Misty field base experience reflections.docx - Wikispaces

							                               Field Based Experience Reflections




   During the last couple of months, I have been helping teachers with the set up their ELMO's

and hooking them up to the overhead projectors and their computers. I showed them which wire

goes where, and how to adjust settings on the ELMO and projector. I helped the teachers on a

one to one basis so that maybe they could remember how to do it next time. I only modeled the

steps and made them actually do the work. We also have a tablet that goes with the Elmo that

allows the teacher to move around the room and still be able to control her computer. I showed

the teachers how to use the tablet and, create lessons using the tablet and software.


   I assisted teachers in locating and navigating through a number of educational websites. I

guided them through Star Fall, Kids Zone, Alpha Typing, Wordle, Spelling City and several

other sites. I led them through several activities on each site so they would be familiar with the

way the website worked. I made the teachers navigate the sites and they were very excited to

learn about these online ways for their students to learn. I gained a great deal of insight regarding

my faculty and staff. To begin with, it was exciting to note the enthusiasm by the faculty as they

accessed various student assessment websites I then wrote several lessons for use in the

computer lab. A few examples of the lessons that I did include: fourth and fifth graders each had

a lesson using Microsoft Word where they had to learn the feature by tying their English

vocabulary words and spelling words, second and third graders used Microsoft Word and learned

the features by typing their spelling words for the week. First the students had to go to

www.spellingcity.com and retrieve their spelling words. Then they had to copy and paste the

word into an online program called Wordle, which makes a design out of the words. We copy

and paste the design into Microsoft Paint and change the colors and have fun.
   These activities gave me the opportunity to assist teachers in using technology in their

classrooms and to help them create lessons for their students. I also had an opportunity to apply

and implement methods for using strategies to improve student learning. These opportunities

helped me master the standards.



   I make a wiki for my school so that the teacher could ask technology question for anyone to

answer. I check the wiki daily and help the ones that I can. I did learn that some of the faculty

was reluctant to use the school wiki, but most of the faculty was very comfortable with the

process and liked getting the help that they needed. They were eager to learn as we worked our

way through the wiki process.


   I designed a video about “Online Safety”, “Laws and Ethics”, “Copyrights” and additional

resources, to ensure teachers are familiar with all these areas. It can be given to each teacher to

present to their students, prior to allowing them to have access to the internet. It will also be

presented a few times a year in the computer lab. I really enjoyed doing this activity and also

gained a lot of knowledge from doing this. Looking at the statistics and research I was shocked

to see how many children and teenagers are uneducated in the areas of online safety and cyber

bullying, especially since this is such a growing issue in America today. After talking to my

mentor, I found out, that we do not teach this in our school, which is why I decided to do this, I

am not sure how many parents are aware of the dangers, and ensure they watch and monitor their

children’s online activities.



   As I began to collaborate with my principal about providing professional development in the

area of technology for the faculty she was very excited to have me so eager to help. I had no idea
how much planning is necessary to provide quality professional development. I did a survey on

what technology the teachers at my school were interested in learning. I gave a paper copy and I

used Survey Monkey. I gave them a choice to which one they want to fill out. I gathered the

information and analyzed it to see what they wanted to learn. The majority wanted to learn how

to use Microsoft PowerPoint and to animate their PowerPoint’s. I created a lesson and taught it

the teacher and staff after school one day. I also covered with the lesson a few rules about copy

right laws with the music and picture that they wanted to put on the slide show. I also did other

professional developments which include how to find fonts and install them on your computer,

Microsoft Excel lessons, e-mail and windows help and settings, training on Microsoft Paint. As

we worked through each presentation, the faculty was full of questions. I knew I had to be ready

to field any questions they might come up with. By using Williamson and Redish's book,

Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards as my guide, I familiarized myself with many

scenarios which helped me answer their questions. All of these lessons were used to help the

teacher be able to do something for the students to help them learn in a new Web 2.0 way.


   In my internship I discussed with my mentor and several teacher about what technology they

wanted in their classroom. Something’s were as simple as simple as putting new fonts on the

computer to installing new software on the computers. It was discussed that they the computer

lab was still running Microsoft Office 2007. I talked with my principle about getting it for the lab

and she told me that I need to see the technology director. We got together and discussed the

budget and found out how much each copy would cost. We decided that there was not enough

money in the budget for that right now, so I went and got sponsors to donate the money to buy

the program. I am trying to keep the technology at my school as up to date as possible. I did

install some other software, that the teachers wanted, on the computers in the lab and in the
classrooms that will help the teachers incorporate technology into their lessons. We have a

program that is called Imagine Learning English and I installed and showed many teachers how

to install and update the program. The program is used for out Spanish speaking students and

other special needs students. Our school has decided to use Yahoo Messenger as our primary

way to communicate with each other. I had several people asking how to install and use this

program. I would help each person on a one –to-one basis.


   Our school is small technology challenged school and many teachers do not have a printer in

their room, so they thought that they could not print unless they bought their own printer and ink.

They were always having to save their stuff and go to the computer lab to print it. I knew that

they could print right from their room using the network so I taught them how to connect to the

printer in the lab through the network. They were super excited about this.


   Our school has computers in virtually every room, but no one to take care of them. The

teacher and staff who use them either do not know how to care for them or just do not have time.

After talking to my mentor we decided that it would be a good idea for me to go around and do

maintenance on the computers at my school. In the process of doing this I counseled and taught

the teachers how and why they should do regular maintenance on the computer.


   Last but not least I made a schedule for the computer lab usage. I divided up the days and

time that each teacher should come to computer class. This will help ensure that all technology

time is equal for each grade. I also made mini Web and computer policy which included

copyright laws and online safety. Each child had to be informed of the policies before they were

allowed on the computers.
   The activities helped me master the Standards and Indicators because I had to think through

each activity and plan for it before it was implemented. I have worked through every Technology

Standard during this intern process, and it is a big job but I loved every minute of it. I cannot

wait until this is the job that I do everyday.




Reference:

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). Technology facilitation and leadership standards: What
every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. Eugene, OR: International Society for
Technology in Education