Journal+Module+One

=Jacob's Journal=

Reflection #1
**//Reflection Prompt://** How has your knowledge of technology standards changed after this module? Reflect on your own use of technology standards in your classroom and personal use.

Description:
This week provided a broad and quick overview of the ISTE standards and led me to begin to look at my ability associated with these standards.

Impact:
My knowledge of the ISTE standards has multiplied by infinity after just this first module. Going into this module I had heard of the standards, yet had not spent any time with them. When Dr. Ward asked the class if we had ever worked with the standards, my initial reaction was “no.” However, Dr. Ward said during our F2F that the Ohio standards are aligned with the ISTE standards. I have a slightly different background in that for the past two years I have been working in the Kentucky school system, yet I did spend ample time with the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment, which are the Kentucky standards we have to follow in our lesson plans, unit plans, etc. I assume that they too reflect the ISTE standards, so in a way I have been using the standards to plan my lessons.

I may have subconsciously been using the ISTE standards, yet I really had no knowledge of them. I really had next to no technology in my classroom in Kentucky. I had an overhead projector which was held together by duct tape (I am not joking), a teacher computer which I finally was able to hook up to a small CRT TV, and two working computers in the back of my classroom; the school itself had one computer lab for it’s around 1000 students, which was constantly filled by writing teachers working on portfolios. I thought I was ahead of the curve in my classroom because I used videos from Youtube, quizzes from BrainPop, designed Webquests for the two times I was able to use the computer lab during the year, and even had many of our readings in class on audio recording so that the students could listen. Despite all of this, as we were sitting in class on Tuesday, I just kept thinking about how behind the times I was and how I will probably score a 0.0 on my Pre-Competencies Verification.

I had always thought that my lack of technology in the classroom was my excuse to not being up with the times, yet during our class we used such a simple survey program over a cell phone text message and I was left with my mouth hanging open.

Intent
I need to get with the times. I always thought I was keeping up to date on the latest technology, I read several technology blogs daily, yet I was not looking at the blogs through the eyes of an educator; I was looking at all of the new technology as fun toys, I was being a consumer. I need to start looking at the new toys and analyzing how they might be able to be used in the classroom. I have a strong hardware background, yet I seem to be very behind in my software knowledge. Working with Design and Development Services has already taught me so much on the software end and it has only been two weeks. I am excited to become more proficient in the ISTE standards and how they can be applied to new and emerging technologies. *************************** Great first week reflection, Jacob--I am always very happy to see a transformation in thinking in this first week of realization! Standards are the start and your "hat change" to an educator will help you look at things from a different perspective--exciting time for you! Dr. Ward