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:

• Unit 1 Reflection
• Unit 2 Reflection
• Unit 3 Reflection
• Unit 4 Reflection
• Unit 5 Reflection
• Unit 6 Reflection

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:

• Unit 1 Reflection
• Unit 2 Reflection
• Unit 3 Reflection
• Unit 4 Reflection
• Unit 5 Reflection
• Unit 6 Reflection

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

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:

• Unit 1 Reflection
• Unit 2 Reflection
• Unit 3 Reflection
• Unit 4 Reflection
• Unit 5 Reflection
• Unit 6 Reflection

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 3 Reflection

For Unit 3 of the MOOC-Ed, Coaching Digital Learning: Cultivating a Culture of Change, we explored the TPACK and SAMR frameworks. These are two great models to help teachers find the most effective way of integrating educational technology. The video link below is the introduction video for unit 3, but I also thought it gave a excellent, brief explanation of the TPACK and SAMR framework.

Unit 3: Exploring Frameworks (Vimeo)

These are the two reflection questions and my responses for Unit 3.

How have you used the TPACK or SAMR frameworks in your coaching work?  

I am familiar with both the TPACK and the SAMR model, but I'm more comfortable with the SAMR model. However, I think both are important and could work together in helping teachers to understand best practices with educational technology.

Although I do not directly relate my technology infused lessons with the SAMR or TPACK model, I would say that I am often attempting to attain the modification or even the redefinition stages of the SAMR model.

I also plan on introducing my teachers to both models to help them realize the potential of the technology they have in the classrooms and at their disposal. The technology we have is often way under utilized, mostly because the teachers are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with how to use them appropriately and effectively.

What challenges have you seen when using the TPACK or SAMR frameworks?

Since I have not directly applied these frameworks in my coaching practices, I have to predict what might be the challenges I will face when I do introduce them to my fellow educators.

I think the biggest problem with educational technology is that some educators will focus more on the technology instead of the curriculum and instruction. Just because you have a class set of tablets or laptops, or an interactive whiteboard, and you try to use them with your students as often as possible, does not necessarily correlate to effective teaching or instruction. We should not simply use technology for the sake of using technology. This is why I think the SAMR model can help teachers to realize the potential and the effect educational technology can have on the instruction and learning if integrated correctly.

Using a projector to display your computer to the class does not mean your integrating technology. Having students type their notes on their laptops instead of writing them on a piece of paper is also not integrating technology. Instead, finding ways to "modify" or "redefine" the lesson and the learning with the use of educational technology will allow students to be more engaged and to learn new skills and gain new knowledge that will benefit them in the real world.

For the Unit 3 Activity, we were required to create a Linoit.com Canvas Board and share our visual analogies of the TPACK and SAMR frameworks. Below is a screenshot of my board and my two analogies. You can visit my board and also add your own visual analogies if you like!

My Lino.It Board - "TPACK & SAMR Visual Analogies"

Be sure to also check out my Pinterest Board for this MOOC-Ed, Coaching Digital Learning, #CDL_MOOCed where I've added all of the resources for each unit.

My Instructional Technology Coaching Action Plan. 

MOOC-Ed: Coaching Digital Learning, Unit 2 Reflection

Here is my Unit 2 reflection for the MOOC-Ed, Coaching Digital Learning: Cultivating a Culture of Change. Unit 2 focuses on the development of your PLN (Professional Learning Network) and becoming a "Connected Educator".

What do you see as the most important advantages of adding social media tools to your personal learning network? 

I think that social media tools play an integral role in my Professional Learning Network and without them, my PLN would not be very effective.

Each social media tool provides its own advantages to any PLN. For example, I enjoy using Twitter for the educational Twitter chats. I even moderate a Twitter chat from educators in Hawaii, #edchatHI!

I enjoy using Facebook because it allows me to easily connect with other educators from my school and community. It has become an extension of my school and the faculty meetings. I also think that by connecting with my peers through Facebook, we have developed more personal connections as well.

Google+ also plays a very important role in my PLN and I feel like is the most effective social media tool for me. The people that I have connected with, who come from all over the world, have led me to new ideas, differing opinions, and new ways of thinking. Utilizing Google+ communities and hangouts has brought collaboration to a whole new level for me!

Which social media tool(s) do you recommend to colleagues for professional growth and why?

I've been a member of Google+ since its inception and I now spend most of my time there. I enjoy the discussions and the sharing that occur among fellow educators. One of the greatest benefits of Google+ are it's Communities. Communities are places where like-minded people can gather, either publicly or privately, to discuss specific topics. There are many communities with many topics to discuss. There are communities for almost every classroom subject, every education related topic, and for every technology device! The conversations are rich and the resources are plentiful!

How have you used social media as a tool to help your teachers tap into more professional learning opportunities?

In order to engage my teachers I often employ the use of blogs for a variety of purposes. I have my own personal professional blog, (technocation.blogspost.com) that I use to share my own opinions, tips, and reviews for EdTech related topics. I also use several blogs at my school for different purposes. For example, I manage a blog called "The Teacher Showcase" where teachers can share their classroom projects with others in the school. I also have a blog called the "iPad Alert" where I share free and discounted apps as well as great ways to integrate iPads into the classroom. Blogs are an effective way to communicate information, and enabling the comments feature and allowing teachers to guest blog with you can be a powerful way to get teachers involved and become active participants.

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:

• Unit 1 Reflection
• Unit 2 Reflection
• Unit 3 Reflection
• Unit 4 Reflection
• Unit 5 Reflection
• Unit 6 Reflection

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 1 Reflection

Last week, the MOOC-Ed, Coaching Digital Learning: Cultivating a Culture of Change, began. This MOOC will help participants:

• Learn what it takes to coach educators to integrate technology
• Explore a variety of frameworks such as TPACK, SAMR, and the four Cs
• Explore opportunities for personalized application
• Create a Technology Coaching Action Plan

I am most excited to learn more about the different frameworks, connect with other coaches, and create my own action plan.

For the first week, we had to respond to two questions about being a coach. What are the most Effective Coaching Strategies and the what are the Biggest Challenges? Here are my responses.

What strategies have you found effective in your coaching?

Small Steps

When providing technology integration support, I often tell teachers to pick one way or one thing to do with the technology in the classroom or a lesson and focus on that. Practice that one thing often until you becoming comfortable with it. I think, all to often, teachers are given all this great technology, but it becomes too overwhelming or there are too many options to explore. Pick one thing, one technology, or one way to use and keep it consistent. Use it, make mistakes with it, learn from it, and become comfortable with it!

Seeking Leaders

What we quickly realized at my school is that there is a handful of teachers that serve as the pioneers for technology integration. These teachers instinctively know how technology enhances instruction, engages students, and improves learning. As a Technology Coordinator, I realized that I needed to harness the power of this group. So we deemed these teachers the "Grade Level Technology Leaders" and now they help make important school-wide technology decisions. We meet quarterly to have important discussions about the technology in our school, ask questions, and provide support. These Tech Leaders are also responsible for reporting back to their grade levels, for testing out new technologies in the classroom, and for provided help and professional development for the staff.

Patience

I learned quickly that I need to have a significant amount of patience while dealing with teachers that our new to technology. I believe whole-heartedly in the concept of digital natives vs. digital immigrants. Although our students are quick to learn and often come to class already with the technological skills required, teachers are the exact opposite. These digital immigrants need simple step-by-step directions, they need it to be explained to them several times, and then again several weeks later, they may need their hand to be held. And this is all ok, because as long as they are making progress, it's a #EduWin in my book!

What are your biggest challenges as a coach?

Time

The first challenge is time. Time for me and time for the teachers. I wear many hats: teacher, robotics coach, IT specialist, IT support, school leadership, professional development, coaching, maintenance and repair, etc. It's difficult to find the time to support teachers, when I must also support the students and the technology. However, I strongly feel that supporting teachers is the most important part of the job, because if teachers are well supported, then so will everything else. Teachers, themselves, have so much on their plate, especially in the public sector. Finding time to let someone in to their class to support them with instruction and technology integration can be difficult to do.

Commitment

Commitment falls in line with time. And I find that it can sometimes be difficult for teachers to commit themselves to trying something new, to changing their curriculum and instruction, to allowing their students to explore a new device or tool. There may be many reasons for this. One reason could be not enough time. Another reason could be their comfort level with the new technology. As a coach, I must help teachers to hold strong to these commitments, for the benefit of themselves and their students.

The Old Way

I find that there are always a few teachers who are very reluctant to trying new things in the classroom, especially with technology. And I think it might be because they trust so much in the old way of doing things. I can't blame them for that. Why would I change my way of doing things, when it has worked for me and my students for so many years? It's a good question to ponder. But there is a great answer for that. Sticking to "The Old Way" of doing things is a dis-service to the students and society. The old way of teaching and learning might still work in the classroom, but its not going to do those students any good when they grow up and become adults. We need to teach them skills and abilities that will benefit them as adults, and using state of the art technology and tools make it easier, more engaging, more efficient, and more enjoyable. Students have access to these technologies in their personal lives already. Why should we take that away in the classroom? 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. You can still register for the MOOC-Ed and participate! Let me know what your strategies and challenges are as a coach in the comments.

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:

• Unit 1 Reflection
• Unit 2 Reflection
• Unit 3 Reflection
• Unit 4 Reflection
• Unit 5 Reflection
• Unit 6 Reflection

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.

Digital Learning Day - Take the Challenge!

http://www.digitallearningday.org/

Digital Learning Day is about giving every child the opportunity to learn in a robust digital environment everyday, with the goal of success in college and a career. We urge you to make a difference with digital learning in America's schools and take the pledge to support the effective use of technology to improve education for all students.

In essence, Digital Learning Day is a day to celebrate and promote all of the great things that you do in your classroom with technology and the opportunities you provide your students to grow and learn! It's not necessarily about doing something extra that day, but instead to continue to make an effort to integrate technology in your curriculum and to give you students the chance to explore what technology can do for them.

What can educators do to support and participate in Digital Learning Day?

Take the pledge for you and your students!

Add your class or school event to the list!

What can you do in your classrooms?

Here are some ideas:

• Continue to allow your students to explore the Hour of Code!
• Take the #Make4DLDay Challenge!
• Plan a classroom activity!
• Check out the Teacher Toolkits and choose a subject!
• Challenge yourself to integrate one technology in your classroom for the day (and BEYOND)!
• Borrow a Mobile Computer Lab and work on a project, start a new one, or explore a website or program!
• Borrow a Mobile Tablet Lab and allow students to explore an app!
• Display your classroom computer or tablet and explore an activity as a class!
• Sign up your class for an online Student Debate! (Great for persuasive/argumentative writing!)

Have any other ideas or want to share what you're doing! Add it to the comments below!