For anyone working as an educator in a school district that uses Google Apps for Education in any capacity, I highly recommend becoming a Google Certified Educator. I am currently a first grade teacher and will be moving to a third grade classroom, unfamiliar territory for me. As teachers, we never stop learning and Google …
During President Obama’s presidency, an initiative called ConnectEd was announced with the goal of increasing technology and internet access in public schools nationwide. It also intended to increase teachers’ skills in using education technology tools to improve student learning and encourage the private sector to develop educational devices and digital content. There was and still […]
Much in the same way that teachers strive to involve students in their own learning, teachers must also be given an opportunity to contribute to the planning and implementation of their professional development. Inviting the learners to have a say in their learning increases engagement, creates agency, which ultimately improves knowledge acquisition and application. One […]
This quarter’s focus in the DEL program is on program evaluation and professional development practices. Currently I am exploring the different characteristics of adult learning, or andragogy, and how that should impact planning for professional development around educational technology. Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in 1950’s and was then pioneered […]
As teachers, we are expected to differentiate learning for our students. We collect data and make instructional decisions based on the needs of our students, academically, socially, emotionally, behaviorally… we strive to meet them where they are and support the individual learning as much as possible. Personalizing our instruction fosters engagement and therefore, increased success […]
As this quarter in the DEL program comes to an end, I am beginning to seek opportunities to continue developing my role as an instructional technology peer coach. As a lifelong learner, I find that professional development is a great way for coaches to stay updated and engaged with the latest tools, trends, and practices […]
In a previous blog post, titled Technology as a Safety Net, I focused on the importance of a coach playing a supportive role, rather than controlling one. “Teachers want a coach to be a peer, not an expert” (Foltos, 2013). Establishing a trusting, respectful relationship requires effective communication, a major component of which is listening. […]
This past quarter of the DEL program has been both challenging and eye-opening. A lot of my former ideas about working in a coaching role have been challenged and some have been validated. Most formal, professional coaching is carried out by qualified people who work with clients to improve their effectiveness and performance, and help them […]
From a Coaching Perspective But first, a review… The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, builds on Shulman’s idea of PCK, and attempts to capture some of the essential qualities of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their teaching, while addressing the complex, multifaceted and situated nature of teacher knowledge. The TPACK framework … [Read more…]
