Field-based+Activities+Monthly+Report

Individual Field Based Activities Reflections
As I assisted my staff, I came across the same theme every time. Most of them were too scared to try and solve small issues themselves. This is due to educators depending on technology professionals to help them acquire the knowledge they need to function in the classroom. (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 19) I feel the technology staff can be reduced if teachers were educated on the fundamentals of how the technology works in their classroom and given an understanding of how troubleshooting works. As a technician, most of the issues were resolved with restarting the computer, resetting internet explorer to default settings, or plugging in the multimedia projector to the document camera correctly. These small issues can cause major problems especially during a lesson, but they can also be easily fixed. I found that not only educating a teacher on how to fix a simple problem, but also including a couple of students to also know how to troubleshoot or how something works can save time in the classroom if the same problem happens again. These students take that knowledge with them the following year and can assist their teachers before they have to take the time to fill out a work order to have the computer technician work on a problem. The teachers really enjoyed having a student as their first level of technical support in the upper grades. I found it very difficult early in the year to allow second graders to handle multimedia projectors, but I basically told them to remind their teachers that everything is color coded and to try restarting first. Most of the new teachers are tech savvy or have enough know how to handle their own equipment and the impatience to wait for a technician to assist them. I feel that educating these students and teachers was a first step in the campus technology efficacy.
 * TF-I.A Provided Technology assistance and support to campus and district staff throughout the year**.

In February, I attended the technology conference in Austin, TX. It was my second time at the event and was excited to see firsthand the technology that is and will be available. There was a big change in the two years in what was available. I noticed that there was a huge push in tablet computing. Laptop Carts were changing into tablet charging stations. I also noticed how the clickers became more student friendly and had updated software. As I viewed what workshops were available to attend, I noticed the iPad workshops were all at full capacity. Any workshop having to do with //Making the Best with your iPad// to //25 iPad Apps Every Classroom Needs// were very popular. Since my campus was having issues with laptops being stolen, I made it a point to speak to representatives about the different options available. LoJack seemed to be the best ideal product, but it was very expensive and it was out of our budget. Our other option was to mount the laptops to the table, but that would prevent the sole purpose of having the laptops. It is very important that I continue to attend these conferences at least every couple of years to keep up with the latest technology that is available. “Finding better methods to achieve and maintain technology competency is an ongoing pursuit for technology facilitators and leaders. “ (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 21) I feel that attending the event gave me insight on what to expect in the classroom in the next couple of years. With a healthy technology budget, these innovations coupled with an understanding of how to incorporate them in the classroom can be the tools needed to help close the achievement gap. I understand that marketing to educators is fundamental to drive business, but I wonder why a lot of these technologies are so costly.
 * TF-I.B Attended the TCEA conference in Austin, TX**

As I assisted the science teacher, I came across them asking me many “what if” scenarios. I may have underestimated their ability to teach technology concepts on their own. I ended up being present as students learned how to correctly type a report on Microsoft Word and how to use Smart Art to make a food web. The students enjoyed these activities and were able to each have a print copy to put in their science journals. I did not think the students would have many technical issues as they worked on their assignment. Modeling for them was very important, but I had to go into each group and reteach them how to use some of the different features. Overall the students understood how to use the features by the end of the lesson. I feel that the lesson was rushed. This may be due to the fact that “teachers are currently faced with the new sets of learning standards, higher student performance goals, and pressure to implement more innovative teaching methods.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 37) I should of have taken two class days to allow the students to explore, but due to time constraints, we made do with the schedule we had available. The teacher really did enjoy how the students worked together and how the different products turned out in the end. Since I have known the teacher since I have started working at the campus, the history allowed me the teacher to trust me when we started to create and implement the lesson. Building this rapport first, built trust. Without trust, I do not think the lesson would have gone as smoothly. Since the students were able to understand how to use Smart Art in Microsoft Word, the teacher was able to implement it in future lessons.
 * TF-II.A Consult teachers and assist them in finding ways to implement technology concepts and skills as part of student learning in the classroom**

There were many different articles that I found which pertained to technology integration. Many of the articles and reports stated that technology is best used to better student learning if it is used as a tool for problem solving, conceptual development, and critical thinking. (Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002, p. 5) According to a research study done by Project Tomorrow in 2006, this generation of students is leading the way to a new form of learning. This is mainly due to the amount of technology that is readily available to them at home. According to the national survey, 94% of 3rd-6th graders use a computer on their free time after school. (Project Tomorrow, 2006, p. 8) Our fifth graders were surveyed and only 47% of them can readily access a computer with internet access. Our students are below the national average, which puts them at a disadvantage. Disseminating this information to teachers was a wakeup call to them. They assumed that because they live life fine without the abundant use of technology these children will also be fine. What I informed them about was that technology is the future whether they realize it or not. It is not going to go away and it is now a necessity in the job force. It is understood that by the time students reach high school they should already know how to type and understand the functions of a computer according to the state of Texas. It is difficult to get older teachers to dive in to a technology integrated environment. I feel that overtime, as new younger teachers replace retiring teachers, there will be higher consensus on integrating technology into lessons.
 * TF-II.B Locate research based information on student-centered learning and technology integration in the classroom and share with campus teachers.**

I had initially thought of telling the teachers to have certain students use Word during spelling tests, but I found that SpellingCity.com was a better option. SpellingCity.com is a great way to have students takes spelling or vocabulary tests. It gives the students an unlimited amount of time to do the assignment and the students have the option to listen to the word or definition as many times as they feel and in any order. I have thought of finding a way to incorporate a speech to text or a text to speech program, but I realized that I was trying to reinvent the wheel. As I looked for different options, I stumbled upon SpellingCity.com. The limited free resources are enough and the word banks are saved for retests and for the following year. Many of the staff members still use SpellingCity.com and are glad this resource is available. I think this resource saves the class time by allowing the students to test on their own time and by giving the student a grade instantly. I enjoyed seeing these students be excited about taking spelling tests. “In order for technology to have the greatest impact on student learning, it must be embedded in effective learning environments.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 39) Changing the norm to better student learning is what technology integration is all about. If the students accept it, then we are one step in the right direction. The teachers were also thrilled to have this resource. The students can print their test which is already graded, so the teacher just has to input the grade into their gradebook. This experience was very positive. I feel any future resources that I recommend will be considered without question. After speaking with a few of the teachers, I was excited to hear that students spelling scores increased. I think having the students being able to take their time on their spelling tests allowed some extra think time.
 * TF-II.C Assist teachers in finding technology resources which they can use in the classroom while meeting district and state standards**

I assisted my campus teachers with organizing their teacher laptops, document cameras, and multimedia projectors in a way that would maximize the image displayed on the screen and easy toggling between devices. We do not have mounted multimedia projectors, so many of the teachers have their projector on a rolling cart or a desk. I went into each classroom and ensured that the projectors were placed in their prime viewing location and were collaborated for quality viewing. I had an issue with many teachers having the projector very close to screen which caused them to display a 3 foot by 4 foot image. Most of the screens are 8 feet wide. Expanding the image displayed allowed students who sit in the back to see clearly without straining their eyes. Since I wear glasses, I tested all viewing areas from about 20 feet away without my glasses. This gave me an idea of that level of strain that some students may be going through since it is common for students to forget or lose their glasses. “Since technology facilitators help teachers overcome their questions about organizing and managing instruction in a technology rich environment,” I made sure to address any concerns as they came. (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 43) The teachers would check out their document cameras and multimedia projectors and set them up themselves at the beginning of the year. Setting up those device were usually the last things they did before they started the year. After I spoke with them, a few mentioned that they never thought about how the image would affect certain students. As I assisted each of the teachers, I tried to get them to understand that it is the little things that count and we must pay attention to detail, even when it comes to technology. The campus is in the planning stages of mounting each of the projectors to the ceiling, since each of the projectors are different, understanding the specifications of each of the projectors is very important before wires and mounts are installed.
 * TF-II.D Assist teachers in organizing their technology resources to better suit student learning**

I worked with the fifth grade teachers on introducing Delicious Bookmarks. I trained them on how to tag, remove, and share bookmarks with each other. I made sure to “model effective technology use while facilitating professional learning for teachers. “ (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 41) Since their bookmarks are stored online, they can access them from anywhere and from any computer with internet access. I felt that educators can utilize this tool in many ways. Instead of just using Delicious for bookmarking, you are also able to view bookmarks shared by other people. Narrowing down the tags to find content or lessons is easy. After hearing about my training with the fifth grade teachers on Delicious, other teachers also wanted to know what it was about. By the end of the year, I had half the staff using delicious even if it was just for finding content. I think I could have had a larger training session with the entire staff in the library. I was not thinking big enough when I thought of this activity. The purpose was to have the fifth grade teachers manage the different online resources that they have been using so that they have access with any computer, but it turned into sharing sites with other teachers. Sometimes you may plan for something to happen, but something bigger may happen instead. The sharing of information and resources is very important for educators. We continually share all free online resources as they are found. As we find information or resources, we find it necessary to share what we found hoping it can help others. Instructing the teachers on installing the Delicious Toolbar, is an easy way for them to tag and share content.
 * TF-II.E Train teachers on how to use social bookmarking sites to organize and share links with their colleagues**

Finding a technology lesson that was specific to the content relevancy was difficult to find. We decided to create a lesson in which students would be create a poem but have to use technology as the product. This fifth grade class was familiar with Microsoft Word from previous technology lessons. Many of the students were very good at just writing their poems, but a few of them needed some assistance from []. We must plan how we will embed these new tools into student learning and must be supported in implementing this type of technology integrated lesson. (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 42) Once a group of students started to make their poems sound smarter with better rhymes, other students started to tweak their poems with better rhymes. It was not necessary for the end product to be technology related. In retrospect, I feel I could have come up with better products. One group of students created a slideshow with pictures with each stanza. That was the idea of the entire lesson, but it did not go as planned. I feel that I could have worked more closely with the fifth grade English Language Arts teacher more closely to come up with a better lesson. It was difficult working with a veteran teacher when implementing this type of activity. I also was not too familiar with the content to be able to implement a lesson seamlessly. Applying Instructional design principals with the development of technology resources can be achieved with the knowledge of the content and the expectations or outcomes defined. If I were do this activity again, I would set the expectations and give a few different examples of products so students can be aware of the expectations.
 * TF-II.F Assist teachers in finding or creating learner-centered technology integrated lessons**

I assisted the fifth grade teacher in incorporating different historical maps into his social studies lessons. It was a great way to have students see that the maps are more accurate now and look different that maps that were hand drawn in the in the past. Since Google Maps has the Latitude and Longitude coordinates available, students were able to see where their house was according to maps in the 15th – 20th century. It also allowed the students to see how the different empires changed over time. I really enjoy the idea of the versatility of Google Earth and wanted the students to experience it. I knew Google Earth was a good teaching tool, but I needed to find a way for it to be a better option than a standard globe or map. Since globes have today’s political borders and maps are not interactive, I tried to find ways to download historical maps into Google Earth. I found that there are many different resources available, but content relevant material was limited. I gave the material to the social studies teacher and within a month he emailed me to assist him in using the material I gave him in a lesson. It was a good idea to do the research ahead of time and allow time for the teacher to get comfortable before using the resources. It made the technology content relevant. According to a Kaiser Foundation study done in 2005, “media rich learning experiences maximize student learning potential.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 59) I felt that Google Earth was media rich enough. As a lifelong learner, I feel that just spending time looking for the different ways current resources can assist students gain a better understanding of abstract concepts that are difficult to understand can bring students closer to the knowledge they need. Anytime I feel there are resources that can be useful, I will need to present them to teachers and be patient. If they come to me later with questions or needing assistance in implementing certain resources, it can make for a better activity due to content relevancy.
 * TF-III.A Show Teachers how the many ways Google Earth can be utilized in social studies lessons**

Fourth grade teachers had not ever heard of wordles. When I introduced how they can be used, they were very skeptical and did not have an interest in spending time having students type their essays. I asked for a teachers spelling and vocabulary list for the week and printed her class a set. Many of the students were excited to have their words for the week given to them in a different format. I saved the link to Wordle.net on the campus favorites so students would be able to access it. We noticed that the artistic and students diagnosed with ADHD preferred their words in wordle format and spent time playing with different ways the words can look. That week, she had a few surprises during the spelling test. Three of the students that usually failed every week, passed their spelling test. This was a learning experience for me and the teacher. I found that the ADHD students really enjoyed playing with words probably because they needed an artistically visual way for the words to be put into their minds. They also typed the words over and over so they can play with the different size of words. This was a fun activity for them and, in a way, merged rote memory and technology integration unintentionally. Even though the teachers sometimes are not interested or feel that technology is not the answer, move forward and let the students decide. If the students like it and it is successful, then we are one step in the right direction. If it is not successful, we must reflect and see why we were not successful. Later in the year, I went to check to see if the students were still using wordles and found they were not. The teacher stated that they got bored of the site after a few weeks. In a way I am not surprised, considering the students who really enjoyed it were ADHD, but it shows that we must be one step ahead and find other options for them as they get bored in order for them to be successful.
 * TF-III.B Assist teachers in implementing the use of Wordles to have students build their vocabulary and reflect on their writings**

Selling the Webquest activity to teachers was a tough task, but I kept mentioning that” using WebQuests in our classrooms can help build a solid foundation that prepares them for the future.” (What are the benefits of webquests?) With the assistance of one of the second grade teachers we were able to get this activity going. I instructed the teacher on the fundamentals of webquests, but we ended up settling on using a weather webquest that was already online at []. I thought I was going to have a tough time with second graders using the internet, but they were very good at following instructions. I have already been reluctant to integrate technology with students younger than eight, but I was proven wrong with this activity. We had the students take pictures of the sky with the campus digital cameras and then made a Photostory movie with all the pictures. The students were excited to see their pictures displayed on the big screen with music. I feel that this activity did not go as planned, but it was a learning experience. Never underestimate what younger students are able to do. They are perfectly capable even though they do not have the higher vocabulary or understanding of the world as older students. These students are also easily amused, which made the activity worth wild. I probably needed to have a better plan before confronting teachers with a technology integration lesson that may be complicated to do. March and April are also a bad time to try something new because of testing. I noticed that there is a limited number of webquests available online. When I was first introduced to webquests, I thought that there would be an abundance available online. I found many of them were taken down. Even websites such as webquest.com had a limited number available to elementary.
 * TF-III.C Assist teachers and students in creating a Webquest and have students use Photostory to show what they have learned**

The technologist position is a teacher which is paid a stipend to help disseminate technology standards, strategies, and information to their campus. These meetings are usually help once a month, but from time to time they did get canceled. The focus of these meetings was to make sure the campuses were following through with the projects set by the district. Items discussed were: technology replacement items, TeacherTube videos, email migration, recent bond election, and iPod implementation to campuses for TPRI which is a progress monitoring tool used by the Kindergarten, first and second grade. I have attended these meeting before even though it was not my responsibility. Going to meet the requirements for TF-III.E put it into a different perspective. It is important for the technologists to disseminate the information to others and explain how to use what the technology leaders have created. (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 66) I became the sole representative for the campus. Networking with other technology professionals from other campuses gave us an understanding that we can help each other by sharing knowledge and resources. We shared Twitter and Delicious accounts so we can share new and links of new content. Interacting with these technology professionals was something to look forward to every month. I feel that I learned something new at every meeting. I never thought Twitter could be used as a learning tool, but I came to find that many organizations and popular technology specialists post links that of interest. Last year was the end of the technologist position due to budget cuts. It was an important position to the campus. I feel that meetings should still be held even though there is not a stipend for participants. It is our duty as technology leaders to have a place to network and share ideas as a district from time to time.
 * TF-III.E Attend technologist meetings and ensure the campus is meeting the expectations set by the district**

I assisted the teachers in utilizing TPRI and AIMS Web to help target certain students. TPRI and Aims Web are progress monitoring tools that the district implemented for their RTI program called Reach. All students were progress monitored and the data was used to determine which students met their goals. TPRI was a better method but was only available to kindergarten, first and second grade. They were able to use iPods to click words that students struggled with during the running record. The data would be sent automatically online and be available online instantly for running reports. AIMS Web’s data would need to be imputed manually before the reports are run. I really enjoyed assisting the teachers with TPRI because it was much easier to manipulate compared to the manual method of AIMS Web. Even with the ease of use, I felt that there could be an easier way to progress monitor students. We have a program called Star Reading which tells us the reading level of students and is able to tell us how much growth they have over time. “This computer based assessment uses adaptive technology which automatically adjusts questions to the individual test taker’s level of performance. “ (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 79) This was used only to give the teachers the students reading level, but I felt it can be used to progress monitor an entire class easily. The following year that is exactly what happened. AIMS Web was replaced with Start Reading and Star Math. Now we are easily able to test an entire class once every two weeks in the computer lab. I feel that understanding what is needed to meet the expectations of a program like Reach and what resources are available, it only makes sense to use a progress monitoring tool that can be efficient. It makes me wonder if we can find an easier way to progress monitor, or have an application that will automatically transfer data to where it needs to be.
 * TF-IV.A Assist teachers in using TPRI and AIMS Web to improve student learning**

After testing these students, I assisted each of the teachers in breaking data apart the data with the facilitator. “Collecting student assessment data is an essential component of school improvement. “ (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 83) We noticed a few different trends across the campus that affected data integrity. We noticed that when students were tested on Mondays the scores were about 10 percentage points lower. We fed this information to the teachers and had them do progress monitoring later in the week. I think it is important to look at the numbers very carefully, and think outside of the box. In college I learned about the importance of data integrity. As an administrator, we must make sure that any data we use is reliable, especially because we make decisions that affect many people based on that information. I feel that noticing that trend protected the integrity of the hard work the teachers put in to gather that data. Working with the facilitator, was a great experience. She is very knowledgeable and helped me understand how she looks at the student data to help give the teachers feedback on future lessons. Working with a knowledgeable person who understands the importance of data was a great learning experience. Communicating the findings can sometimes be a tough task. The teachers just want to teach. Anything that disrupts their rhythm of teaching seemed to get them upset. I think that as we moved forward, finding a subtle way to give the teachers the information that will increase student achievement was very difficult. There could be many variables involved in this, but I think that it is a part of being a good leader.
 * TF-IV.B Assist teachers in analyzing, interpreting, and communicating the results of TPRI and AIMS Web to improve student learning**

For my action research project, we integrated technology with 5th graders to help improve science scores. Being proactive and following a schedule is very important when doing a project of this magnitude. I was very surprised with the survey results taken at the beginning of the project. I was not expecting for 75% of the students to have computers at home, but only 45% could use those computers which have internet access. With such a low number of students with access to computers, I was expecting to have issues with students not understanding how to use the technology, but they understood how to use digital cameras and how to upload pictures of their projects with ease. I understood that if you do not have access to technology at home, you were going to have difficulty with the lessons, but that was not the case. I also learned that students really wanted to be the one who used the technology. They almost fought or argued over who was going to be taking pictures and who was going to be uploading pictures. “Implementing technology competencies may be a catalyst, but effective use of technology in the classroom will require a paradigm shift from "teaching" to "learning," which will require adequate training in technology and learning styles, as well as adequate technical support.” (Rogers, 2000) Working with the facilitator and the science teacher over the year to evaluate the progress of these students was a long process. We analyzed benchmark data every time trying to see which group of students were having the most issues and trying to find why they were not performing up to the student average. Working with other professionals was very rewarding. By the end of the year, I already knew the teaching style of the teacher and how the facilitator would look at the data to disseminate to the teachers. I don’t feel that this class was 100% technology rich. I wonder if we would have had the same improvement if it was not for the technology.
 * TF-IV.C Integrated technology into 5th grade course work to help aid student performance in science**

As part of the duties of the technologist, I was in charge of migrating the campus staff from our pop3 email accounts to the web-based Outlook accounts. There was not much difficulty in the interface of the new online Outlook since it looked similar to Microsoft Outlook. I trained teachers during their conference time on how to migrate their account, add contacts, create and reply to emails, change passwords, and forward emails from their legacy email account. “The more difficult the learning curve, the longer it takes users to realize the benefits of the technology.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 103) I tried my best to shorten that learning curve. Working with one grade level at a time made for a more intimate training session and allowed for more questions to be answered and problems to be resolved immediately. I don’t think that it could have gone as smoothly as it did if I had the entire staff all at once. There was many questions in the first session, so I created a frequently asked questions board and made sure I covered those topics on the next session. Since I am very comfortable with the staff and they are with me, the session was very loose. If I were to have trained people that I did not know personally, I think I would need time to build rapport before getting into the purpose. The rapport was crucial to allowing communication flow smoothly. I figured that meeting this performance task would be easy to accomplish. There are many professional development training opportunities throughout the year. I feel that even review sessions are also important. I have noticed that some teachers go to training sessions, but do not use what they have learned. In my case, it was a mandatory migration, so they had to understand what changes were being made or they would be lost and miss an important email which would possibly get them into trouble. I feel that self-sufficiency is very important. I wonder if the migration would have been just as successful if the teachers were just given the documentation or a how-to video to do it themselves on their own time.
 * TF-V.A Assist in professional development training related to technology and technology resources**

I met with teachers during their conference periods throughout the week to see what technology they were using to support learning and whether it is making the difference it was intended to make. In the grades Kindergarten through third, the common theme was to have computers as a center during Enrichment time and have students go to Starfall.com, Multiplication.com, or Compass Learning Odyssey. In my perspective the computers were not being used to their full potential. The common theme is that these students need a lot of guidance and would not be able to handle an independent activity. Since I was not teaching, I did not realize that was an issue. We spoke about difference options, but they all came back to the problem of it being an independent activity. There was no time to incorporate technology if the student struggles with reading. A problem with the E-Books is that it does not guarantee that the student is going to read along. Reading seemed to be a main focus in these grade levels. I needed to find a way to have a better independent activity that makes sure that they are on task and are learning. So I learned that student’s current knowledge affect how they are being taught. Struggling students struggle for many different reasons, but they all share something in common. They cannot be left to do an independent activity that does not ensure their full attention. Working with these teachers gave me insight on what to look for when creating an activity. I did not fully understand level of knowledge that these students have. I think that before creating any activity, it is important to know your target audience and your goals. It may also be that technology is not the answer for these students. If using technology resources will cause more of a burden than without the technology, then it should not be used.
 * TF-V.B Follow up with teachers and reflect on how technology can support student learning**

In years prior, the staff was limited to the amount of content relevant videos they had access to. The district blocked YouTube.com, so staff would not be able to show YouTube Videos at the school. Discovery Education videos were also not available to view or download from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm due to bandwidth issues. So the only option to show videos was to come to campus before 7:30 am or stay late downloading the needing videos from Discovery Education. I got permission to have access to YouTube.com and introduced Zamzar.com to the staff so they can download videos to their desktop. I felt that “technology has affected the way digital-age students learn, but my campus have not fully responded to what learners need.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 105) The teachers were thrilled to have the ability to show YouTube videos. They felt that TeacherTube did not have enough content. As I met with each of the grade levels, I guided them on the simplicity of using Zamzar.com. By the end of the week, the teachers were showing videos during their lessons. I think I should have done this activity earlier in the year. The students may of have benefited from this early access. After working with the staff, the teachers that used these videos used them as an introduction to a new topic which would build schema and engage learners. This would help me later on as I become a teacher, I would be doing the same. These students are in a world that is full of animation and videos. If we incorporate these animations and videos into their learning, we will have a greater chance of getting their attention.
 * TF-V.C Assist teachers in finding and integrating video or digital images for student learning**

As I met with the campus webmaster, we discussed what communication was currently available. Any news about the campus was posted on the campus’s front page and parents have access to emailing teachers through our staff page. We thought about the different options available to have more parent communication. My suggestion was to have a distribution list that parents can subscribe to which would give them information about the campus via email instead of going to the campus webpage every so often. By helping me understand the web management side of the campus, allowed me to facilitate positive aspects of professional culture and practice.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 105) Working with the webmaster on this activity was very informative on how the webpage is managed and manipulated. Since I am familiar with HTML and web site creation, I would not have a problem taking over his position. Being in charge of the campus website is a major responsibility due to the amount of traffic it receives and this webpage can tell parents about the campus. Working with other professionals can be a professional learning experience on its own. The more people I am able to work with over my career, I will be able to expand my knowledge into the different areas that run a school district. I will continue to work in a partnership with webmaster to get a better understanding of his responsibilities. Recently, the website was changed to match the district website. We are in the process or allowing teachers to update information on their personal websites. I will work with the webmaster to ensure that staff uses their new pages to allow for better communication with parents.
 * TF-V.D Assisted the webmaster in allowing communication to the community through our campus website**

Many of the staff members did not understand why many of the websites were blocked from the district. I made it a point to educate them over the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and how it correlates to E-Rate which gives us a discount on technology infrastructure. (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 128) It is very difficult for teachers to be monitoring all students at all time. The school filter does the work for them. I also informed them that if they ever come across a webpage that must be blocked, they are to contact me or the webmaster so we can add it to the block list. At first teacher did not like the idea of the how strong the filter is, but after educating them on the purpose of the filter they understood that we are looking after the best interests of the children. A school is a safe haven for children. We do not want for something as simple as web access to hinder on that safety. I had already trained the staff many times before on different issues. I felt it was easier to get information across when it was a necessity for them to function. Understanding CIPA and E-Rate does not directly relate to them. It only allowed them to understand why the filter was set in place and how they can help ensure the online safety of students while on campus. If I were to conduct the professional development training again, I would start with different scenarios which would engage the teachers so they can better understand the content, especially in areas that may not interest them.
 * TF-VI.A Provide professional development training to staff to promote ethical, social, and legal issues**

I had come across an application called Kursweil in the library which would allow text to be scanned and it would read the text aloud to the students. I set up a scanner and installed the software in the special education teacher’s room. I found that application to be very useful. It freed time from the paraprofessional and the teacher from having to read content to the students with reading disabilities. The students with this disability are able to use the software independently to complete assignments. I was surprised that the application was in storage and not in use. I feel that said a lot about how much technology was put on the shelf because it not understood, or the person responsible dropped the ball. I realized that students who are learning disabled are capable of so much. Many of them were able to follow instructions to use the Kursweil application independently. Other students needed a little guidance, but were able to still use the application to meet their goals. I enjoyed working with the special education teachers, and they know the laws very well. I understand that as a teacher, if I have any questions, I can speak with them. They are a valuable resource to the campus. I feel that this activity will continue to assist our struggling readers as the special education department continues the use Kursweil the following year. Eventually as we start to migrate to online testing, the students with this IEP will be able to have their assessments read to them in the same manner.
 * TF-VI.B Follow up with special education teachers and suggest technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities**

My goal of this activity was to have students be able to translate English text into their native language. There were many different online resources that students can use to translate text from English to Spanish, but having them type the information into each of the input boxes became time consuming. Another alternative was to allow them to scan documents and convert the documents to text, then use an online translation tool. This was also very time consuming and was subject to technical issues during file conversions. It was difficult to find a free solution that worked for both the students and the teachers. It was determined that technology was not going to work for achieving our goal. I understood that it is important to realize when technology is not going to work in certain situations. I also understand that reflecting on why we had problems meeting our goal is also important. In retrospect, I feel that I could have reached out to other campuses to see if they have a way to convert English handouts to Spanish easily. I needed to use all of my resources, not just resources that are online or my facilitator. Communicating with other personnel across the district could have change the outcome of the activity. I understand now that I can use the network of people that I have created over the year to my advantage. Seeking help outside of your domain sometimes needs to be done in order to meet goals.
 * TF-VI.C Follow up with special education teachers and suggest technology resources to affirm diversity and address cultural and language differences.**

I created a posted that would promote ethical use of technology resources. My goal was to make sure that the students and staff is informed about copyright law and what they are able to do that falls with-in the law. Since I introduced them to Zamzar.com in April, I had to make sure and include what a creative commons license is and how to know which videos have this license. I also included the importance of adequately citing references to content used for assignments or research papers. Movie and music downloading is also a current issue, so it was included as well. I created this poster because “most educators do not fully comprehend copyright law and, therefore, are not able to model and teach basic principles to students.” (Williamson & Reddish, 2009, p. 131) The poster was posted across the campus and I went into many of the classrooms to promote the poster and the ethical use of technology. Making the poster kid friendly was probably the toughest task. I had to use a lot of colors because I am not a good enough artist to create a mascot for the poster. I also needed to make sure it was not full of words. If too many words were on the page then the younger students would not want to read it. I really enjoy creating products that are useful. I feel that this activity served its purpose in allowing me to find a creative way to get information across to a wide array of people. I could have probably found an anti-copyright poster online for free, but I don’t think it would have had the same impact as mine did.
 * TF-VI.D Create a poster for the teachers which will promote safe and healthy use of technology on campus**

My main goal was to make sure the laptop cart was being used throughout the campus and not just in one of the classrooms. Many of the teachers in the lower grades thought that the laptop cart was only for fifth grade students. After creating the log I emailed the staff to sign up for the laptop cart in the library so they would be able to use it. I emailed a log to the staff for the use of computers in the classroom. As I monitored the logs throughout the year, I noticed that they slowly started to not be used. The only log that was maintained was the laptop cart log and signup sheet. But I also noticed that even with the log, the fifth graders were still the main ones who used the laptops. I realized that it might take more than just a log to get the other teachers to want to use the laptops. They may not want to use them because it can take time to get the cart to their room and even more time to make sure all the students are set up and ready to go. I think this activity could have been paired with a technology integration activity. If I would have worked with each of the teachers individually to create a lesson, I could have gotten them to want to use the laptops more often.
 * TF-VI.E Created a time log to keep track of how much time is being spent on campus computers, and created a time log for how the laptop carts are being used.**

One of the biggest issues pertaining to the use of technology is the reliability. From projectors to computers, anytime something did not work correctly it wasted learning time. We have a work order system set in place to have the computer technician resolve issues. That system was not always used. Teachers would buzz the office anytime they had an issue related to technology so the computer technician can go resolve it. The front office would use the intercom to contact the technician which would disrupt class. This would happen consistently throughout the day. I decided to use my phone as a method of contact. Since the work order system sent the technician an email immediately, it would be sent to my phone. I knew automatically who needed assistance and which problems were priorities. I also informed of the staff of the priority levels on certain issues. My priority was things that affected instruction directly, such as projectors and document cameras or internet access, next was administration technology issues, next was teacher communication issues, and finally student desktops and laptops. I feel that educating the teachers on the different priority list helped give them an idea of how long it would take for me to get to them to resolve their issue. For the most part, I was able to resolve low priority issues within a few hours and high priority issues, within minutes. I knew it was a good idea to get this going because teachers started to say that they never hear my name on the intercom anymore, so they thought I had a lot of downtime. After showing them my work order list, they understood that was not the case.
 * TF-VII.A Work with technology support personnel to maximize the use of technology resources by administrators, teachers, and students to improve student learning**

I was responsible for recommending which technology replacement items we would be purchasing that year. Our normal budget was about $43,000, that year we has $24,680. It created a problem for us because we were already behind one year in the replacement cycle and had 57 computers on campus that were out of warranty. Our principal also wanted to make sure all the classrooms had laptops instead of desktops. I recommended that we purchase 22 laptops, 4 printers, and 3 multimedia projectors. The good news about creating this list was that the laptops are going to be warrantied for six years instead of four due to the district implementing a six year replacement cycle starting in the school year of 2011-2012. In order to complete this activity, I needed to first understand what the principal’s vision of the campus and what items needed to be replaced. I had to have an inventory of all items on campus and which items were already out of warranty. My ultimate goal is to bring the campus back into the replacement cycle. Since 34 computers are still on campus that are out of cycle, we will need to make sure that we have a plan and stay with the plan so we can catch up. Collaborating with the librarian to ensure that nothing was overlooked was also a good idea. Since she is responsible for making sure we have the correct number of document cameras and multimedia projectors available, meeting with her allowed me to change my recommendation from 23 laptops to 22 and to add the multimedia projectors. If I had not have met with her and one of the projectors had malfunctioned, it would have been an issue since we did not have any spare projectors.
 * TF-VII.B Describe and identify recommended specifications for purchasing technology systems in school settings by taking part in the technology peripherals list preparation**

In October, I was sent with the special education teacher to learn about iStation. iStation is an interactive application that allows for progress monitoring of students. I automatically accesses students and adjust to their level. I know where they are weak and creates lesson to master those weaknesses. In November, I was sent to EduSmart training. This science rich application allows for students to interactively learn about the different science objectives. In February, I was sent to the Telpas Testing Training. Telpas is the online bilingual testing application that is done every year. My job was to make sure that the testing is done smoothly with no technical issues. I had been to make different training sessions before dealing with technology that I had to disseminate to the campus. I assisted the special education teacher in installing iStation on all of the computers and managing the students. EduSmart was a really nice interactive program. I assisted the teachers in installing the application and showing them how it can be used during a lesson. iStation and EduSmart were really good additions to the campus. I spoke with a few students about the applications after its implementation and they feel that they understand some of the concepts a little more. If the students enjoy an application, it will increase the likelihood of them retaining the information. Working with the teachers to get the EduSmart installed and used throughout the campus went very smoothly. It is not every year that the district purchases an application that is well liked across the campus. I think the only drawback was that EduSmart was only available to third, fourth, and fifth grade classes.
 * TF-VII.C Attend professional development trainings and technologist meetings**

I discussed with the third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers on the different aspects of educational technology research that has been done over the years. I informed them about the research done by Project Tomorrow which surveyed teachers and students to get an understanding of how much technology is being used in their lives. My goal was to bring their perspective into not looking locally but globally. Our students are not going to compete for jobs with locally but with people from all over the world. The internet is making the world smaller, so we much give them the skills they need now, in order to be successful later. Showing them the research that is being done was not news to some of them. Some of them mentioned that it is difficult to give them these skills if they are having trouble mastering basic reading skills. My answer was to see if there is a way to use technology to increase reading scores. I don’t think that there is every just one way to fix a problem, but understanding that there is a problem and trying to find a solution that is different from what is currently being done is important. Most of the research I found about having students increasing their reading level involved understanding vocabulary and how words are formed. One way was to understand root words and affixes. These articles were unrelated to technology, but depending on the student that is having problems, technology may be the answer for some of these students. Something worthy of future research is to find an application that has been proven to work which may help increase reading scores.
 * TF-VIII.A Provide and discuss with staff updated educational technology research**

I felt that a lot of the technology was being taken for granted in many of the classrooms and all of these students do not know of a time where there was no internet. So, I set up the library with older computers and technology such as typewriters. I was also able to set up a computer with a modem running Windows 95 so students can see the difference in download speed from 15 years ago to today’s high speed access. Many of the teachers remembered having computers in the classroom without internet access. Some of the students currently have computers at home without access. The graphics on the older computers were 16-bit which did not display the high resolution colors we currently see today. I informed the students and teachers that we have come a long way with the use of technology. I think displaying the technology was a learning experience for many of the students. There were able to witness something that was before their time. The teachers had already seen older technology all their lives so it gave them a sense of nostalgia. Discussing how the history of technology is an important aspect of what has become of our culture was an interesting topic to discuss. If at any point I have the opportunity to conduct an evaluation of technology in another district, my knowledge of older technology will be of use. Interacting with staff and students and having them witness older technology first hand gave me insight to have more hands on manipulatives in the future.
 * TF-VIII.B Provide training to students and teachers on the history of technology in schools**

I worked with the fifth grade teachers on using different to communicate to parents and the community by use of a wiki sites. They really enjoyed how they were able to post homework assignments and project due dates on the wiki, as well as, embed a calendar to allow for their students and parents to be able to keep track of future assignments and events. The group of teachers that I worked with was self-driven and motivated to learn and collaborate with each other. I had been working with them on different projects throughout the year, so they became comfortable with the technology. The older teachers were more willing to learn how to manage their wiki site. I was expecting for the older teachers to not want to even learn about all the different options a wiki can give them. Working with these teachers in an informal setting let the discussion flow very smoothly. We had worked together during their conference period so we made sure that every minute counted. I really enjoyed working in an informal setting. Usually professional development trainings were all business, but I found that if you have fun, it can make for a more memorable session. In the future, I will need to make sure and build rapport before we get into the hard work. TF-VIII.D Discuss issues related to developing a school technology plan After evaluating the school technology environment, it became aware that our network infrastructure was outdated and we had 37 computers that were out of cycle and out of warranty. In five of the hall ways, there were 10 megabit switches which should have been at least 100 megabit switches. Our phone system was also outdated compared to other campuses. Other campuses were already using voice over IP (VoIP) phones from Cisco which worked over the network. We were still using analog phones. Our MDF was not in a cage, but was sitting on the floor in a closet in the library. This room was too hot because of no ventilation. This MDF controlled all of the internet access of the campus. If it became too hot in that room, it could damage the MDF and cause the internet to be out. There were many different reasons to why our campus infrastructure was outdated. One year we did not qualify for E-Rate so the campus became a year behind. I think certain events do happen which can affect a plan to be followed as scheduled. It is best to make sure that we do what we can and manage using older technology when these events happen. Becoming aware of certain issues during the evaluation made me wonder about how many of the other campuses were in the same position. Furthermore, how many campuses across the region are in the same position or even have older technology infrastructure.
 * TF-VIII.C Provide information to teachers on the importance of building community relations with the use of technology.**

After meeting with my site mentor, I was very confident that I would be able to accomplish all of these tasks. I can be overwhelming to think about all of the activities as a whole, but if you have a plan and follow that plan, getting these activities done would be easy. I was able to use my mentor as a resource and discuss in detail the different options to meet the needs of each of the technology facilitator standards. My mentor is very organized which admiral was considering my history of not being as organized as I should be. Everything was in its place an even my internship plan was ready with highlight and blue pen marks as I walked into the office. At the start of this program I knew I needed to be as organized as possible so that I would not become overwhelmed with all of the coursework. Having someone to guide me and give me support through this internship made it so much easier than I had thought. As we examined each of my tasks, many of them seemed to be fit and right on target with the technology facilitation standards. A few of them seemed to not make sense, but we corrected them and came up with a different activity that met the standard. If I am ever a mentor to an individual, I will remember what my mentor did for me and follow the same procedures: be on time, be prepared, and be available.
 * TF-VIII.E Meet with site mentor to discuss internship activity plan**

=References= Project Tomorrow. (2006). //Our voices, our future: student and teacher views on science, technology and education.// Irving: Netday. Ringstaff, C., & Kelley, L. (2002). //The learning return of our educational technology investment.// San Francisco: WestEd. Rogers, D. (2000). A paradigm shift: technology integration for higher education in the new millennium. //AACE Journal// //, 13// (1), 19. //What are the benefits of webquests?// (n.d.). Retrieved 04 2011, from Concept to a Classroom: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/webquests/index_sub1.html Williamson, J., & Reddish, T. (2009). //What every k-12 leader should know and be able to do.// Washington, TC: International Soceity of Technology in Education.