B.S. Elementary Education
M.S.Ed. Instructional Technology
Ed.D. Instructional Technology & Leadership
2.b. : Model and promote the frequent and effective use of technology for learning.
Artifact:
Description:
In GDIT 718: Instructional Technology Policy, Planning and Management taught by Dr. David Carbonara in fall 2017, I learned how to create a policy for an educational institution. Because policy-writing was new to me, I wanted to choose a topic with which I was familiar and then mold it into the policy template. For this paper, I decided to look at the 1:1 device initiative for K-4 students and turn it into a district policy for technology.
In my role as technology facilitator in the Seneca Valley School District, I train teachers in the effective use of technologies in their classrooms, and I teach the technology curriculum to students in grades K-4. In the 2016-2017 school year, our district did a one-to-one (1:1) roll-out of devices for all students in grades K-4. K-2 students each received an Amazon Kindle, and all students in grades 3 & 4 received Lenovo 2-in-1 laptops. As part of this, it was my job to make sure that students understood the expectations and rules for their new devices. I did this through a series of lessons and review games. Each year I update the rules based on the needs of our school. For the 2018-2019 school year, I rolled out a new set of expectations for the students with the addition of a contract that all students signed.
Reflection:
Initially I was overwhelmed when thinking about everything to include when writing a policy. In looking at the educational policy that I wrote, you’ll notice that it is very similar to the laptop instructions for students that I included. I realized through the course that a policy doesn’t have to be something that is totally made from scratch. Rather, an effective policy should be grounded in what works in order to guide decisions and achieve positive outcomes. I was able to take something that I already taught effectively and turn it into something that could be used district-wide to support the needs of all students.
I strive to be a role model for the students in my building so they have someone positive to look for when it comes to using technology. To do this, I always make sure that I am using technology properly when it comes to hardware, and I demonstrate proper digital citizenship at all times. When laptops are first distributed, I take the time to lay out all of the expectations for the students so they’re aware of the responsibility that comes with using technology. I have found that doing this early on and often helps to prevent problems before they start because students are aware of all expectations from the beginning.
Kahoot screenshots
