I had an incredible day today. I was invited to participate in the Culver City high school strategic planning committee; the invitation was extended a few weeks ago. I wasn’t certain if I would be able to participate since it was a day long meeting and my goal was to be employed by then, but clearly that wasn’t in the cards, so I accepted the invitation to be a parent representative.

The committee was charged with creating a three year plan of action for the high school. This was a great opportunity to participate and contribute to the development and direction of the academic and social environment of the school. Ironically in Melissa’s class the night before, we did an exercise in building our educational policy (NCLB) to create an ideal learning environment.

With my OMET vision, I quickly built an alliance with some like minded teachers and was able to include language that commits the CCHS community to integrate and technology in their curriculum goals. Since the strategic goals are written, they commit the administration to include these goals in their budget and other planning activities.

As if I wasn’t feeling good enough today, I got a call from my “ideal” job. I had made it through the last round of interviews and they were checking my reference…..I see a light at the end of the tunnel, which is good, cause at this point, I was thinking about selling oranges at the 405 fwy. exit.

Where do you see technology & education developing next? How do you think the symbiotic relationship between the two will evolve over the next 10 year

I think the walls will come down in the K-12 environment, out goes the “no electronic” policies that most schools have to prevent students from the distractions of texting in class or using the technology to cheat on exams, Googling answers, and out goes the traditional text books. I think students will have the option to do more apprenticeship learning and distance education, such as take a foreign language online rather than a 9^th grade language class.

"Prediction is difficult- particularly when it involves the future." Mark Twain

How can authentic learning tools improve student engagement and deepen learning? What does the apprenticeship model tell us about learning? (5/19)

It goes without saying that the 21^st century learner is tech savvy and in fact continuously connected electronically. Educators are recognizing that the best way to reach these learners is through the constructivist model of “doing rather that listening”.

The X-Box, Nintendo, text message, ipod, and Youtube generation understands and utilizes technology for their learning. They often get their news; learn new dances and journal their life experiences on Youtube, Blogs, Facebook or Myspace, rather than newspapers, magazines or even television.

Educators must recognize that integrating technology in the traditional curriculum creates authentic learning experience for the 21^st century student. Even more, the new generation of educators, 21^st century learners themselves, recognizes the value of web based, interactive curriculums. These applications provide simulated authentic learning experiences. An excellent example of interactive learning is a program called Froguts. Froguts allows the learner to dissect a frog, squid or owl pellet virtually. This authentic learning experience allows the learner to really engage in the process, unlike the real life experiment, it allows the learner to make errors, which then allows the learner to do it multiple times, until they have a true understanding of the concept, rather than the “one shot”, hands on classroom experiments.

The constructivist model is in fact an apprenticeship model which is based on learning while doing. This model goes back many centuries and in all cultures. Knowledge, culture and traditions are passed on from old to young, from expert to novice. This model exists in many professional arenas such as student teacher/mentor teacher, medical resident-intern/physician. Vygotsky’s, Zone of Proximal development defines our apprenticeship learning even in the early stage of childhood development. Cognitive apprenticeship describes a learning environment where students learn form teacher in a constructivist learning model. Brent would tell you that in teaching his students skills such as horse shoeing or welding, he practices and apprenticeship model or cognitive apprenticeship

Why do educational organizations choose to employ portfolios? What value does the use of rubrics in evaluating activities and portfolios bring? How c

Portfolio’s has been a long standing requirement in teacher education; generally students would create a portfolio in their student teaching that is then carried forward to the job interview. The use of e-portfolio is now a growing trend in other professional arenas and with the wide use of technology it’s generally digitized. The portfolio allows a learner to collect and present evidence of strengths and competencies, gained either in their academic experience or in the professional workplace. The “activity” of creating the portfolio creates awareness/mindfulness on the students part of their of their academic/professional achievement.

The same role that rubrics play in the academic community is what it plays in portfolio evaluations. Rubrics establish clear standards and create a guideline in designing the portfolio for a specific position or course and for the reviewer in evaluating the portfolio.

Peer review provides the learner with peripheral vision. Peers provide multiple perspectives (Gardner – MI) and feedback that allows you to think beyond your own experience (Vygotsky – ZPD).

What is the role of an electronic portfolio in my ongoing academic and professional career in educational technology? (5/05)

At this point an e-portfolio will have value for a number of reasons. One, it will allow me to start a collection of my work in and outside of the OMET experience.
Allows me to maintain intellectual ownership of my work and work in which I contributed. allows for ongoing construction of work completed and demonstration of academic mastery and growth as I continue my learning and professional development.

An e-portfolio enhances and brings to life the traditional resume/CV, providing a platform to present evidence of academic and professional achievement to prospective or current employer(s).

More importantly, it will allow me to be more reflective in my career planning and decision making. At my age, there is little time left to explore, but rather to make a shift that will take me into my retirement years. The activity of building an e-portfolio will assist in creating a clear vision in constructing a career change or shift.

Utilizing the format of an electronic portfolio allows for:
• Various sections w/in the portfolio to present to different stakeholders (flexibility)
• Portability (web based)
• Utilizing graphics, sound, audio and video demonstrates technology competency

Leadership From The Inside Out - reflection 1

Admittedly, I had forgotten about Margaret’s email about Pagea Day. When I woke up on Saturday morning; all that was on my mind was the fact that Summer Term has just started and I was already behind. I laid out my books on the kitchen table preparing to lay out a schedule of work. I turned on the TV as usual, overdosed on the Obama and Clinton race,…I turned to the Current channel. There it was, the Pangea Day broadcast, so forget blogging or Bb, there I sat mesmerized.

There are a number of women that I admire, amongst them is Christian Amanpour, CNN Reporter. So typical of Amanpour is to give you a unique political perspective, Amanpour’s interview of a Palestinian Lebanese Sunni-Chehad and a Lebanese Christian - Chaftari who fought against each other in Lebanon's ongoing civil war was intriguing. Both Chehad and Chaftari had made a change and came together to create a different reality in searching for peace and community for their country

What was powerful was when Chaftari describes how he made the change….

"I had to change many things in my life, on a very personal basis. My way of looking and seeing the others as they really were rather than seeing them as I sought or wanted them to be. Once I came to certain conclusions in my life, it was not enough to keep these things to me, so then I address a public apology in the press...

Chapter 1 - Kashman talks about leadership comes from within us….hence the persona vs character. So taking a deep look within is where the answers lie. “As we move to a more fulfilled manner of living, a focus on purpose replaces our single-minded focus on external success. However, our purpose cannot stay “bottled up” inside; we must express it. This purposeful intention and action serves as the energetic, inspired basis for enhanced leadership effectiveness. (Pg. 22).

Who are you?
Where are you going?
Why are you going there?

Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson



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Final Reflection on Learning by Design

Contemplating Understanding by Design over coffee….
UbD is a common sense approach to any project---whether you’re planning a wedding, a curriculum unit or you planning to build a shopping center. The process of UbD/backward mapping is a valuable tool.

I had a hard time initially wrapping my brain around the text, but that’s because I started reading the book thinking only k-12 and since I have no experience in k-12 I naturally couldn’t relate to the reading. Once, I put aside that idea and thought about k-12, and thought about UbD and it’s implications in other parts of my work, it started to make sense.

If you take the UbD template and use it as a project management tool, it’s a guideline:
Stage 1 – Desired Result – Essential Questions > gaining understanding of participants in the overall project goal is critical.
Stage 2 –Assessment Evidence > Designing evaluative Cycles - calibrating members understanding and progress
Stage 3- Learning Plan > the actual project design – the work flow.

Similar to the classroom, the workplace has a diversity of learners (understanding). In project planning or workflow design, the models of differentiated instruction can also be applied. Identifying and understanding each team member’s strength in creating workgroups assures productivity. It also allows a project manager to design the project in a way that clearly communicates the goal, structure and timeline. Simple example, if Jack doesn’t pay attention to emails or work well with text, it’s a given that after a memo, email or project timeline is sent, that his supervisor may then pull jack and verbally communicate those expectations.

Eureka!
UbD = action research- Hypothesis -> lit review -> cycles, research, assessment -> results