posed a
concern. A couple of the articles seemed to be redundant, and thus the time used to read
and apply them to the discussion board could have been better well spent on alternative
articles or fewer ones. Despite this, the articles are still the most valuable instruments of
this course, in my opinion. There are still some bugs that the EDLD 5352 staff needs to
work out as it pertains to instruction clarity, but I cannot imagine how difficult it must be
to organize a curriculum that is 100% online for a large number of educated (and
sometimes high-maintenance) professionals.

The knowledge I gathered from this course was invaluable as a classroom teacher and
future administrator. I learned to manage a blog, to convert files for that blog, and to
become a more fluent software user overall. Most importantly, I learned a lot about
myself as a technology user and leader. The skills involved in blogging are a necessity
for educators in the 21st Century. The more I manipulated blogging, the more confidence
I gained. This confidence should result in an immediate technology tool I plan to use for
my classes. As an administrator, I can see how blogs can be a invaluable asset. I also
learned how to disaggregate the data from the Texas STaR Chart while comprehending
the purpose of its existence. As a teacher, I have not been made aware of its significance,
but the principal in me now can use this tool to better complement staff members with the
knowledge and tools they will need to accommodate the digital natives that sit in our
classes. I learned what the future holds for technology education through video
interviews, personal interviews with technology experts, and from reading numerous
articles that each revealed relevant information pertaining to technology. Among the
most important information I experienced was the legalities of “intellectual property” and
the precautionary measures that students and parents should have while they experience
the transformation of “legacy” (teacher-centered) education to a technological, student-
centered one. I found out something about myself that can be immeasurable. I am not as
inept at new technology software and applications as I thought I would be. I really
enjoyed gaining experience by trying new things I would not have otherwise attempted.
As my confidence grew, so did my expectations of becoming a school leader. My
attitude and ability to incorporate technology converted from uncertainty to optimistic. I
now look forward to my next opportunity to use these skills.

Blogs seem to be at the forefront of 21st Century education. Blogs give the creator a
chance to communicate to a wide spectrum of stakeholders, and also receive feedback
from them. Blogging can close the gap between students and teachers because it
eliminates the common barriers that keep some students introverted in the traditional
classroom. I have students that feel awkward about speaking up in class or have
viewpoints they know will conflict with others. I have others who fear the
embarrassment of messing up with a mispronunciation or incorrect response in class.
The blog can reach these kids in ways not seen before by allowing them to voice their
viewpoints without the potential negative reaction from peers. It can be used as an
informal assessment, while helping build relationships between students and their
teachers. The blog can be a valuable tool for teachers to use with and parents, fellow

teachers, and other stakeholders. Principals also have a tool at their disposal that can
bridge the gap between school leaders and staff, in addition to parents. If effective
leaders are ones who value collaborative decision-making, then blogging is a simple and
efficient method to use. There is so little discretionary time during the average school
day for teachers to offer a helping hand or helpful insight. The blog can engage everyone
by making convenience its biggest asset.

Blogging is not with out faults, just as any internet activity. The innocence of kids is
often times the target for predators online. Kids should be aware of proper etiquette such
as not revealing personal information like their full name, address, photos, and phone
numbers. Adults should have this knowledge and be they should be adamant about
passing it on to their kids. Educationally, blogs also eliminate a key feature of education.
The student-teacher relationship should still be valued no matter how much change is on
the technology horizon. Many students rely on these relationships for the feeling of
belonging, confidence, and adequacy that they may not receive at home. Digital
communication also alleviates social skills such as posture, eye contact, and body
language that makes kids more successful in society. Blogs indeed take these away to
some extent, but the benefits far outweigh the detriments, in my opinion.

Blogging can have several benefits with stakeholders in mind. Teachers will have to
maintain sharpened skills because parents will be able to increase their level of
involvement in their child’s education. Whatever topics and activities that occur in class
should be opened up to all stakeholders for one important reason. Parents who talk to
their kids over dinner or in the car, for example, can help reinforce the content of
classroom discussions. This exchange of information and experiences can assist two
ultimate goals of education, which is relevance and engagement. With all the
experiences that adults have, a blog can enhance the classroom teacher’s cause.
Technology employees, military veterans, and philanthropists live among us, which gives
World Geography (my course) primary sources to refer to when discussing cultures,
countries, and physical features. Additionally, blogs provide a line of communication
and a collaborative decision-making avenue between support staff, teachers, and
administrators. This open line of communication offers an efficient way to discuss topics
and give feedback from all perspectives without the need to call an inconvenient meeting.
Altogether, blogs are on the up-and-up because of the multiple benefits they provide for
all stakeholders in education.

Jeffrey Bergman
EDLD 5352 – 1182
December 18, 2009

Week 5 Assignment

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