EDLD+5370+Reflections+on+assignments+in+EDLD+5306

**Reflections on assignments in EDLD 5306 Concepts of Educational Technology as shown in the Course-Embedded Assignment area of the Internship Handbook.**
When I started this course, I was very excited about what I would learn and how challenging this program would be. I thought that it was going to be a long way to walk. As computer system engineer I realized that I knew the new trends of technology and I was technology sabby. However, I knew my lack of knowledge and practice in the leadership area. When I had the opportunity to analyze the Texas Longe-Range Plan for Technology, I understood the importance of the integration of technology in the education (Texas Education Agency, 2006). After this assignment, my idea was that technology was only a resource to help in delivering the instruction, but not that they should be fully integrated. I think it allowed me to grow professional and serve better the school in different areas such as budgeting and integration of technology. All the information that I gained allowed me to focus my attention in the education by transferring my knowledge from the technical area to the educational field.

As teacher I have completed the STaR Chart survey as a simple requirement from the administration and in my school has not taken as a priority. Indeed, two before the completion of my assignment in my first course, the school did not comply with the requirement and the STaR Chart was not completed. Once I started my masters, I was assigned to coordinate the STaR Chart and I understand the importance of having a good diagnose of the use of technology throughout the school and that it is a requirement to qualify for some federal funding, such as E-Rate. I also have contributed to increment the awareness between the staff. In the position as administrator I have been promoting th use of technology in the classroom by using smart boards, student response systems (quizdoms) and Elmo document cameras. In particular, the use of student response systems, or clickers enhances the engagement of teachers and students (Center for Applied Research, 2007).

I also learned the importance of the communication with other staff members. In the role of leader, I have to develop interpersonal and communication skills to interact with colleages, students, parents and community members. In particular, this is an area that I need to improve. However, during this course I noticed that that I interact everyday either in person or by other means using the technology, such as email, the school website or other web 2.0 tools, that could be used in schools and communicate with the audience (Richards, 2009). In general, we are adopting and adapting the technology as part of the school culture and our next step is extend this culture to the school boundaries between parents. In order to extend this culture, the school started literacy for parents, including English and technology classes because we know that more than 90% of our parents speaks a language different than English as first language and more than 90% of our students are economically disadvantaged and have no sufficient access to technology at home.

I know that we have still to many tasks to do and too much to learn. However, the first step was recognize my strengths and weaknesses. I think that could contribute to extend the access to technology to other students at early age stages, such as PreK or Kindergarten, by using some computers that were replaced in two computer labs. I would like to know the impact in the academic achievement of young students explosed to the use of the technology once they arrive to other grades that make state tests, such as STAAR.

References:

Center for Applied Research, (2007). Student Response Systems. University of Wisconsin. Retrieved from http://static.fdi.vt.edu/Archive/content/instructional_content/2008/fall/clickers/Clickers-UWM-study.pdf ====Richards, D. (2009). A social software/Web 2.0 approach to collaborative knowledge engineering, Information Sciences, Volume 179, Issue 15. ==== Texas Education Agency, (2006). Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020. Retrieved from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tea.state.tx.us%2Findex2.aspx%3Fid%3D5082%26menu_ id%3D2147483665&ei=c-HJTo3pB6eIsgLWso0e&usg=AFQjCNGpihYY9CJX3nGyKd57cTAPYA3zAA&sig2=3jWJ4sebS1P6gkWdOoZCvQ