Katie Stanton’s Internship

Presentation

Professional Development at Longfellow Elementary School in

Howard County

For more information, see myInternship Portfolio:

http://stantoninternship.wikispaces.com/

Planning and Preparation

Met with advisor to pre-approve internship plan

Shared plan for internship with principalProfessional development with staff

members on using technology with their students

Completed proposal and had it approved

Created an interest and needs assessment survey for staff members to complete

Getting Started

Emailed entire staff at my school outlining my internship plan and asking for interested participants

Received emails from interested staff members

Sent out survey link to staff members who wanted to participate

Schedule

Created a schedule of what we would cover in each session after analysis of survey results

Emailed schedule to all participantsSession 1 – Interactive Web sitesSession 2 – WikispacesSession 3 – Wikispaces Follow-upSession 4 – Review of internship and

hand out info on other technologies

Session 1 – Interactive Web sites

Handed out extensive list of interactive Web sites and modeled using several of them

Power went out!

Participants had time to discuss, explore, and play

One of the Web sites (Storyline Online) had issues loading the books

Session 2 - Wikispaces

Discussed several articles about using interactive Web sites and Wikispaces

Discussed lack of PD regarding technology

Shared an overview of Wikispaces

Explored examples of teacher created Wikispaces

Practiced editing and saving on a Wikispace

Discussed possible ways to use a Wikispace with students and other staff members

Session 3 – Wikispaces Follow-up

Shared if anyone had begun the process of getting their own HCPSS Wikispace

Explored more examples of Wikispaces

Reviewed ways to use Wikispaces with students

Discussed rubrics to evaluate students

Reviewed the process of applying to get an HCPSS Wikispace

Session 4 – Final Session

Reviewed interactive Web sites – discussed ones participants have used so far this year

Reviewed Wikispaces

Discussed creating a Web page through CLC

Completed follow-up survey

Course Reflections

All of the courses in this program helped me gain a better perspective of what it means to be in the field of Educational Technology.

The following slides give an overview of each course and how they helped me through the internship process.

ET605 Introduction to Educational Technology

This course was a great introduction to Educational Technology. I was refreshed on the basics of HTML, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. During this hands-on course, I used each of these technologies to create projects that I could then use with my students. I created projects such as a WebQuest, newsletters, spreadsheets, and activities in PowerPoint. All of the projects were education based and helped me realize new ways to incorporate technology within my own classroom. Since my internship was based mainly around Web 2.0 technologies, I did not use these examples, but have shared the activities I created with fellow teachers to use in their classrooms.

ED670 Teacher Research and Inquiry

During this course, I was introduced to many aspects of the action research process. I was given the opportunity to research a topic of my choosing related to education. I chose to complete my research on the idea of Problem-Based Learning in Mathematics. Through my research, I learned a great deal about the benefits of the implementation of problem-based tasks verses isolated skill instruction. This class did not directly relate to my internship, but I am still very happy I had the opportunity to learn these research skills and apply them to a relevant educational topic.

ET610 Curricular Applications of Technology

This was a very hands-on course that helped me gain more knowledge on possible uses of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint in my instruction. I created newsletters, presentations, and brochures, and explored many educational interactive Web sites during this class. The most beneficial project for me that I completed was the Curricular Technology Unit. I examined an already existing Health unit that I teach each year, and added technological components to each lesson. It was a very beneficial experience, learning how to spice up a unit that I am required to teach by adding technology to it. Part of my internship was introducing teachers to many different interactive Web sites, so this class helped me tremendously by showing me an extensive amount of interactive Web sites for many different instructional areas that my classmates shared with me and that I found on my own.

ET620 Multimedia Design in the Classroom

This was a very intense course that helped open my eyes to several different ways to incorporate technology with my students. I became very familiar with general design principles, VBA code in Microsoft PowerPoint, and creating and editing videos with digital cameras and iMovie. Much of the work in this class was completed in different groups. That aspect alone helped me see how I can have students working in groups with technology in my own classroom. My favorite assignment in this class was the Video project. My group decided to create a movie on the idea that teachers do not always dress professionally at work. We had a lot of fun creating the video. Learning how to use iMovie to edit the video was a bit more challenging than making the video, but it was a very beneficial process for me to learn to go through. I have since had my students create videos and edit them using iMovie. They are always very motivated by the whole process. Part of my internship was explaining how teachers can have their students using technology in groups. This class helped show me several different ways of grouping students and different types of activities students can do in groups.

ET631 Distance Education

During this course, I learned about many aspects of planning and implementing a distance education course. This being a hybrid class, which means we met face to face several times and had online class several times, helped me gain a better understanding of different ways to organize an online course with face to face options. One of the projects I worked on in this class was to create a distance learning program for students. My group and I created a Mathematics based program for students at the Elementary Level. It had in school aspects and at home possibilities to it, much like a hybrid program. I am very glad to have had this class so I am more aware of what it takes to prepare for and implement online learning opportunities for students.

ED608 Educational Innovations

This class helped me realize how much change education has gone through since it's beginning. We discussed many different innovations that have been attempted and why they may have succeeded or failed. We also discussed how many different stakeholders view different innovations. One of the assignments was to look at our own lives and see what changes we have gone through that make up who we are as people. That was a very eye opening activity as it made me think about change in my life that has truly made me who I am today. I also worked with a group in this class to explore the innovation of year round schooling and it's possible benefits and downfalls. It really helped me better understand the whole concept and see why it might be a good idea if it were to be implemented. My internship was based on the idea that the teachers I was working with want to explore the possible innovation of adding technology into their instruction. This class helped me understand how a teacher might feel going into this idea of adding something new and how to help them get through any possible fears of using technology.

ET630 Digital Communication in the Classroom

This was definitely one of my favorite classes, as we explored many ways to use technology with our students. I created a blog about Web 2.0 technologies that I was interested in or actually used with my students. It was a wonderful compilation of great ways to use technology. It was also wonderful to see what other people in my class were doing with their students on their Web 2.0 blogs. Another project we did was to create a Telecollaborative project. I worked with a partner to come up with a great project that incorporated students communicating through ePals to complete different tasks based on the objective the teacher wanted to accomplish. I came out of this class with a much larger base of knowledge of how to use technology with my students and for what purpose. I also came out of this class really knowing what I wanted to do for my internship. Learning about Web 2.0 technologies made me realize how important they can be in a classroom and I wanted to help other teachers see that as well.

ET680 The Role of the Technology Leader

This class really opened my eyes to the role of a technology leader in a school. During the class, we made a list of all of the potential responsibilities that one might have in a school. The list was incredible! I couldn't believe how much is on the plates of our technology leaders. I also realized how things work behind the scenes in regards to technology at my school. I created an ideal Acceptable Use Policy and a way to manage our software inventory. I also explored the process of creating a new Technology Plan for my school. Until I took this class, I was not fully aware of everything that goes into the implementation of technology in a school. This class helped me prepare for my internship by opening my eyes to everything technology leaders do to help a school have these technologies available to us. It would not be possible to have these technologies available without their hard work and this class gave me a new appreciation for that.

ET640 Adaptive/Assistive Technology for Education

This class was so much fun! We learned about many different ways to use technology to assist students with special needs in the classroom. Exploring the Universal Design for Learning was a large part of this class. UDL taught us not only how to adapt things for students with special needs, but for all types of learners. I enjoyed exploring and using the different technologies we discussed such as the interactive white board and the iPod touch. I was able to use the information I learned in this class and apply it to my internship. I was able to explain to the teachers in my professional development sessions how they can differentiate the use of the technologies I showed them with different levels of students.

AD662 Leadership, Supervision, and

Professional DevelopmentDuring this course, I learned much about how to be an

effective leader in my school. I learned about leaders who have been considered effective and leaders who have not been considered effective, and possible reasons why. Our group project in this class was to research and analyze the DC reform that came and went very recently. My group and I explored the many reasons why it was not successful and ways that it could have been successful, if they had done things differently. This was a very important class when planning out my professional development sessions. I wanted to reflect the positive leadership qualities I learned about in this class when leading my sessions, so my participants would get the most out of them.

ET690 Educational Technology Seminar

This class gave me the opportunity to view technology in education through other people eyes, especially skeptics. I learned a lot about why some people are skeptical about using technology in education. We analyzed many aspects of technology, including many possible benefits and pitfalls as they relate to education and society in general. My favorite part of the class was the debate. My partner and I argued along with the skeptics, that the price paid for using technology in K-12 education outweighs the benefits. We did a lot of research on the topic and presented our case. The voting panel decided that we did a better job of arguing our points and declared us the winners of the debate! Since this class happened at the same time as my internship, I was constantly thinking of pitfalls as well as the benefits as I presented my professional development sessions. I made sure to discuss possible downfalls of the technologies during my sessions to make sure my participants were aware that using technology can sometimes be a bargain.

ET691 Educational Technology Internship

Completing my internship was a wonderful experience. This was my first experience with providing professional development to staff members at my own school. It really helped cement the entire program and show me how everything we learned in this program fits together. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to provide staff members in my school with training on using certain types of technologies with their students. I hope the teachers in my sessions feel my professional development was worthwhile and will continue to use technology with their students to enhance the curriculum. I look forward to providing more professional development for teachers whenever the opportunity arises.