When it comes to professional growth and leadership, teachers face opportunities for growth on a daily basis. But with time being so limited, where can we turn for expert advice, support, and quick tips? As a brand new teacher, I’m finding that Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) are a great place to start! While exploring the vast world of online PLNs, I was pointed to Free Technology for Teachers, a TechEd blog by Richard Byrne. Blogs like this feature helpful information in bite-sized, time-manageable chunks that can address nearly any question you have. After combing through pages of great content, on Byrne’s blog, I discovered that he has a second website entitled Practical EdTech which is even better! Here I discovered a virtual plethora of helpful content that includes everything from timesaving tools and tips to how-to tutorials for using a variety of apps in the classroom. This site, as you might have deduced from the title, focuses on the application of technology within a classroom setting and encompases online professional development, a professional blog, and online courses for continuing education. Byrne’s mission is to provide “direct instruction” on how to best utilize various technologies in the classroom. He provides written evaluations in addition to how-to tutorials for many applicable technologies, like Lucidpress. Lucidpress is an online graphic design program that can be utilized for creating both print and digital visual arts content. Numerous templates are available for creating projects that can be used for print, online publication, and social media. It features a Google Classroom integration in addition to having document sharing capabilities. Because this is a web-based program, students can access it from any computer, anywhere with internet; they do not need to purchase additional software in order to create professional-quality work. The idea of usage or application is important when considering the role of technology in the classroom. In fact, if we begin by looking at the SAMR model, a framework which categorizes four specific phases of classroom technology application, created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, we see that the application of technology should be innovative rather than redundant. The “A” in SAMR asks: “Does the technology add new features that improve the task?,” meaning is the student able to apply learning in a new way? Other leaders in the field agree that the use of any technology in the classroom should allow students to represent their newfound knowledge in multiple authentic and original ways (Zielezinski, 2016). According to Molly Zielezinski, co-author of the policy report, “Using Technology to Support At-Risk Students’ Learning,” there’s more to bridging the technological gap between privileged and underprivileged students around the country, than simply ensuring there are more computers to go around. What’s arguably more important, she states, is how the computers are being used. Is it for remediation or creation? This is important to ask oneself when introducing new technology, not only because of potential student buy-in, but also for your own professional growth. What I mean by professional growth is that as teachers, we must be ever willing to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone, never allowing our own apprehension of the unfamiliar to stifle our ability to see what is best for our students. Afterall, isn’t leadership defined by one’s ability to be a model for others? According to the ISTE standards, being a tech ed leader means we “model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation, and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning” (ISTE Educator Standard 2.2.c) Sadly, however, research suggests there is an alarmingly high percentage of seasoned teachers who are hesitant to fully take advantage of the many benefits and uses of technology in the classroom (Puckett, 2014). We have a lot to gain from pushing ourselves to use technology in ways that improve the learning experience of our students. Instead of relying on technology to simply reinforce what students learn via “electronic workbooks,” we must become leaders in identifying innovative applications of technology in the classroom (Darling-Hammond, et. al). Lucidpress, found by following a Tech Ed PLN, is NOT an “electronic workbook,” but rather a digital canvas; an innovative platform for allowing students to present their learning in a creative and visual way. In a humanities classroom, this tech allows students to present historical information in a captivating, original way. They can create posters, brochures, newsletters, digital magazines, online flyers, and more. The program is intuitive and allows students to create professional-quality graphic design work, with templates or blank documents. It can be used for presenting learning in any discipline, however. I would recommend this program to any teacher who is looking for a creative and personalized way for students to visually present their learning. One disadvantage I’ve discovered while playing with the program is that it is not tablet friendly; students would need to use a computer in order to take advantage of all of its functions. That being said, it provides a SAMR friendly approach to sharing learning by redefining how we share such information. Where once students made tri-fold posters, they can now create professional-grade graphic design content. As a new teacher, I find that with such rapidly changing and ever evolving technologies, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with it all. This is why PLNs are so helpful. They provide a platform for support, advice, and even collaboration. They allow us to take on the mentality of a tech ed “leader” in identifying innovative applications of tech, making new discoveries more manageable. Lucidpress is an example of one such discovery, and I’m looking forward to using it in the classroom! Resources: Darling-Hammond, L.; Goldman, S.; Zielezinski, M. Using technology to support at-risk students’ learning.https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/using-technology-support-risk-students%E2%80%99-learning.pdf Puckett, R. (2014). Leadership in educational technology. I-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 10, No. 4 January-March. Schoology Exchange. (October 30, 2017). SAMR model: A practical guide for tech ed integration. Retrieved from https://www.schoology.com/blog/samr-model-practical-guide-edtech-integration Zielezinski, M. (May 19, 2016). What a decade of education research tells us about technology in the hands of underserved students. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-05-19-what-a-decade-of-education-research-tells-us-about-technology-in-the-hands-of-underserved-students
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