PD for Technology Integration: Best Practices

Significant and long‐lasting changes occur when a school’s “policies, practices, culture, and funding” are structured to facilitate the integration of educational technology. The distributed leadership model is a way to continue supporting teacher leaders and implement shifts in teaching strategies.   Continue reading PD for Technology Integration: Best Practices

Systems Framework for Digital Environments

While studying the needs of teacher professional development in a digital age, I wondered what is the optimal way in which to promote digital age best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment. One knows the school leadership establishes the goals and develops the process that supports and sustains the environment that allows teachers to innovate classrooms with digital learning. Considering this, how can administrators increase and promote digital learning in the classroom and school. Continue reading Systems Framework for Digital Environments

Working Toward a Collaborative Culture

The schools who embrace peer coaching are those who value collaboration as a way to improve teaching practices and student outcomes. By effectively working together through communication and collaboration they improve instructional practices. Trust among peers is an important piece to successfully have those conversations about professional learning experiences and teacher growth. Peer coaching helps teachers integrate technology and improve instruction through reflection on measured student outcomes. Peer coaching can be a role of the servant-leader who strives to build up and support the school community. Continue reading Working Toward a Collaborative Culture

Increasing use of Technology creates need for troubleshooting strategies

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There are several problems that can happen when teaching with technology, it can be with either the hardware or the software. Teachers who use technology on a daily basis have developed strategies to successfully minimize issues and help move the lesson forward. Besides errors that can be listed in a common troubleshooting checklist, IT services can provide strategies that soon become classroom routines. Students are great resources, they can share how they solve technology issues with the classroom and teacher. Continue reading Increasing use of Technology creates need for troubleshooting strategies

Universal Design for Learning: Using digital tools to meet all learner’s needs

Digital tools, beyond personal assistive technologies, can be used for all students to become learners through strategies that remove barriers. To help teachers and administrators understand how strategies or tools could be implemented is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). These principles come from the work of Vygotsky, Bloom, and cognitive neuroscience where by understanding the needs of students, teachers can modify the curriculum to meet the needs of all students.   Continue reading Universal Design for Learning: Using digital tools to meet all learner’s needs

Blended Learning: Mixing it all up

Throughout this class, I have researched ways to increase my students’ understanding of Computer Programming Concepts. By incorporating the ISTE Standards, I have been able to create innovative opportunities through a diverse set of technology. Working through the strategies of CodeHS, pair programming and the idea of student-run programming forums which are in addition to my instruction I realize that I’m implementing a Blended Learning Environment.

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