Module+6+Reflection

** Prompt ** How did understanding the standards and the pre-competencies verification help you design your field experience plan? How can you use your ePortfolio to help others understand how to integrate technology more effectively in the classroom?

** Description ** I read the ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards (TF & LS) book and studied the standards. I also re-visited my pre-competencies verification to see where any strengths and weaknesses were. Then, I reviewed all standards and began to think about what field experiences I could fit in and match with each standard.

** Impact ** Well, considering I didn't even know these standards existed at the beginning of this course, I have learned quite a bit! :) I love, love, love the ISTE's TF & LS book. It really breaks each standard down and makes them much easier to understand. With something so new to me, this helps a lot! After learning about each standard, and assessing my own strengths and weaknesses through the pre-competencies verification document, I was able to start generating ideas for possible field experiences. Looking back at the pre-comp. verification, I was able to see that my weaknesses lie more in the assessment/evaluation area as well as the ethical area of the standards (standards 4 and 6). So, that helped me begin to think about what I'd like to do (field experience-wise) to get stronger in those areas. Now that I understand the standards better, I can plan **much more** meaningful field experiences that will really help me grow as a technology professional.

I am so excited to start building my ePortfolio! I looked at some of the finished portfolio's of past students, and I was absolutely amazed! What a **wonderful** representation of knowledge! My ePortfolio will serve as a great interactive tool that I can use to showcase an array of information and technology. I can use it to show other professionals all of the various resources available to use in classrooms. By displaying my artifacts and resources, I can help others begin to see the real connection between content, pedagogy, and technology, and the need for proper integration. I can show them meaningful examples of work that I've done, so that they can visualize what technology integration actually looks like/should look like! I believe that when something (like tech. integration) is new, it can be very scary, and scary things usually aren't attractive. Change is hard for a lot of people. Integrating technology is something that a lot of educators are aware of and they know that it needs to happen, but they don't know where to begin and the thought of such a huge 'change' is overwhelming. My hope is that if such educators can sit down and look at a well put-together portfolio full of informative material and real-world examples, they can begin to visualize what integration should consist of, look like, and be... and gain confidence that integration **can** really happen and be effective.

** Intent ** When the school year begins in a few weeks (eek--where does the summer go?), I plan to start diving into the filed experiences that I've put thought into and planned out so far. I know that I will most likely tweak them along the way as I learn more and more, but I think I've got a good starting point. I am so excited to begin this journey, and have lots of ideas running through my head already! I can't wait to share what I've learned with my peers!! One thing I definitely want to do right off the bat (when school starts) is to hold a "Morning Exchange" about what I've learned from this class. A Morning Exchange is something that we do at my school to share professional strengths and ideas with our colleagues. They are held bi-weekly and take place on Tuesday mornings an hour before the students arrive. The presenter usually does some sort of presentation and handout, and shares something that they feel is important for others to know and learn about. I can't wait! :)