Technology+Facilitator+Standard+1+-+Technology+Operations+and+Concepts

Back to Facilitator Standards Sub-Menu

With regard to **Technology Facilitator Standard I**, I gained experience in performance indicator TF/TL –I.B. This performance indicator states that a technology facilitator demonstrates continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies. Furthermore, the performance task related to my experience is TF-I.B.1. In this performance task, a facilitator models appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of the understanding of technology operations and concepts.

Prior to starting this degree program, I was not aware of the web based collaborative tools available to the public. I had completed my BBA about 7 years ago. Communication and collaboration occurred via email and chat rooms. When I enrolled in Lamar University’s online degree program, I thought I’d have an advantage because of this experience. Then I enrolled in my first course EDLD 5306, Concepts of Technology where I discovered a whole new world of communication and collaboration in form of a wiki.

The major project for this course was creating a wiki. One of the requirements was to encourage educators to join the wiki and to collaborate. However, the members in my group participated for only the duration of this course. So I decided to create a wiki that would assist my grade level. This wiki can be found at http://fantasticfourth.wikispaces.com/. Although I’ve done all of the work, it has taken the entire school year of modeling it’s use, and conversations with two principals to increase the interest in the wiki as a tool for integration. The fantastic fourth wiki members are fourth grade teachers as well. These teachers vary in technology expertise. One has advanced skills, while the other is still in the beginner stage. I found it interesting that I was able to encourage the teacher with the least experience to access the wiki for use in her instruction prior to that of the teacher with advanced skills. I attribute this to need. The teacher at the beginner stage was desperate for more resources, whereas the other teacher had more resources to pull from.

Although I’ve noticed and increase in interest in the use of a wiki for collaboration, a major issue I have now is fitting it in to everyone’s busy schedule. According to Williamson and Redish (2009), "...Teachers are currently faced with new sets of learning standards, higher student performance goals, and pressure to implement more innovative teaching methods. At the same time...time for instructional planning are often limited." Gaining interest is the first step and I know that I’ve accomplished that in some educators on my campus. However, what is the most time saving, yet efficient way, to approach professional development for the implementation of this tool? When I return to my campus after summer break, I will continue with my plan to provide professional development. However, I will contact the technology department for advice and assistance with how to proceed with this issue of time.

Resource Cited: 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.