EdTechnocation: Coach

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Friday, April 18, 2014

MOOC-Ed: Coaching Digital Learning, Unit 6 Reflection

In the final unit of the Coaching Digital Learning MOOC-Ed, we learned about the importance of and practiced evaluating EdTech tools and resources, such as iPad Apps and websites with the use of rubrics and evaluation tools.

One of the these tools is +Kathy Schrock's iPad App Evaluation Form. I used it to practice evaluating the app, Book Creator, which I already know is great for students! But I liked how the evaluation form focuses on different features of apps that allow students to do certain things. You can see my evaluation of Book Creator below as well as a link to the blank form.

What challenges have you faced in selecting the appropriate digital resources for your own use or other’s use? How did you overcome these issues?

One of the biggest challenges when selecting a digital tool or resource for my teachers and students, is its ease of use and reliability. Teachers often want a tool that is quick to learn, easy to use, and fits in perfectly with their lesson on unit. Finding the right tools to fit this criteria can be very difficult and often impossible. I have to be careful in the way I present the tool, and it can be a delicate process in helping the teacher to figure it out. One wrong move with the tool, and teacher may lose interest without fully exploring its use and opportunities.

After reviewing this Unit’s Resources and Activity, what resources/checklists/rubrics, etc. would you consider sharing with your colleagues in order to build their capacity around choosing appropriate technology to maximize learning and teaching?

Next school year, I'll be working at a new school in my state that has a continuing 1:1 iPad Program.

After exploring Kathy Schrock's iPad App Evaluation tool, I definitely think I'm going to help introduce the idea of an iPad App Evaluation tool to the teachers. I think it's important to think about the purpose and usability of an app. Does it fit a need in the class? Can it be used to enhance a lesson or a project? Using an evaluation tool can help teachers to better understand and think about how an app is going to fit in to the classroom. It may also help teachers to think about some aspects that they weren't aware of.

+Kathy Schrock "Critical Evaluation of a Creation iPad/iPod App" and other rubrics

My Instructional Technology Coaching Action Plan.

Please comment on the document and add your resources, opinions, and ideas!

My other Coaching Digital Learning MOOC-Ed Unit Reflections:

Check out my Coaching Digital Learning Pinterest Board with all of the resources and videos from the entire course!

Follow Michael's board Coaching Digital Learning, #CDL_MOOCed on Pinterest.

MOOC-Ed: Coaching Digital Learning, Unit 5 Reflection

Unit 5 of the Coaching Digital Learning MOOC-Ed focused on Digital Citizenship. Here are my reflection question responses.

Share what keeps you up at night and what steps you have taken to foster a culture of safe and responsible use in your school/district.

Two of the most important things I try to teach and demonstrate for my teachers and students is Copyright and our Digital Footprint.

It is far too easy to violate copyright law while on the internet, and many students, and even teachers, still don't understand how the law works and how to protect it. Just because you are an educational institution and your students are creating projects for the classroom does not mean you can use other people's work and their images freely. Copyright is more than just protecting other people's investments and money. Its about protecting the artist and the creator and valuing their work and contributions to society.

I often relate the use of information and images on the web to students taking and using other students work. It's a matter of responsibility and respect. If we don't uphold the law and protect the work of the people, than less and less people are going to be willing to share.

Another issue that often bothers me is disregard for our Digital Footprint. That the actions we take and information and pictures we post, no matter how old we are, creates a footprint on the internet. And this footprint can be seen by the world, not just our teachers, our family, and our friends. Many students don't understand this and many parents still struggle with this issue at home. A few years ago I sat in a conference session about digital citizenship, and a former FBI investigator talked about the misconceptions of our Digital Footprint. He brought up a good point that our students today will try to become the future leaders of tomorrow, and many of them don't understand that what they share on the internet today can follow them and haunt them when that time comes. Everyone is responsible for helping our children learn the importance of our digital footprint and what is appropriate and not appropriate on the web.

What is your vision for incorporating and modeling Digital Citizenship in your school/district to strengthen a culture of digital innovation?

What many schools and districts tend to do is to shield our students from the vast world of the web. Youtube has some inappropriate content, let's block it. Facebook might have some creepers and inappropriate pictures, block it.

This is the wrong tactic. Shielding our students is not going to stop them from exploring it and using it on their own. I think we are finally realizing this, and instead of choosing to block, we are finally opening the gates and allow our teachers and students to explore its educational value. Websites like Youtube, and Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter can be used for learning, if used and taught appropriately.

it is impossible to shield our students completely from the bad in this world, so rather than attempting this tactic and failing miserably, lets embrace it and teach our students how to use it appropriately and safely.

That's why I believe in the idea of modeling appropriate uses and having students practice. Give them access to Youtube and lets talk about all the great educational and inspirational videos that we can watch. Let's talk about all the bad videos and inappropriate content and why its not ok to watch them at school. But there must also be consequences. Rules and boundaries need to be set, and if a student breaks them, punishment needs to be consistent. They need to understand why its not ok and what the consequences might be in life (not just in school).

My Instructional Technology Coaching Action Plan.

Please comment on the document and add your resources, opinions, and ideas!

My other Coaching Digital Learning MOOC-Ed Unit Reflections:

Check out my Coaching Digital Learning Pinterest Board with all of the resources and videos from the entire course!

Follow Michael's board Coaching Digital Learning, #CDL_MOOCed on Pinterest.

MOOC-Ed: Coaching Digital Learning, Unit 4 Reflection

In Unit 4 of the Coaching Digital Learning MOOC-Ed, we learned about the 4 Cs of Digital Age skills: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. Below are my two response to the reflection questions as well as a PowToon Coaching Service Announcement that we had to create for our unit 4 activity.

What benefits for student learning do you see in integrating communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity into your school culture?

I think the most important benefit for students in integrating the 4 C's in their learning is that it prepares them for the world ahead. These skills are what allow us to survive and thrive in any profession. They are not just skills, but life skills because they help us to improve our lives and the lives of others.

These skills also help students to develop their personalities and character traits, important aspects of who they are and who they want to become in the future. Skills, like critical thinking and creativity, help students to express themselves and to feel free in their exploration.

Share some of the strategies you’ve used in your practice to elevate the importance of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.

Just recently, my coworker and I started working with our teachers on a Personalized Professional Development Plan.

Now that teachers are more familiar with some of the tech tools at our school, such as Google Apps, they now have to work together as a grade level to create an Action Plan for next school year. In this Action Plan, they have to decide how they will use at least one of the Google Apps to promote and practice effective Communication and Collaboration in the classroom. They worked together to determine and layout the necessary steps to be successful. The Action Plan requires that they determine what their overall goals will be, what resources they'll need, what their deadlines will be, and what their individual responsibilities will be.

Next school year, the teachers will put their Action Plan to use. And later into the next school year, they will continue to work on their Personalized PD Plan, by determining how other tech tools can be used to promote the other Cs (Critical Thinking and Creativity). And they will decide what other PD they would like to receive to continue their Plans.

My 4 Cs Coaching Service Announcement (CSA)

Created with PowToon.com